(This is the second part of a message entitled "Your Worldview and Your Vote" that I preached at Pines Baptist Church in Pembroke Pines Florida on November 4, 2012. See "Your Worldview and Your Vote Part One - Christian, Why Vote?" Here and "Your Worldview and Your Vote - Part Three - Forming a Biblical Worldview" Here)
"The only thing worse than not voting, is voting for the wrong
candidate."
Perhaps you have seen this ad that was recently placed in newspapers
across the country, a statement by
Dr. Billy Graham, perhaps the most well known evangelist and Southern Baptist
in America, if not the world. He wrote,
“On Nov. 6, the day before my 94th birthday our
nation will hold one of the most critical elections in my lifetime. We are at a
crossroads and there are profound moral issues at stake. I strongly urge you to
vote for candidates who support the biblical definition of marriage between a
man and a woman, protect the sanctity of life and defend our religious
freedoms. The Bible speaks clearly on these crucial issues. Please join me in praying for America, that we will
turn our hearts back to God."
Dr. Graham's words, urge us to vote for candidates who support a
biblical position on three critical moral issues, the biblical definition of
marriage, the sanctity of human life, and religious freedom.
The fact that Dr. Graham feels compelled to even
raise these issues in the context of a general election, is indicative of the
fact that there is a battle of conflicting worldviews raging in our culture. Therefore, as Christians, we
would be unwise to shrug off these differences as mere political
disagreements and miss the spiritual
context of this struggle.
Note with me (secondly) the relationship of
worldview and the ballot box.
Dr. Del Tackett, - in an article "What's a
Christian Worldview?" on Focus on the Family's website, writes,
“A worldview is the framework from which we view
reality and make sense of life and the world." He then goes on to quote David
Noebel, author of Understanding the Times.
A worldview is "...any ideology, philosophy,
theology, movement or religion that provides an overarching approach to
understanding God, the world and man's relations to God and the world,'’'
Dr. Tackett continue by giving three examples.
"For example, a 2-year-old believes he's the
center of his world, a secular humanist believes that the material world is all
that exists, and a Buddhist believes he can be liberated from suffering by
self-purification.”
Just a few weeks ago, (Sept 8,9, 2012) Pastor Rick
Warren in a sermon entitled, "Standing Courageously for the Truth"
said, your worldview,
"... is the belief that you build your life on.
Your worldview includes how you see God. Your
worldview how you see yourself, how you see others, how you view your
past, your present, your future.
Your worldview includes how you see sex, money, time. Your worldview includes how you see good and evil,
problems and pressures. It influences everything in your life.... everybody has a
worldview. And every time you make a
decision you access the worldview database
in your mind and you decide, because I believe this, I’m going to do this." He
continues,
"If
you for instance in your world view believed
the world was going to end next week,
you would act very, very differently than you are right now. It’s how you decide what you decide. Your worldview
influences every choice you make. All your choices are based on it."
Pastor Warren helps us see, how central our
worldview is in every decision we make in every area of life. And I would
suggest to you this morning, that it plays a vital role as we carry out our
civic responsibility in the voting booth. As we elect candidates who are responsible
for determining public policy that affects each of us our children and grandchildren
and the entire nation.
The most important question I believe we need to
ask in determining who to vote for is what is their worldview? Because their
worldview will determine what they stand for and what they stand against.
But, take a step back with me for a moment. I hope
you realize how important it is that you and I have a biblically informed
worldview as we go through that process of deciding who to vote for, or what to
vote for.
Sad to say, American Christians evidently have some
homework to do. And here's why I say that. In Dr. Tackett's article he cites a Barna Research Group study that
indicates only 4% of Americans have a
biblical worldview. But what is perhaps more alarming is that only 9%
of "born again" Christians have a biblical worldview.
Here's what Barna found,
"Although most people own a Bible and know
some of its content, our research found that most Americans have little idea
how to integrate core biblical principles to form a unified and meaningful
response to the challenges and opportunities of life."
Perhaps this explains the troubling condition we
find our nation in today. Or why, Dr. Graham said, "We are at a crossroads...."
Listen to what Pastor Carl Gallups said in a recent
interview with WND the online news network,
"About
60 years ago, our culture decided it didn't need God or the mention of His Word
anymore. So, we have raised several generations of children to believe that
they are the 'me' generation. They were taught that there is no God, there is
no higher authority,' there are no moral absolutes, and that they are nothing
more than a cosmic happenstance based upon sheer random luck." Listen
to what he goes on to say about the relationship of
this secular worldview to the moral decline of our culture,
"With such a
worldview thoroughly ingrained within the institutions of our culture we now
reap what we have sown.
"The abortion
holocaust could not happen without first convincing the nation to believe that
we are nothing more than a mere
animal.
"The radical
homosexual movement could have never risen to its current level without first
persuading the nation that there is no standard of right and wrong concerning
our sexuality.
"Homosexual marriage
would have never been considered until first the nation became convinced that
marriage is nothing special or divinely ordained, and that marriage can be
defined anyway in which man finds pleasing to his flesh and lust."
All levels of government in America, federal, state
and local and the courts - are now involved in promoting, legalizing or
defending immorality. Just a few weeks ago I listened to a sermon by Pastor
Shane Idleman in California who shared with his congregation that
"Governor Jerry Brown [CA] just days before had signed into law a
controversial ban on counseling and therapy for youth that is not affirming to
same sex attraction." This means you can't counsel young adults and say
same sex attraction is wrong.
Just last night I read a report on the internet
that a "...45 year-old male student, who dresses as a woman and goes by
the name Colleen Francis, undressed and exposed his..." private parts
"...on several occasions in the presence of young girls who use the
college's locker room....
"Alliance Defending Freedom sent a letter to
Washington's Evergreen State College Thursday after college officials claimed
that its non-discrimination policy doesn't allow the school to stop a man from
exposing himself to girls as young as six years old in a women's locker room. A
local district attorney has also stated that he doesn't plan to enforce the
state's indecent exposure statute to protect the girls."
As Pastor John MacArthur noted in a sermon just a
few weeks ago, "...one of the
historic parties here in the United States adopted the sins of Romans 1 as
their platform." ("Abortion and the Campaign for
Immorality" September 16, 2012)
Dr. Marvin Olasky has pointed out,
“We know that sin cannot be wiped out, because it
is within everyone; we just don't want sin to gain governmental backing...We
believe that God instituted government for the prosecution of wrong doers and not the
promotion of evil.”
His opinion is consistent with the role of
government Paul sets forth in Romans 13.
We've already seen that Paul said government was
instituted by God and the church is to be subject to it. Look at verses Romans
13:2-4 (ESV),
"2 Therefore whoever
resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist
will incur judgment. 3 For rulers are not a terror to good conduct,
but to bad. Would you have no of
the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his
approval, 4 for he is God's servant for your good. But if you do
wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant
of God, an avenger who carries out God's wrath on the wrongdoer."
Remember Paul wrote
these words while living in the Roman Empire, not in a nation founded on
transcendent truth. He says that the
authorities are appointed by God. (verse 2) and as God's servants are to
restrain evil, with lethal force if
necessary. You see, the depravity of man provides the moral necessity for the institution
of government.
A government that protects society from evil and
promotes righteousness sets the stage for a free and safe society. Freedom
never comes without a price. Freedom prospers and survives only in the context of
moral values that transcend the self- centered, nature of sinful man.
I am glad that there are stop signs, traffic lights
and speed limits in our county. Otherwise I might not have made it to church
alive this morning.
Paul also says that governing authorities give
approval, recognition or praise to those who do good. They do this in their
role as God's servants, says Paul.
Again,
Pastor John MacArthur, "This is
not about politics, although there are things we should talk about. You’re not
voting for a pastor, you’re not voting for a spiritual leader, you’re voting
for someone who has some sense of morality.
Since the Bible says that the role of government is
to punish evil doers and protect the good, you better have somebody in power
who understands what is good and what is evil. And if you think homosexuality,
abortion, sexual freedom, hating God are not evil,
then you better go
back and check your Bible again. How can people with that kind of agenda
protect those who do good and punish those who do evil? That’s Romans 13’s
definition of the role of government. ("Abortion
and the Campaign for Immorality")
The fact that these biblical issues have become
political issues makes this question even more critical, "How should we
vote?"
Please understand at the outset, that I do not for
one moment believe that America's moral decline will be solved at the ballot
box. Nor do I believe that the proponents of the secular humanist worldview behind
these changes are the enemy.
No, they are the victims of the "god of this
age" who has "blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot
see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image
of God." 2 Corinthians 4:4 (ESV)
We must be very careful especially in the public
discourse of these issues to bear in
mind the attitude and behavior Christ has called us to.
We must be careful to follow what I call Paul's
apologetic protocol, 2 Timothy 2:24-26
(ESV),
24 And
the Lord's servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach,
patiently enduring evil, 25 correcting his opponents with
gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the
truth, 26 and they may come to their senses and escape from the
snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will."
Notice the emphasis on our demeanor: not
quarrelsome - don't fight; kind, patient
even when enduring evil; gently correcting and able to teach. And notice the
condition of our opponents. It's described in graphic spiritual terms. The need
for God to grant repentance; leading them to the truth coming to their senses; the
idea is, they have been drugged, they have been trapped by the devil, held
captive to do his will.
We are in a spiritual battle for the minds and
souls of men. First and foremost, therefore, America's hope lies in a spiritual
awakening, that needs to begin in the Church, 1 Peter 4:17, "judgment
begins in the house of God." America desperately needs the gospel. That
ought to be clear from the Barna research. No political party is going to save
America.
