As America enters the last few days before the presidential election, the new media is in frenzy mode. If you look at the stories on conservative media, former President Trump is picking up steam. The case for Trump is so obvious that people would be stupid to vote any other way. If you look at the stories in the leftist media, the case for Kamala Harris is so obvious that only racists, bigots and deplorable people would not vote for Harris. The country is deeply divided and the news media—on both sides—has become shills for what people want to believe. Herein, is the major issue for the election: if voters believe what they want to believe rather than the truth, the resulting leadership will be based on a lie.
Jesus addressed this very issue in a discourse with the Pharisees and scribes after he forgave the woman taken in adultery. Remember, Jesus challenged them by saying “He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.” They walked away and he told the women to go and sin no more. Following this, the Pharisees confronted Jesus saying he was a liar. John 8:13 says, “The Pharisees therefore said unto him, “You are bearing witness concerning Yourself; Your testimony is not true.” As the conversation played out, eventually it got to the point that Jesus called out the religious leaders for wanting to kill him. Jesus said in verse 41, “You do the deeds of your father.” To which the Pharisees replied, “We are not born of sexual immorality; we have one Father, even God.” They were saying that Jesus was illegitimate.
In verses 42-47, Jesus sets the Pharisees straight. His words also can be inform us about this election, “Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I have come here from God. I have not come on My own, but He sent Me. Why do you not understand My speech? Because you are not able to hear My word. You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out his desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, refusing to uphold the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, because he is a liar and the father of lies. Now because I speak the truth, you do not believe Me! Which of you can prove Me guilty of sin? If I speak the truth, why do you not believe Me? Whoever belongs to God hears the words of God. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God.”
Who do you hear—God or what you want to believe? We are not electing religious leaders. As followers of Christ, however, we have the duty to vote AND the responsibility to reflect Christ in our vote. Our vote should no less be one of truth, not of a lie. All the issues are laid out before us. Which of the candidates more closely reflects the truth of Christ? To discern this, we have to put away what we WANT to believe and closely investigate the truth as it relates to God, not media, celebrity, government or political party. What do candidates say and do? What is the God’s honest truth? We have the God-given “right” to vote. If you are the LORD’s, you best exercise that right in alignment with the truth of God—what is true or like the Pharisees, what you want to believe. Voting with the father of lies is, say it with me…stupidocrisy.
