I have a question for you. Is platform based decision making within the context of politics and more specifically presidential elections ushering in the eventual antichrist?
If you are a student of Scripture, then you know that the spirit of the antichrist is already present in the world and has been for centuries. When we read 1 John 4:3b we find this text, “This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world.” (RSV) Now unless that spirit has left, and I think we can agree it has not, that spirit has been and is still at work. And Jesus tells us that the spirit of the antichrist will even deceive the elect. “For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. See, I have told you ahead of time.” (Matthew 24:24-25 RSV).
So I ask again, is platform based decision making within the context of politics and more specifically presidential elections ushering in the eventual antichrist? Read carefully Jesus’ warning. He is saying that even the elect, that’s Christians, devoted followers of Jesus, God loving, church going, Bible reading, Gospel proclaiming, Holy Spirit filled praying, song singing, creed declaring, tithe giving…will be deceived. And Jesus tells us how. They will be enamored by what they do, swayed by what they offer, convinced by what they promise instead of the longstanding and Biblically wise standard of weighing leadership which is to consider first who they are.
I’m not suggesting that electing a president or any other political leader is the equivalent of choosing an elder for a local church. But I am suggesting that the method of selecting an elder and a president are synonymous. Let me just offer a brief synopsis from 1 Timothy 3:2-7 and Titus 1:6-8: above reproach, faithful to his wife, able to teach, leads family well, has a good reputation, is not a recent convert, temperate/self-controlled/gentle, not addicted to wine, not pugnacious or quarrelsome, and is not a lover of money. Now does that list strike anyone as odd? I can’t seem to find their platform in there anywhere. I can’t seem to find their approach to church government, challenging doctrinal positions, how they would fund various ministries, etc. Do those things matter? Of course! But this is the wisdom of Scripture…if you cannot first approve of their character, then do not submit to their leadership regardless of their platform. When we start abandoning the test of character, we have begun to pave the way for the antichrist.
John the Baptist was prophetic not just for Jesus. He was prophetic for the antichrist. John the Baptist quoted the text from Isaiah 40 about every valley being exalted, mountains brought low, the crooked straight, and the rough places plain. This imagery was meaningful in a practical way to ancient people. If a king or dignitary wanted to visit a place in their kingdom that was inaccessible, a civil works project would ensue, no matter the cost, no matter how long it would take…until “a way” was made for that king to travel. So we understand the imagery here for Jesus…God mad a way for The Way to come into the world as our Savior.
But the process of making a way is true for evil just as much as it is true for righteousness. I have seen too many posts in social media as of late, one specifically today from a prominent Christian author and speaker that calls upon people everywhere to champion platform based decision making. I am not casting aspersions upon this person. I am however warning that his advice is dangerous and is the sort of thinking and decision making that will one day lead to even the elect being deceived. If you have read those sobering words of Jesus and wondered how faithful Christians could be led astray by false prophets, even the antichrist, this is how. We abandon the age-old practice of weighing a person’s character before we consider their promises.
Listen to me now. No country in all of history has thrived and flourished honorably because of a platform without first its leader being a person of character. If I might be so bold, this nation, these United States of America, in order to form a more perfect union has not its foundation in documents and aspirations, in Constitutions and Bills of Rights, in letters of proclamations and dissents! This nation was formed around character, imperfect people yes, people who were at the same time denying rights to people of color and women, yes…admittedly imperfect. But those imperfect people were laying the foundation of a nation that declared to all civilizations everywhere, platforms that are not first grounded upon the character of people will eventually fail.
Elizabeth Willing Powel’s question to Benjamin Franklin at the Constitutional Convention in 1787 was “Well Doctor, what have we got, a republic or a monarchy?” To which he replied “A republic if you can keep it.” I don’t think Franklin was talking about the nature of one’s political positions. I contend that Franklin was sharing the sentiment I now propose to you, it is the nature of one’s character that ensures the future of this republic that has been entrusted to us and we will entrust to the generations to come. Platforms do not secure the future of a nation. Character is always the metal necessary for longevity. Our founding fathers were imperfect, but I would suggest they were not dangerously flawed. And here in lies our challenge. Do not consider any platforms without first asking the question if your candidate of choice is imperfect (as we all are) or dangerously flawed. Too many proponents of one candidate or the other keep using the phrase “this isn’t a popularity contest.” That’s a dog whistle for “don’t pay attention to their character.”
So I give you my question again, is platform based decision making within the context of politics and more specifically presidential elections ushering in the eventual antichrist? I believe the answer is yes. It is the slow boil of which we are all vulnerable. Slowly over time we are conditioned to set aside the character of a person in exchange for their supposed values, their promised policies, their planned agenda…when all along we forget that without character there is no leadership and without leadership regardless of the agenda, policies, and values…if there is no virtue then that nation has no future.
I’m not telling you who to vote for in this up and coming election that includes seats in just about every political arena from local seats of government to the highest in our land. What I am saying is ask first, “What do I know about this person’s character?” “When I weigh their virtue, what do I find?” This article is not intended to change your vote; I’m not righting this article to influence your decision! I’m writing this article to plead with you to change your process for this election and every election for the rest of your life.
We cannot stop the antichrist in the end. The story is written. The end will come, but woe to the generation that ushers that evil one in to power. May it not be us. May it not be our children or our children’s children who become the elect who are deceived because they learned from us to embrace the best of promises even when virtue was weighed and wanting.