Now that the presidential field has considerably narrowed, there’s a pressing question looming for some: “Will I vote the lesser of two evils or not vote at all?”
The Pennsylvania Pastors Network President, Sam Rohrer, has discussed this very question and others on recent “Stand in the Gap Today” radio programs.
“Are we ever, as Christians, biblically required to vote for what many have called ‘the lesser of two evils’?” Rohrer asks. “We are always faced with the real challenge of voting among two or three ‘imperfect’ people. Jesus is not on the ballot; in Him, we would have a perfect candidate. Everyone on the ballot is imperfect.
“To illustrate,” Rohrer continued, “let’s consider a choice like this—Adolf Hitler or Joseph Stalin—both haters of Jesus, of Israel, of Christians, and both thinking they are gods themselves. The difference is which one will imprison or kill you first? In that case, yes, we would be constrained to not vote for either because both choices are truly evil—with clear evidence that neither align with the word of God nor have a fear or respect for God. But when considering candidates today, we must determine if they are less than perfect—or evil? As voters deliberate over these substantive questions, what is the pastor’s role—and is there one? Should churches and pastors even delve into issues of government and politics? The answer is unequivocally, ‘yes.’”
Civil government is a creation of God, Rohrer added, and pastors have a responsibility from the pulpit to uphold the godly ideals of what leaders should be and educate their churches about God’s expectations for leaders.
“When it comes to voting, evil equates to a candidate who is clearly anti-God, anti-Christ, anti-Israel, and anti-Bible,” Rohrer said. “For instance, does that candidate reject God-defined moral absolutes such as life, marriage and God-established human sexuality or does that candidate embrace and pursue the killing of the unborn and marriage between any combination of people other than man and woman? Does that candidate support bribery and corruption and the subversion of justice for all? As Christians, we should support and vote for the candidate whose principles most closely align with what we believe, what the word of God teaches and what God’s expectations of a leader are. After all, pastors must preach biblical principles about all aspects of life—at home and in parenting, in the workplace, as we reach out to our neighbors, in how a church should be run, and yes, in the principles we should hold close when we head to the polls.”