5 Qualities We Should Look for in Our Political Leaders

When I say Biden, of course I’m referring not exactly to Joe Biden, but rather to whatever group of people are handing him ice cream cones and putting his special no-trip shoes on his feet.

What I said above about him wanting to process these illegals as citizens isn’t stupid. It’s dictatorial. The obvious point is to increase census numbers in blue states. This is an attempt to import control. It’s evil.

We are seeing a lot of Hispanics around here and my interactions with them have been quite positive. I am not against a policy that would increase immigration, but I am against open borders.

There is a big difference between allowing immigrants in who have a family support structure here and are able to provide them a place to live and get on their feet vs just letting anyone in. There is a big difference between letting in immigrants with no criminal record and opening our border so that other countries can empty their jails and send the criminals across. There is also a big difference between states that arrest those criminals once they break the law and states that just set them free because criminal aliens are given special rights (consider the interview- I think it was on CNN- where they told that these criminals gangs would steal in New York, make a bunch of money and they live in Florida until they ran out and they would come back to NY and steal more. The interviewer asked why they didn't just steal in Florida. The answer was because they got arrested there. That is one of the glaring differences between D an R policies). There is a big difference between an immigrant who begins earning an income and paying taxes, and a criminal alien who doesn't have to file with the IRS but can still get all kinds of freebees from the government. There is also a big difference between letting someone come over on a work visa, but saying they cannot vote here, vs letting criminal aliens vote.

Does Title IX require public schools to allow students to use the bathroom or locker room based on their "gender identity"? What about playing on an athletic team that matches their preferred gender?

The Biden administration has declared that it does, and school administrators are making decisions based on Dept of Ed guidance.

Presidential admins matter a great deal. They set the tone for the administrative state and its far-reaching rule making powers.

He’s definitely correct that there’s a tendency to overestimate the power of US Presidents. They have very little lasting impact on policy. I think they have a more lasting impact on things like the integrity of the office, confidence in our institutions, and our relationships with other nations. They may also completely reinvent their party, as Trump has.

This is true, along with the reshaping of both secular culture and Christianity in Trump's case. Character, kindness, and human decency used to matter in a candidate, but it doesn't anymore. Any tiny reservations my friends and family had about voting for Trump in 2016 were gone by 2020. They are eager to vote for their Nebuchadnezzar.

I'm not sure whether Trump changed evangelical Christianity to what it now is, or whether he simply revealed the ugliness that was already there. Either way, the hypocrisy of the Christian belief in virtue and character is apparent in this political climate. Russel Moore has just written an excellent article on this: Why Character Doesn't Matter Anymore

Character absolutely matters. I am just not surprised that a person who does not know the Lord Jesus Christ would be lacking in character. We have a long list of Presidents from both parties who have lacked character and that is just in my lifetime. That is why I look so forward to Christ ruling and reigning as our perfect king here on earth.

As far as evangelicalism- I have long been concerned that our churches have emphasized grace to an exclusion of responsibility. There has been too much quoting of Ephesians 2:8-9 NASB 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9 not as a result of works, that no one should boast.- without quoting vs 10, Ephesians 2:10 NASB 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

Paul was very clear in Romans 5:20 that where sin abounds, grace much more abounds, but then he warns in ch 6 that we should not us grace as an excuse to sin. James explains that faith without works is dead. The problem within evangelicalism for not emphasizing this truth as carefully as they should has been prevalent throughout my lifetime as well.

We have a long list of Presidents from both parties who have lacked character and that is just in my lifetime. That is why I look so forward to Christ ruling and reigning as our perfect king here on earth.

It’s so important that we not be binary in our thinking about this. If you read the book of Kings, for example, Scripture encourages us to notice the difference between David and Saul. Both lacked character in some ways. They did not lack character equally. One made a pretty good king.

The comparison gets even more clear if we compare David to, say, Manasseh (2 Kings 21:1-6), who apparently practiced human sacrifice.

There’s lacking character, then there’s having really, really bad character.

So… it won’t do to look at elected officials and shrug say “well, they all lack character” so that doesn’t determine my vote (or, for many, even count at all in their voting decision). They are not all the same.

In the long run, character is policy. A U.S. President might only be in that role for four years, but he might even then—as we’ve seen with Trump—have a huge influence on entire political parties and movements.

Several years ago, I wrote the following that shows from Scripture that God has made known when a ruler was less evil than his predecessor was:

Scripture speaks at least twice of how a successor to an evil ruler was less evil than his predecessor:

2 Kings 3:1 Now Jehoram the son of Ahab began to reign over Israel in Samaria the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and reigned twelve years. 2 And he wrought evil in the sight of the LORD; but not like his father, and like his mother: for he put away the image of Baal that his father had made.

2 Kings 17:1 In the twelfth year of Ahaz king of Judah began Hoshea the son of Elah to reign in Samaria over Israel nine years. 2 And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, but not as the kings of Israel that were before him.

These passages show that God notices when a successor to a ruler is still an evil ruler but not as evil as his predecessor. Furthermore, not only does God notice such rulers but also He calls them to the attention of His people.

Moreover, we should notice that God specifies that Jehoram was not as evil as his father Ahab specifically from a religious standpoint. This revelation therefore teaches us that we are to pay attention to whether one of two or more competing candidates is less evil specifically from a spiritual standpoint.

Moreover, we should notice that God specifies that Jehoram was not as evil as his father Ahab specifically from a religious standpoint. This revelation therefore teaches us that we are to pay attention to whether one of two or more competing candidates is less evil specifically from a spiritual standpoint.

Yes, Jehoram was less evil than Ahab, but I don't think that paying attention to that fact means that God would necessarily be pleased if we were to vote for either one of them were they to be running for elected office.

Yes, Jehoram was less evil than Ahab, but I don't think that paying attention to that fact means that God would necessarily be pleased if we were to vote for either one of them were they to be running for elected office.

You provide no biblical support for your statement other than stating that this is what you think. Do you have any biblical basis for suggesting that is God's perspective?

Kevin makes a good point:

Yes, Jehoram was less evil than Ahab, but I don't think that paying attention to that fact means that God would necessarily be pleased if we were to vote for either one of them were they to be running for elected office.

Sampson was definitely not someone I would want as a role model for my sons, but just because he lacked character, that doesn't mean I would support the Philistines.

Kevin makes a good point:

Yes, Jehoram was less evil than Ahab, but I don't think that paying attention to that fact means that God would necessarily be pleased if we were to vote for either one of them were they to be running for elected office.

Sampson was definitely not someone I would want as a role model for my sons, but just because he lacked character, that doesn't mean I would support the Philistines.

I was going to respond to his comment, but it is not there now. It was unclear to me what exactly he was getting at with his comment about Samson versus the Philistines.

You provide no biblical support for your statement other than stating that this is what you think. Do you have any biblical basis for suggesting that is God's perspective?

If you want a verse, how about Psalm 5:4 - For thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness: neither shall evil dwell with thee.

If you think that God would be pleased with someone purposely voting a person as wicked as Jehoram or Ahab into office, you would need to show me some Scripture suggesting that is God's perspective.

If you want a verse, how about Psalm 5:4 - For thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness: neither shall evil dwell with thee.

If you think that God would be pleased with someone purposely voting a person as wicked as Jehoram or Ahab into office, you would need to show me some Scripture suggesting that is God's perspective.

Hmm. I do not see anything in Psalm 5:4 that talks about voting for someone in office.

Hmm. I do not see anything in Psalm 5:4 that talks about voting for someone in office.

I think the verse I provided is plenty sufficient to provide a basis for the opinion I presented earlier. You are free to provide some alternative scripture if you think my opinion is wrong.

I think the verse I provided is plenty sufficient to provide a basis for the opinion I presented earlier. You are free to provide some alternative scripture if you think my opinion is wrong.

I already have given Scripture that is at least as relevant as Psalm 5:4. The passages that I have provided are explicit divine revelation about top-level civil leaders over God's people who were evil, and God explicitly calls to our attention that some were less evil than others.

The passages that I have provided are explicit divine revelation that God intends to profit us for every good work. You claim that they do not apply to how we are to decide for whom to vote; instead, you claim that Psalm 5:4 applies, which does not say anything about top-level civil leaders over God's people and some evil ones being less evil than others, etc.

If your passage pertains to what we are to do when voting, the passages that I have presented most certainly do so at least as much as the one that you have presented. If you disagree, feel free to show from Scripture itself why your passage applies but mine do not.