“I have the right to do anything,” you say–but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything”–but not everything is constructive. 24 No one should seek their own good, but the good of others. NIV
All things are permitted, but not all things are of benefit. All things are permitted, but not all things build [people] up. 24 No one is to seek his own [advantage,] but rather that of his neighbor. NASB
All things are lawful [that is, morally legitimate, permissible], but not all things are beneficial or advantageous. All things are lawful, but not all things are constructive [to character] and edifying [to spiritual life]. 24 Let no one seek [only] his own good, but [also] that of the other person. Amplified Bible
This scripture recognizes freedom to choose your friends, coworkers, neighbors, religious family, political allies and the political candidates you will vote for. However, 1 Corinthians 10:23-24 gives a clear warning that, while your choices are permissible and legal in terms of your culture, religion and government, they may not be constructive for you or your neighbors. The conditions that determine if your choices are constructive or not are these:
- you seek your own good
- you seek to benefit others.
- See this link for other things you should not do
If we want to love our neighbors and ourselves, these are the principles that we must follow when making choices about relationships, alliances, politics and voting. If we are not concerned about loving our neighbors, we will always use our legal privileges exclusively for our own benefit and for the benefit of our political and religious friends. This is how Old/First Covenant religious people think and vote. This is very different from the way that New Covenant disciples think and vote.
New Covenant disciples loving their neighbors and themselves. Therefore, they always seek to benefit others in everything they say and do — including voting. They consider ourselves to be citizens of the spiritual Kingdom of God/Heaven –not as citizens of the natural country (e.g. America, Great Britain, Germany, etc.) in which we physically live.
New Covenant disciples, therefore, always make decisions on the basis of benefit of others — not on their own benefit. ***
Whether we realize it or not, we are constantly judging and making evaluations about character. It is during election seasons, however, that character judgements have the greatest impact because who we vote for has the potential to affect our nation and the world for good or ill for generations. We may not think much about the long-term effects of our votes because elections typically focus our attention on short-term policies that affect us directly. This perspective is understandable from a human point of view, and we do have the freedom to vote however we choose, but, if we seek to provide for the good of others through our voting choices, and if we have a global understanding of who our neighbors are, we must think expansively in terms of time and scope of influence. Christians, of all people, should recognize that Jesus had this long-term, global perspective. This is why he was able to sacrifice his short-term personal needs for the benefit of future generations.
Another example we find in Jesus that informs us about voting is that he judged character. Several scriptures report that he knew what was in the hearts of men. Essentially, what Jesus was doing was judging character. We tend to interpret this ability to know what was in hearts as something supernatural that was unique to Jesus. It was not. Anyone can judge what is in the hearts of men by observing their words and actions. When we are making friends, making alliances and voting, we use our intellect and reason to judge character of hearts. Words and actions reveal character. Words and actions reveal what is in the hearts of people. We know whether they seek their own good or if they seek to benefit others by listening to their words and by observing their actions. Judging character is not a supernatural exercise.
When we say of someone, “I trust him/her” or “I don’t trust him/her” we make a judgment of character. That judgment guides us in whether we pursue a relationship with that person or not. We do this naturally in our private and business lives but we do not tend to think in these terms during election seasons. In election seasons it is very easy to become infatuated with charisma, wealth, celebrity status and campaign promises. Discipline is required to take a break from all the media and conversation to evaluate what candidates say and do in the context of character. If we don’t pause to look at character as it is reflected later in this page, we run the risk of complicity in egregious policies and legislation that make the world worse — not better.
In our daily activities we can influence a few or many people depending on our job and lifestyle. When we vote, however, we have the potential to benefit hundreds, thousands, and even millions of people. Similarly our votes have the potential to create injustice and do harm to millions of people. Awareness of this fact should lead us to do the work of researching and judging the character of political candidates.
Statements itemized below are useful checklists for judging character. We judge character by listening to the things people say and by observing what they do. Political candidates provide much information on which character judgments can be made.
Unfortunately, policies factor into the voting choices of most people, but should not really be in the mix of considerations for people who vote for people of character. Policies will get sorted out in the legislative process. People with good character will always legislate for policies that benefit others. People with bad character will always legislate for policies that benefit themselves and people like them. We should judge candidates based on what they say they will do for poor, marginalized people who suffer injustice at the hands of politicians who use legislation to benefit themselves and people of means. We should judge candidates based on truthfulness, their willingness to forgive their enemies, their awareness of injustice, and how they do or do not practice Godly love in their relationships. These factors are all indicators of character.
The main reason for looking at character instead of politics is that politics demands faithfulness to one party and exclusion of all other parties. Whenever you choose to favor one group while excluding another group, you practice favoritism and partiality which God calls sin. That doesn’t mean you can’t vote only for Independents. You should always look for candidates with the best character regardless of political identities. Evaluation of policy positions may provide some clues about character, but character should always trump political identities and policies.
1 Corinthians 10:23-24., amendments to the US Constitution, and various federal and state laws guarantee the right to vote for anyone we choose. All Americans should use that right whenever possible. Those legal rights allow that we can use whatever criteria we want — or no criteria at all — when choosing who we vote for. God’s laws, however, demand that we be very discriminating when making those decisions: we should not seek our own good, but should seek to benefit others.
Obedience to God’s laws in the context of voting demands observation and analysis of the character of candidates. Obedience to God’s laws does not require making choices based on policies, party alliances, emotions, physical attraction, campaign rhetoric or any other qualifications people typically use when voting. Choosing who to vote for on the basis of character very much complicates the voting process, of course, but God gives clear guidance about the qualifications for candidates who will adopt legislative policies consistent with loving your neighbor when they are in office. Many of those qualifications are listed later in this page and in the table below:
The task of choosing who to vote for on the basis of character is challenging. Pride leads people to believe that they are smart enough to discern when politicians are seeking their own good instead of seeking the benefit of others. But just knowing the difference is not enough. Making the right choice is the bigger challenge. That is where knowledge of God’s laws comes into play. The rule of thumb for choosing who to vote for is that you vote for people with good character. People with good character will be exemplary legislators because they have God’s laws written on their hearts. Conversely, people who do not have God’s laws written on their hearts will not be desirable legislators Therefore, the ability to make the right decision about who to vote for depends on having a working knowledge of God’s laws as they are revealed in the above links.
This process does not involve evaluation on the basis of policy preferences, campaign rhetoric good looks, education, charisma, or political affiliation. Character is the one and only criteria for selecting who to vote for. People with God’s laws written on their hearts will always do the right thing when voting on public policy. This process is totally unlike the way that most people choose who they will vote for. And, of course, they are still free to make those choices the way they have always made those choices. This decision introduces the issue of sacrificial love. Just because it is culturally legal to choose legislators on the basis of policy preferences, campaign rhetoric good looks, education, charisma, or political affiliation doesn’t mean that it is the profitable way.
CHOOSE FRIENDS AND LEGISLATORS ON THE BASIS OF CHARACTER
It could be said that non-Christians have an excuse for not knowing how to choose friends, make alliances and vote for candidates who will seek the benefit of others instead of self-interest when in office. Valid excuses or not, the world will not become a better place until all people in all cultures and religions learn how to practice Godly principles designed to make the world better. That would seem to be a big problem until we recognize that teaching these principles is not a matter of converting people to Judaism or Christianity. The truth is that religion is an obstacle — not a prerequisite — to loving your neighbor.
Educating others requires that people who want to make the world a better place must be discreet, careful and clever — but never preachy. Teachers must avoid using religious language and references to Jesus and the God of Judaism and Christianity when sharing. The most important thing to do is to share how to love with actions and words that are culturally appropriate and consistent with the principles of loving your neighbor. God will fill in the gaps in understanding as necessary. It is not important to God that people who receive the message know that it came from the bible or that he “commanded” certain behaviors. The wisdom of loving your neighbor will either be obvious to others or it will not. Some will hear and understand while others will not hear. The job is not to evangelize and convert. The job is to love your neighbor and share with sensitivity and respect for everyone..
To make our job easier, God has given us clear insights about how to love your neighbor. He has also given us freedom to love our neighbors in ways that are free of religious activity. Religious institutions and religious identities actually interfere with loving your neighbor. This fact is made clear in Do Not Judge with Favoritism and Partiality.
Loving your neighbor is a relational activity — not a religious activity. That means it happens in the context of relationships of all kinds from close to distant. All types of relationships offer opportunities to express Godly love. Some relationships we don’t choose, but others we do choose. God has given clear commands about how to choose relationships that are optional for us. Many of these commands are itemized below in this page.
Politics and religion are the two optional ideologies that attract people who want to be part of a community of friends and allies. Joining a religion or political party also has the greatest risk of infection with debilitating toxification. That is why God has given so many commands about making friends and choosing allies. Once you join one of these ideologies, it is very hard to detach from it without fear and sacrifice. When detachment is done in the context of loving your neighbor, it is a perfect example of sacrificial love.
One of the great privileges of democracy is the right to vote for government leaders. In a very real sense, voting is the equivalent of making an alliances with political leaders and organizations. It can also be interpreted in the context of taking bribes. Politicians make campaign promises, people given them money and their votes, and politicians reward the people with favorable legislation. This clearly an example of a “quid pro quo” alliance that God anticipated and warned people not to do.
Making political alliances is one of the rights implied in 1 Corinthians 10:23-24. The problems with using this right is that it necessarily requires favoritism and partiality and commonly violates prohibitions against giving bribes. The tricky part of making alliances in the context of democracy is to choose your alliances like you choose who you vote for: on the basis of character. Evaluating character is not easy, of course, but God has given us guidance that appears on this page below.
With few exceptions, government and politics have been driven by the best interests of political leaders and their parties — not by the needs of their global neighbors. The challenge for voters in democracies, therefore, is to change government of the political parties, by the politicians, for the politicians to government of the people, by the people and for the people. Attitudes and Behaviors in Religion and Politics addresses this challenge from the perspective of people who are, or want to be, political leaders. Choosing Friends and Making Alliances addresses the challenge from the perspective of voters.
God is very practical. He is very mindful of the need for government leaders who will govern righteously with an eye for justice for everyone. He gave the commands about Doing Justice to reverse injustices created by self-serving politicians and religious leaders. Since the population of government leaders with Godly character has shrunk precipitously with the emergence of Christian Nationalism, voters need to be trained, or retrained, on the fine art of choosing qualified leaders on the basis of character that recognizes God’s commands to love your neighbor. This page contains the basic elements of how to build healthy relationships with people of character and form alliances in ways that satisfy God’s commands.
AVOID TRAPS AND SNARES |
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COMMENTARY ON TRAPS AND SNARES Traps and snares in the bible typically refer to deceptions used by religious leaders to induce others to join their religion. Politicians use words and promises to attract money and votes. Voters use campaign donations as bribes tor future benefits in the form of legislation. They are all ensnared by routine practices of religious and political cultures. God considers such entrapment to be the equivalent of death (i.e. spiritual death.) Once ensnared by lies, false doctrines and relationships with coreligionists and politicians, it is nearly impossible to quit being religious or to switch political parties. God does not want people to be ensnared by religion or politics because these partisan institutions train people to listen to religious leaders and politicians — not God’s spoken voice. That is why he gave them clear warnings to avoid traps and snares. This situation is relevant to Making the World Better because religious leaders and politicians have a very narrow definition of who their neighbors are. Warnings about snares and traps are also very relevant to partisan politics which violate several of God’s commandments:
Politicians, political organizations and religions employ other deceptions to attract people to join their community and support it with money, votes and volunteer labor. All the behaviors of religious leaders also apply to politicians who use the same rhetoric and deceptions to entrap followers. |
DO NOT LISTEN TO SMOOTH TALKING RELIGIOUS/POLITICAL LEADERS, FLATTER THEM OR TRUST THEM |
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| COMMENTARY ON MAKEING ALLIANCES AND LISTENING TO SMOOTH-TALKING RELIGIOUS/POLITICAL LEADERS
The concept of covenant/treaty/alliance must be interpreted in the broadest possible terms — including religious and political associations. For example when you join a church, or a political organizations you in effect make a covenant with that organization to adopt its beliefs and support its activities. In politics the expectation is that you will categorically vote for the organization’s candidates. Sometimes the covenant specifically requires or implies financial support. The way God sees these covenants is that the organization becomes a god that directs your beliefs and actions and that when you tie yourself to that organization you commit idolatry. The bible gives direct commands not to make treaties/alliances/covenants with your neighbors. God gives these scriptures as warnings to avoid falling into traps set by charismatic, smooth talking religious and political leaders. No good comes from these associations. People who make alliances with smooth-talking or angry, hot-tempered, quarrelsome, foolish mockers put themselves into situations where they also might be considered to be fools by third parties.
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DO NOT ASSOCIATE WITH ANGRY, HOT-TEMPERED, QUARRELSOME, FOOLISH MOCKERS |
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| COMMENTARY ON ASSOCIATING WITH ANGRY, HOT-TEMPERED, QUARRELSOME, FOOLISH MOCKERS
The concept of covenant/treaty/alliance must be interpreted in the broadest possible terms — including religious and political associations. For example when you join a church, or a political organizations you in effect make a covenant with that organization to adopt its beliefs and support its activities. In politics the expectation is that you will categorically vote for the organization’s candidates. Sometimes the covenant specifically requires or implies financial support. The way God sees these covenants is that the organization becomes a god that directs your beliefs and actions and that when you tie yourself to that organization you commit idolatry. The bible gives direct commands not to make treaties/alliances/covenants with your neighbors. God gives these scriptures as warnings to avoid falling into traps set by charismatic, smooth talking religious and political leaders. No good comes from these associations. People who make alliances with smooth-talking or angry, hot-tempered, quarrelsome, foolish mockers put themselves into situations where they also might be considered to be fools by third parties. These warnings do not preclude having other kinds of relationships that satisfy commandments about loving your neighbor and yourself. God does not want his people to totally avoid such people because they need to see Godly love in action. |
WOES ON RELIGIOUS AND POLITICAL LEADERS AND OTHERS WHO EXALT THEMSELVES IN PUBLIC |
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Luke 11: 37-53 When Jesus had finished speaking, a Pharisee invited him to eat with him; so he went in and reclined at the table. 38But the Pharisee was surprised when he noticed that Jesus did not first wash before the meal. 39Then the Lord said to him, “Now then, you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness. 40You foolish people! Did not the one who made the outside make the inside also? 41But now as for what is inside you—be generous to the poor, and everything will be clean for you. 42“Woe to you Pharisees, because you give God a tenth of your mint, rue and all other kinds of garden herbs, but you neglect justice and the love of God. You should have practiced the latter without leaving the former undone. 43“Woe to you Pharisees, because you love the most important seats in the synagogues and respectful greetings in the marketplaces. 44“Woe to you, because you are like unmarked graves, which people walk over without knowing it.” 45One of the experts in the law answered him, “Teacher, when you say these things, you insult us also.” 46Jesus replied, “And you experts in the law, woe to you, because you load people down with burdens they can hardly carry, and you yourselves will not lift one finger to help them. 47“Woe to you, because you build tombs for the prophets, and it was your ancestors who killed them. 48So you testify that you approve of what your ancestors did; they killed the prophets, and you build their tombs. 49Because of this, God in his wisdom said, ‘I will send them prophets and apostles, some of whom they will kill and others they will persecute.’ 50Therefore this generation will be held responsible for the blood of all the prophets that has been shed since the beginning of the world, 51from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who was killed between the altar and the sanctuary. Yes, I tell you, this generation will be held responsible for it all. 52“Woe to you experts in the law, because you have taken away the key to knowledge. You yourselves have not entered, and you have hindered those who were entering.” 53When Jesus went outside, the Pharisees and the teachers of the law began to oppose him fiercely and to besiege him with questions, 54waiting to catch him in something he might say.
Matthew 23:1-8 Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples: 2“The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. 3So you must be careful to do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach. 4They tie up heavy, cumbersome loads and put them on other people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them. 5“Everything they do is done for people to see: They make their phylacteries a wide and the tassels on their garments long; 6they love the place of honor at banquets and the most important seats in the synagogues; 7they love to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces and to be called ‘Rabbi’ by others. 8“But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi,’ for you have one Teacher, and you are all brothers. 9And do not call anyone on earth ‘father,’ for you have one Father, and he is in heaven. 10Nor are you to be called instructors, for you have one Instructor, the Messiah. 11The greatest among you will be your servant. 12For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted. |
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COMMENTARY ON ASSOCIATING WITH PEOPLE WHO EXALT THEMSELVES AS PUBLIC LEADERS There are many perks extended to religious leaders and politicians. For that reason, many religious and political wannabes think it is advantageous to their own religious and political careers to be associated with those who already have established reputations. To a degree this strategy works, but it also has a negative result in their relationship with God who has a very low opinion of religious leaders and others who exalt themselves for selfish purposes. See 1 Corinthians 10:23-24. “I have the right to do anything,” you say–but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything”–but not everything is constructive. 24 No one should seek their own good, but the good of others. NIV This verse shows that God sees through the motivations of religious and political leaders who claim to seek positions of influence so they can serve others. While they may do some good as leaders, claims to serve the interests of others are lies if they do not make personal sacrifices for the sake of others. |