HOW WOULD JESUS VOTE?

Since the WWJD fad – “What would Jesus do?” – similar questions have been asked. What would Jesus eat? What would Jesus drive? How would Jesus vote? (Would Jesus wear a Rolex on His television show? – Ray Stevens).

I think I can give a reasonably accurate answer as to what Jesus would eat. He was Jewish. He would eat foods that were “Kosher” according to biblical (not Pharisaical) standards. Of course, there is the problem that He was reputed to be “a glutton and a wine-guzzler” (Luke 7:34)!

But the other questions cannot be answered because they are nonsense questions. Jesus was the only human being who actually chose the time and place of His birth. And, of course, we all know that He chose to be born in a time and place where there were neither automobiles nor voting booths.

I say this because I fear that it’s possible to be so convinced of the rightness of our cause that we believe that Jesus would vote the way we do. We may feel that anyone who votes differently is not walking with Jesus.

As I said on my previous post, I was pleasantly surprised at most of the responses to my post IS GOD STILL ON THE THRONE? I have since received a few more, which I chose not to publish. A couple of them expressed some deep pain that I apparently opened up. They were too personal to publish. I also received a seven-page Word document rebutting me and telling me to share this new information with all on my e-mail list. I deleted it.

I don’t really care to defend myself, but I do feel I need to make clear both what I said and what I did not say:

-- I did not tell anyone how they should have voted. I didn’t even tell how I had voted. I was not attacking anyone for voting against Barack Obama.
-- I WAS rejoicing over America’s choice of an African-American for president. I have long been convinced that racism is one of the great evils of America and of the American church and has been since before we were a nation. I feel that this singular event was a milestone in a movement away from this evil.
-- I felt that the evangelical white church had dropped the ball on this one, just as we had done many times in the past. I was genuinely grieved by what I perceived as at best a “wet blanket” reaction. I confess that I was at least partially mistaken on this, as so many of the responses demonstrated.
-- I do believe that abortion and homosexual behavior are sins that are on the increase, though they’ve been with us all along. I also believe that my vote has little, if anything to do with this practice.
-- Political action cannot eliminate sin. We live in a fallen world. Because I believe very firmly in the depravity of man, I refuse to put my trust in any political party or position.

Bill Ball
11/17/2008