As a Christian, what was more disturbing to me than the conduct of Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton during the 2016 presidential election was that of certain evangelical leaders who jeopardized their influence for Christ by compromising Biblical principles for the sake of political expediency.
Voting for Clinton was never an option. Even if I had trusted her and supported her policies (which I did not), anyone who champions herself as the protector of women and children and yet supports killing unborn babies up until the moment they are delivered from their mother’s womb lacks the moral capacity and judgment to lead a nation.
The other option was Trump, a man who unrepentantly flaunted his disregard for Biblical principles, shamelessly belittling, mocking, insulting, intimidating and personally attacking anyone who disagreed with him.
His life is built on the love of money, which the Bible deems the root of all evil. Sexual immorality, greed and gambling are his trademarks.
Donald Trump repeatedly demonstrated that he is unrestrained – a particularly dangerous character trait for a president and commander-in-chief.
The two major political parties told the American public and we in turn told each other that we had to vote for one of these two candidates to be our next president.
To do otherwise was to throw away our vote or worse, to vote for the greater of the two evils rather than the lesser, as if the lesser was easily distinguishable. Those who declined to endorse either Clinton or Trump were chastised for their naivety and, in the case of Christians who refused to board the Trump train, accused of spiritual snobbery.
With the potential for the next president to appoint several Supreme Court justices, I understand why my pro-life brothers and sisters felt compelled to vote for Trump. While we did not agree on that excruciating decision, under the circumstances I do not fault them for voting for a candidate who at least professed to support the right to life.
On the other hand, I was dumbfounded that some could, with a straight face, describe Trump as a humble, Godly man.
My greatest disappointment with this election was watching a parade of Christian evangelical leaders line up to trade Biblical principles for a highly speculative seat at the Trump White House table.
Abandoning the belief that a president’s character matters, they enthusiastically embraced situational ethics by discounting Trump’s repeated disregard of Biblical morality, and accepted the proposition that the suitability of a candidate is relative only to who they are running against.
Evangelical leaders strained to justify their position by suggesting that Trump’s moral deficiencies were all in the past, despite clear evidence to the contrary from his own mouth.
They pressured Christians to vote for Donald Trump, arguing that God could use an immoral man like him but implying that God could never use someone like Hillary Clinton, as if either candidate had the power to limit the sovereignty of God.
Despite what others suggest, character still matters in the political arena because what a person thinks, believes, says and does in his private life will necessarily impact his politics.
When both candidates lack even that minimum level of character reasonably expected of a president, the solution is not to discard the belief that character counts, but to refuse either option and to pursue an alternative, regardless of the political cost.
Otherwise, Christians lose moral credibility, which has profound consequences not just for our nation but for all people.
Beyond sacrificing moral influence in the public arena, evangelicals who adopt moral relativism risk losing the ability to influence the culture for Christ.
As Christians, we must remember our mission and purpose—that we are not called to save a nation, but to join Christ in his mission to save lost souls.
In a world that is becoming angrier and darker, people need to know they can find hope in an unchanging God who will light the way with love.
If we are Christians, then we must be Christians first and stand on the absolute authority and wisdom of the Word of God rather than a political party platform. As we turn the page on this election, please join me in praying for healing and reconciliation among our citizens and for the next president of the United States of America.
As Christians, may we remember our mission and be recognized not by our rhetoric, but by our love and our fruit.
“By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” John 13:35.
“This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.” John 15:8.
“The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.” Galatians 5:22─23.
— Karen Feil Wilson is an attorney in The Dalles and the wife of Mike Wilson, pastor of the First Christian Church.
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