A Conversation with Priscilla about 2016

Some of you are probably sick of 2016 political posts with good reason, they are Legion. I do them is because of Priscilla and those like her…who seek answers to questions burdening their hearts.

They cannot go to their pastors or to publications–even ones with Christianity in their name–with questions about the 2016 elections and yet, they want answers from a Christian perspective.  And I think they deserve to be heard as serious Christian Americans.

So today, I invite you, as a dear reader, to enter in to the conversation I had with Priscilla.  I applaud her for seeking answers … and I always try to treat my questioners as though I were having coffee with a friend. 

In a series of posts, I’ll share her questions which were asked publicly but about which I also requested her permission to repost them here.  And now, Priscilla’s question:

QUESTION: As a Christian, what do the upcoming elections foreshadow for the USA? I don’t know who to vote for….Trump or Hillary? I feel like no matter who I vote for in this upcoming election that our country is doomed. It seems like our days as “The Land of the Free” are coming to a swift end soon.

I am not sure whether I should cast my vote or keep my hands clean of this whole election? Both Trump and Hillary have some good and bad qualities. I am also skeptical about voting for a woman for President. Any Biblical insight would be appreciated. I feel like America will seal its fate on Election Day … and I still don’t feel confident about who to vote for. It seems like the “western” world: Europe, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Australia is slowly crumbling.

Do you think God is using these elections to bring about the Anti-Christ?

ANSWER: Thank you, Priscilla, for your excellent questions and for trusting me to answer them. There are so many competing voices in Christianity right now and sad to say, far more finger-pointing among Christians than is God honoring.

Kindly allow me to take your points one at a time.

“As a Christian, what do the upcoming elections foreshadow for the USA?”

Great question! The upcoming elections are part of the flow of time to Jesus’ return. Scripture is abundantly clear that in the last days, there will be great tribulation. In Matthew 24, Jesus outlines the end times and all the world sufferings (birth pains) we can expect before His return. We’re seeing it worldwide.

Here’s the key though: Jesus doesn’t want us to focus on the sufferings, but on being found faithful in spite of them at the day of His return.

So, the elections foreshadow a real choice Americans have about the direction this country will go.   Boil down the issues to the Gospel level and we can see that arguing about who is the greater sinner, Hillary or Trump, misses the point that we’re all sinners in need of a Savior. That should be our Christian focus even while we exercise our patriotic duty as Americans.

The conversation continues tomorrow…