This is a suggested topic by Noah Parker, who asks what the blessing of being “politically homeless” is.
2020 seems to be the year where the most-asked question among evangelicals is not, “who is your Lord?” but rather, “who has your vote?”
I am not old. I have lived almost 22 years of life on this earth; all of which, with the exception of a few mission trips, have been experienced in the Southern United States. This is important because while I truly believe that the Bible and heavenly citizenship are the primary ways by which Christians should view the world and live their lives, it would be incredibly naive of me to argue that my demographic, upbringing, personal experience, and maturity do not contribute to my decisions about politics in the United States of America. That being said, I pray for wisdom and discernment, that God would keep me from naivety and pull me towards objective truth. I pray that He would give me what I cannot attain on my own: the ability to reconcile the eternal, what I know to be forthcoming, with the temporal, what I see with finite eyes.
It is important to first define the term. When I refer to being “politically homeless,” I mean identifying neither with Republican or Democratic parties, but looking at candidates and asking, “what candidate best represents the Biblical worldview?” as well as determining what message would be conveyed if I voted for either of them. It is obviously understood that neither Presidential candidate would embody character, policy, and temperament in a way that is one hundred percent consistent with Scripture. Not only is every candidate human and therefore wrestles with a sin nature, it also seems to be a trend that very few devoted Evangelical Christians run for office.
The most common next step, after coming to the previous conclusion, is to look at the political parties and identify with the one that follows the Bible more. This is where most Christians fall under the Republican party and further, hold to conservative political views.
The benefit of identifying with neither is far greater, in my opinion. After reading Scripture, understanding the value of life (yes, in and outside of the womb), diversity, service, and humility, I would begin to wonder how anyone could completely identify with one political party or candidate.
Western Christianity has become so intertwined with Republicanism, it almost seems un-Christian to identify otherwise - or to not identify at all. It seems passive and even hateful not to vote for the pro-life candidate in the election. This, of course, implies that one of the greatest ways to solve the problem of abortion in the United States is to vote for President. As with most areas of this address, it is simply not that easy.
It is important to remind fellow brothers and sisters in Christ that politics do not bind us together. The well-being of the United States does not bind us together. The person sitting in the Oval Office does not bind us together. That right belongs to Christ, the One resting at the right hand of God on His throne.
So, I would appeal to you all, that while politics are vitally important in the United States, do not exchange your national standing for your eternal standing. Do not elevate Republican or Democratic identity over identity in Christ.
In this regard, I am holding Christian witness in a high position compared to political witness. The Christian votes, not merely for the policies a candidate has to offer, but also for the moral witness that will, in many ways, lead the nation for the next term. This requires a level of discernment. There may be a time when voting for a Democratic candidate is more Biblically aligned than voting for a Republican. There may be a time that the vote for other government institutions would differ with the vote for President. There may be a time when the Christian voter discerns within herself that she can vote for neither candidate in good conscience.This is the blessing of being politically homeless: one can exercise American freedom however he pleases, whether by voting for either party interchangeably or not voting at all, while more importantly appealing to a higher freedom, an eternal freedom, a spiritual freedom as his true guide to making temporal decisions.
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