Biblical Standards for Selecting a Candidate

Christians in the US enjoy both the privilege and duty to help elect to political office those who will represent them. As believers our lives are “hidden in Him,” therefore it is not merely a matter of personal preference as to whom we will give our vote. A Christian’s whole life, thought, words, and deeds, including their voting, is to be submitted to the overarching Lordship of Jesus Christ.

How are we to vote? This is a profound moral question because our vote, or lack of voting, reflects our value system. Are we simply voting our pocketbook? Do we select a candidate because they are charismatic, attractive or electable?

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Fortunately, the Bible speaks to this issue very explicitly. The following is an overview of some of the biblical requirements for political office. Of course, the only one who has perfectly met all these spiritual and ethical standards is our Lord Jesus Christ, “the ruler over the kings of the earth.” (Revelation 1:5) He is “the desire of all nations” because He’s the only righteous Savior and Judge of all the earth. Once we have been saved by His undeserved grace it is our calling to vote according to His Word. If Christians simply apply these Biblical standards we can have a major, positive impact on our nation politically.

A SPIRITUAL FOUNDATION

It is the case that everyone sees the world through a set of assumptions and ideals. Therefore, every candidate is advancing some religious/metaphysical set of beliefs and values based on some authority. This is inescapable. Atheistic secularism is no less a religious/metaphysical belief system than Christianity. Atheism puts its ultimate faith in man; the other puts their faith in Christ. It’s impossible to divorce our fundamental religious impulses from politics.

First, let’s examine the biblical spiritual standards for elected officials. Naturally you expect that God would require that leaders know Him, the true and living God. “You shall select from all the people men such as fear God…” (Exodus 18:21).

Modern Christians have forgotten this most basic aspect of biblical faith. Revering God as our Creator and final Judge is essential to knowing God’s Holy character. Apart from this it is impossible to appreciate what Christ endured for us on the cross. Christ came to save us from the just wrath of a Holy God. Elected officials must affirm they will ultimately answer to the Holy One for their actions.

Elected officials must not only fear God, they must trust in Him. That requires faith in Christ. “No one who denies the Son has the Father. Whoever confesses the Son has the Father also.” (1 John 2:23)

“Now therefore, be wise, O kings; Be instructed, you judges of the earth. Serve the LORD with fear, And rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest He be angry, And you perish in the way, When His wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all those who put their trust in Him.” (Psalm 2:10–12)

John Jay, the first Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, appointed by George Washington wrote, “Providence has given to our people the choice of their rulers, and it is the duty as well as the privilege and interest of our Christian nation to select and prefer Christians for their rulers.” This ought to be our attitude as well.

While a candidate’s profession of faith in Christ is the starting point, it must also be accompanied with the evidence of living faith, as well as the corresponding gifts and abilities to ably serve in elected office.

CHARACTER COUNTS

The prospective candidate must be truthful. If he lacks this basic virtue then nothing else matters. Whatever he says he stands for or promises to accomplish is worthless. “Moreover you shall select from all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth.” (Exodus 18:21)

Godly wisdom, not worldly cunning, is also required. It is rooted in the fear of God. “Choose wise, understanding, and knowledgeable men from among your tribes, and I will make them heads over you.” (Dueteronomy1:13)   God commended King Solomon for requesting wisdom.

“Because you have asked this, and have not asked for yourself long life or riches or the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern what is right, behold, I now do according to your word. Behold, I give you a wise and discerning mind…” (1 Kings 3:11-12)

The Bible warns the lack of godly wisdom results in tyranny. “A ruler who lacks understanding is a great oppressor.(Proverbs 28:16)

An elected official has a duty to be impartial by imposing and enforcing the law fairly. “You shall do no injustice in judgment. You shall not be partial to the poor, nor honor the person of the mighty. In righteousness you shall judge your neighbor.” (Leviticus 19:15)

Unlike the pagan Gentiles who Lord over their subjects, a biblically qualified leader understands his role as a minister, i.e. as a servant, (literally “diakonos”). He is a servant of God and a servant of the people for God’s glory and the common good.

“For he is God’s minister (diakonos) to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God’s minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil… For because of this you also pay taxes, for they are God’s ministers attending continually to this very thing.” (Romans 13:4, 6)

Underlying all these virtues that we are to look for in a prospective elected official is the need for them to be righteous and just. This is a major reoccurring demand that God makes throughout scripture. The civil leader is entrusted with incredible “god-like” power to make and enforce law, including the administration of justice. Civil leaders may deprive people of their property, freedom and even their life, therefore we must have righteous, godly men. Power often corrupts and can often be abused. The best check on abuse is to elect proven, godly people. “He who rules over men must be just…” (2 Samuel 23:3)

When asserting that the civil leader must be righteous and just, God’s standard of righteousness was not invested in the civil leader, either in his reasoning or feeling or intuition. Rather, God’s own righteous is revealed in His law. This is the unchanging standard. Thus the leader was to rule under God and His law. To insure the leader could not mistakenly abuse his authority he was commanded by God to write his own copy of God’s law, meditate on it and uphold it.

“Also it shall be, when he sits on the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write for himself a copy of this law in a book, from the one before the priests, the Levites. And it shall be with him, and he shall read it all the days of his life, that he may learn to fear the LORD his God and be careful to observe all the words of this law and these statutes.” (Deuteronomy 17:18–19)

Joshua was given the title to rule after the death of Moses. So God admonishes him.

“This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.” (Joshua 1:8)

A qualified candidate must affirm God and His will as the standard of righteousness and justice that he must promote and uphold. “Those who forsake the law praise the wicked, But such as keep the law contend with them.” (Proverbs 28:4)

There is nothing more corrupting than the use of bribes to pervert and distort justice. Of course bribes aren’t limited to finances, but can be favors of any kind in exchange for political partiality. The godly candidate hates bribes. “You shall not pervert justice; you shall not show partiality, nor take a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and twists the words of the righteous.” (Deuteronomy 16:19). Because election costs are high special interest groups and wealthy individuals can co-opt politicians with their campaign contributions.

It’s not uncommon for politicians to promise to loot one class of people to secure the vote of another class; this is rooted in envy. God calls civil leaders to hate covetousness. Personal covetousness and corporate covetousness are both forbidden by the 10^th Commandment.   “Moreover you shall select from all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness.” (Exodus 18:21 cf. Jeremiah 22:17). God promises, “A ruler who lacks understanding is a great oppressor, But he who hates covetousness will prolong his days.” (Proverbs 28:16)

Another way of speaking about a person’s character is in reference to his heart. And Solomon said: “You have shown great mercy to Your servant David my father, because he walked before You in truth, in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart with You;” (1 Kings 3:6) “Now if you walk before Me as your father David walked, in integrity of heart and in uprightness…‘You shall not fail to have a man on the throne of Israel.’” (1 Kings 9:4–5). Uprightness is seen in a man keeping his word.

Has the candidate proven that he is faithful and can keep his vows and promises? “Covenant loyalty [chesed] and truth preserve the king, And by covenant loyalty[chesed] he upholds his throne.” (Proverbs 20:28) “In covenant loyalty[chesed] the throne will be established; And One will sit on it in truth, in the tabernacle of David, Judging and seeking justice and hastening righteousness.”(Isaiah 16:5) “Thus you shall act in the fear of the LORD, faithfully and with a loyal heart.” (2 Chronicles 19:9)

Yet even if the candidate does posses all these attributes he must remain humble, grounded in the fact that any gifts and abilities he has is from the gracious hand of God. “For who makes you differ from another? And what do you have that you did not receive? Now if you did indeed receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?” (1 Corinthians 4:7)To insure the king stayed humble, he had to write, meditate upon and keep God’s law. “[H]e shall write for himself a copy of this law in a book… and it shall be with him, and he shall read it all the days of his life… that his heart may not be lifted above his brethren…” (Deuteronomy 17:18-20)

A true biblically qualified leader has to have moral and physical courage to lead. “You shall not show partiality in judgment; you shall hear the small as well as the great; you shall not be afraid in any man’s presence, for the judgment is God’s.” (Deuteronomy 1:17) “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:9).

PRACTICAL CONCERNS

Finally, even with the candidate’s proper moral and spiritual attributes there is also the need for practical and intellectual competency. What accomplishments do they have to show they are able to lead? “Moreover you shall select from all the people able men,” (Exodus 18:21) “And Moses chose ablemen out of all Israel, and made them heads over the people:” (18:25). “Choose wise, understanding, and knowledgeablemen from among your tribes, and I will make them heads over you.”(Deuteronomy 1:13) If they weren’t serving in a political capacity could they make it in any other area of life?

Competency and maturity usually come over time, thus we need the wisdom that comes with it. “So Moses went out and told the people the words of the LORD, and he gathered the seventy men of the elders of the people and placed them around the tabernacle.” (Numbers 11:24) And because bad company corrupts good morals and you know a man by the company that he keeps, a biblical leader must surround himself with godly counselors. “Take away the wicked from before the king, And his throne will be established in righteousness.” (Proverbs 25:5)

If all these requirement sound familiar it’s because they correspond to the same requirements taught in the New Testament for leadership in the church (1 Timothy 3:2–7; Titus 1:5–9). These same attributes which fit a man for ecclesiastical oversight as an elder make him fit to serve the civic realm, too. Both are extensions of the family. The same spirit, attributes and character it takes to responsibly protect and provide for a family is the same kind of character it takes to be an effective civic leader.