Let me clarify that: I'm not changing my tune or stepping back my opinion of Romney. This is not sour grapes. I did try to encourage people to vote for Romney. I still have a Romney/Ryan sticker affixed to the bumper of my car - at least until it gets covered by a Los Angeles Angels sticker in a few months.
But despite that, I've never been a major fan of Romney, in particular. If you read my last post on the election that I wrote prior to election day, I think you will find that I'm something less than effusive about Governor Romney - my primary concern was over the issues involved: abortion, gay marriage, etc. For what it's worth, I wasn't all that crazy about any of the other GOP candidates either. Most of them were (and are) self-absorbed egotists.
Ron Paul, when he was talking about foreign affairs, sounded senile. Rick Santorum always struck me as very angry during all the debates, as though he were the only solid conservative running. Herman Cain may have been unfaithful to his wife multiple times (alleged during the campaign until he bowed out). Gary Johnson was apparently a libertarian masquerading as a Republican, while Jon Huntsman was clearly a Democrat-leaning Moderate. Rick Perry, although my favorite of the bunch, seemed to struggle at times to even form sentences coherently, although rumor has it that recent surgery was the culprit. Newt Gingrich brought along so much baggage, both personally and professionally, that's it is doubtful he would have even gotten close to the electoral or popular vote total Romney got. Michelle Bachmann, while more conservative than most of them, had the typical personality of a woman in politics, which put her at about the bottom of my list (You can call me a Chauvinist if you care to, I prefer the term Biblical-realist). And that's just skimming the surface. The simple fact is that all these candidates were terribly flawed.
Romney himself, of course, was a pandering moderate. He shifted more conservative or liberal, depending on who he was addressing.
So why was I pushing his election? Don't I care about principle? Principle is great and all, but the United States is not the church, and the constitution ain't the Bible. If I was considering who I'd want as the pastor of my church, I think that is something you take a lot more care on. But I think far too many Christians misunderstand most of the laws of the Old Testament and their purpose in the Bible's narrative.
My disappointment in the election is for a couple of reasons.
- First, the consequence of re-electing Barack Obama is that the pro-life agenda is losing ground and more innocent infants will die. Not only because he will support the most liberal legislation on the issue of abortion, but also because he will appoint judges who agree with him - judges who are not elected to term and will be in office until they resign or die.
- Second, we see in President Obama's re-election a worsening symptom of our country's condition regarding biblical morality. And I don't mean simply where our country stands on so-called gay marriage. Whenever a country becomes so perverse as to support such legislation, it means that it has already moved beyond acceptance and approval of other levels of sexual immorality.
- Third, I'm an American, humanly speaking. I love my country. It makes me sad to see it going into the dump even more quickly than I imagined it would.
However, as a Christian, while I can't say I always 'feel' this way, in my heart I 'know' that regardless of what happens to my country, it is of minor importance in the grand scheme of things. I mean, I haven't lost my salvation. God is still ruling over all creation, and will for all eternity. Their are still millions in need of salvation in our country (and no doubt millions more who think they're saved and are not).
Why do I say it is of minor importance from a Christian standpoint? I compare it to the argument that Paul made in Philippians 4. His point is not an equal situation to ours, but the point, I believe, still holds.
"10 I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at length you have revived your concern for me. You were indeed concerned for me, but you had no opportunity. 11 Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. 12 I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. 13 I can do all things through him who strengthens me. 14 Yet it was kind of you to share my trouble. 15 And you Philippians yourselves know that in the beginning of the gospel, when I left Macedonia, no church entered into partnership with me in giving and receiving, except you only. 16 Even in Thessalonica you sent me help for my needs once and again. 17 Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that increases to your credit."
(Philippians 4:10-17, ESV).
Paul rejoiced because of their concern for him (manifested in the gift of support that they sent to him) (v.10), not because he needed the gift (v.11), because God always took care of him, whether in times of abundance or in need (v.11-13). He rejoices, rather, for their sake, because their generosity to him is a demonstration that God is bearing fruits of righteousness in them (v.14-17).
In the same way, my sorrow is for America. The election results point to how far gone our nation is. In a elected-representive form of government, the government reflects the people of the country. What we see in this election is that Americans are bearing bad fruit.
While certainly, if the country continues downhill and the church goes through the fire of persecution, obviously it will be harder for us, but Paul's point is that God takes care of us in any situation. My sorrow is over the lives that will be lost, and the judgment that our nation is storing up for itself in the day of Christ.
In regards to believers, this election reminds us that most of our nation is lost in sin. It should motivate us to share the Gospel with the lost, spreading the news of our Savior's love even in our own area that we live in.
36 When [Jesus] saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; 38 therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”
(Matthew 9:36-38, ESV).
"18 For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. 19 Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things. 20 But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself."
(Philippians 3:18-21, ESV).
