How Ought Christians Think About Their Right to Vote?

The year 2024 marks the 60th presidential election in the United States. Christians and non-Christians
alike shall be asked to vote for either Kamala Harris (D), or for former president, Donald Trump (R).

Have you made up your mind as to which candidate you will choose? Have others inquired of you, “Who will you vote for?” Or, “will you choose a third party other than Democratic and Republican?” And not a few of us may have raised the question: “Is it okay not to vote at all?” 

The Oxford Dictionary defines the verb “to vote” as “to give formal indication of a choice for a candidate or a course of action.” In the United States, citizens enjoy the right, privilege, and responsibility to vote. It is a right that is denied many in other countries. It is a privilege as our form of government confers this right to vote on all citizens for all candidates and bills at all levels: the federal, state, and local. And it is a responsibility as all freedoms are freedoms subject to our ultimate duties to God and neighbor (Mark 12:29ff).

Of course, when we consider voting, we must not forget that there is more to an election ballot than voting for the president every four years. In the United States we vote for senators, congressman, and many lesser civic authorities as well as, at times, specific bills or propositions. 

How, then, ought Christians to think about their right to vote? Let’s explore this one issue at a time. 

Are Christians obligated to vote? 

Every Christian, every follower of Christ, understands that the Lord Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, has been given all authority in heaven and on earth (Matt. 28:18). So, our entire life must be governed in accord with the risen Christ, who told his disciples to teach all other followers of Christ to obey all that he has commanded (Matt. 28:19). So, we need to ask: Does Scripture command or require Christians to vote? The answer is no. Scripture does not command or obligate us to vote either by expressed precept or by good and necessary inference deduced from Scripture (WCF 1.6). That is to say, to exercise one’s right to vote is a wisdom issue. 

Yet, whether we choose to vote or not, and whatever choices we make in casting a vote, we must do so in accord with three biblical criteria. 

First, it must be an action done in faith. Romans 14:23 tells us that “everything not done in faith is sin.” Christians are expected to exercise faith, that is, to rely humbly on God so that you do not act out of fear, pride, or other sinful motives. In this light, a question we can ask ourselves is: Am I casting this vote in faith? Or, out of sinful fear or pride? Scripture does not command or obligate us to vote either by expressed precept or by good and necessary inference deduced from Scripture (WCF 1.6). 

Second, it must be an act in accord with God’s word. Matthew 4:4 tells us, “man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.” To the best of our ability, we must choose good and hate evil. Vote for upholding God’s moral law, and vote in ways to restrain evil. A question to ask here is: Am I assured that by casting this vote God’s moral law shall be upheld? 

Third, it must be unto God’s glory. First Corinthians 10:31 says, “Whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” The Christian seeks, above all, God’s glory, the exaltation of his name, kingdom, purposes, and law. Thus, we must ask ourselves: In casting my vote, do I recognize, hope for, and wait until that day when Christ, who sits on the throne, and is sovereign over all, shall return and “the kingdom of this world will become the kingdom of our Lord and Christ” (Rev. 11:15)? 

 The Lesser of Two Evils 

“Lesser of two evils” is a rhetorical statement. Herman Bavinck, in his book titled Reformed Ethics, rejects the “lesser of two evils” idea. He says we should never do anything that is evil. Instead, he counsels: “… we may never choose the lesser of two evils, for our conscience can never obligate us to do what it judges to be evil.” So in one way, if you deem a candidate “evil,” you cannot in true faith choose such a candidate. 

However, in common usage the phrase “the lesser of two evils” often serves simply as a synonym for “the lesser of two not particularly desirable options.” Most Christians I believe have this second definition in mind. As Reformed Christians, we know that all men and governments this side of glory are tainted with evil to varying degrees. There is no perfect or ideal government, candidate, or bill. With that in mind, we are always choosing the “lesser” of two evils. And if chosen in faith, in accord with God’s word and to his glory, we may vote for the lesser candidate or bill. 

Of course, the “lesser of two evils” assumes that one has only two options, in voting for this or that bill or this or that candidate, and there is no third alternative. As we discussed earlier, there is the option not to vote. If one cannot in good faith vote for either candidate, not voting would be the godly thing to do, lest you violate your conscience (Rom. 19:23). But another option, a third option, would be to vote for a third party that does not violate your conscience. In light of the dominance of the two major parties, such a vote is considered by some as a “throw-away vote.” 

But that is a conclusion drawn from a merely pragmatic view of voting. As we saw earlier, Christians are bound to act upon biblical principles: faith, God’s word, and God’s glory. Yes, there are wisdom issues to our votes. And there is an “incalculable calculus” in voting— so many competing issues to weigh and decide which is best. Yet, if we act in principle by voting for a third party that we deem honors God’s moral law better than the major parties, then there is no throwing away your vote. God will judge us, and our voting, not on the basis of “success” but on whether or not we acted in faith. 

What about so-called one-issue voting? 

In light of the myriad competing issues and choices, is it wise for a Christian to vote for a candidate or a party’s slate based upon a single issue, such as respect for human life or God’s design for sexuality and marriage? Such issues are rooted in God’s moral law and expressed in the Ten Commandments. 

Consequently, some Christians argue that in light of the deeply foundational nature of human life, one should never vote for any candidate who advocates or defends LGBTQ issues: same-sex marriage, transgender legislation, e.g., Equality Acts, Respect of Marriage Act. 

In view of this “single-issue” voting, it is important for us to remember that when one votes or does not vote, they do so for more than one reason. Even so-called single-issue voters likely have more than one reason. Typically, the single issue can be of two kinds: (1) a very broad reason, or (2) a very narrow or particular issue. A broad issue might be that I vote only for this or that party because they will best promote God’s moral law. So, when voting, I check all the boxes for this or that party: be they Democrat, Republican, Independent, Libertarian, etc. Vote for upholding God’s moral law, and vote in ways to restrain evil. 

On the other hand, some single-issue votes are for a particular matter that appears to the voter to have such moral weight or is of such fundamental or foundational substance affecting the nation as to allow a voter to definitively say “yes” or “no” to this or that bill or candidate. One might find this “single reason” voting compelling. For example, Psalm 11:3 asks: “If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?” What are the foundations? Well, they would be God’s moral laws. If a government, or people—much less a candidate or bill—is not in accord with God’s moral law, then it is by definition striking at the foundations. 

I stress “people” because in many ways, in a country ruled by a democratic government, in the end the government expresses the attitudes and desires of its people. 

If its people desire idolatry and want to transgress God’s moral law, then they suffer for it. Or better, then God judges them. A clear example of this is found in Ezekiel 20:25. There the Lord reminds Israel that due to their love for idolatry, he gave them unjust laws: “Moreover, I gave them statutes that were not good and rules by which they could not have life…” 

Very similar to this idea is what Paul says in Romans 1—that the way God presently expresses his wrath is giving people over to their sin and their sinful desires such as immorality, homosexuality, and depraved minds (Rom. 1:24, 26, 28). 

All this to say, when we vote, even for a so-called “single issue,” we vote for multiple reasons, which are not equally weighted or valued. If, then, I vote for bills or candidates that support a single issue, let’s say pro-life, or the sanctity of marriage, or freedom of exercise of religion, then that single issue is not simply a single reason but a foundational one. Granted, others may disagree. 

So again, the critical question we need to ask ourselves is: Is this or that reason wise, good, just, and does it promote God’s moral law? 

Regarding Civic Duties 

We’ve talked about what obligates Christians in terms of our civic duty to vote. We have seen that voting is a right, a privilege, and a responsibility. We have also seen that we are not commanded to vote. We may choose not to exercise this right to vote. 

But let us never forget that while voting is not a divine command, our Lord does command two things with respect to our civic duties: (1) pray for our leaders (1 Tim. 2:1–2); and (2) submit to them (1 Pet. 2:13). 

First, let’s be mindful of the context in which 1 Timothy and 1 Peter are written. Both letters were likely written during the time of the Roman emperor Nero (54–68). According to ancient historians, Nero was considered corrupt in character and notorious for his cruelty and debauchery. Nevertheless, the apostles Paul and Peter instruct us to be submissive to the emperor, kings, or rulers. There is no perfect or ideal government, candidate, or bill. 

The first priority for us as citizens and civilians in any country is to pray (1 Tim. 2:1–2). Says Paul: “First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way.” 

Paul’s goal is that God would grant us a basic stability of life in terms of political, economic, and social order. Jeremiah encouraged the Jewish exiles in Babylon similarly, saying, “But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare” (Jer. 29:7). 

 Let us do the same. Whether we vote or not, let it never be said we failed to pray for our civic leaders, legislators, justices, and government. 

 The second priority is to submit. First Peter 2:13 says, “Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every authority instituted among men, kings, governors, who are sent by him (God) to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right.” Of course, our submission to human authorities, even in the church, is always a penultimate submission, as our ultimate authority is obedience to God. We must obey God rather than man if a human authority demands we violate God’s law (Acts 5:29). 

We most honor Christ when we obey his commands to pray for and submit to our governing authorities. 

So, whom will you vote for this November? Well, let us hope that, come November’s presidential election, it may be said of us: “We prayed for our leaders and our country. We shall submit to them. But we shall always obey our God." 

 Dr. Alfred Poirier (DMin, Westminster Theological Seminary) is professor of pastoral theology at Westminster Theological Seminary. He has held several additional teaching positions and has 38 years of pastoral ministry experience. His academic interests lie in the areas of pastoral counseling and expository preaching. He is the author of The Peacemaking Pastor (Baker, 2006), and Words that Cut: Learning to Take Criticism in Light of the Gospel (Peacemaker Ministries).

 

It's Not Always Nice To Be Nice

One of the many ways we must “fight the good fight” (1Tim. 6:12) in our time is the recovery of robust
Biblical speech to combat the many errors, compromises, and assaults upon faithful Christian belief both inside and outside the Church. 

This is true of every generation of the Church. But one of the errors of our time is – ironically enough – the idea that Christians should not fight for what they believe is right, or fight against what they believe to be wrong, with appropriately strong words.

More often than not, when a Christian begins to fight for/against such things today, they are – ironically enough – fought against by other Christians for manifesting a “combative spirit” or some other such charge. Needless to say, such Christians usually come armed with an arsenal of verses about peace, meekness, gentleness, and so on. What is a poor Christian combatant to do? 

We know what we’re expected to do, of course: lay down our arms (that is, our Bible verses) and bow meekly before the benevolent Gentleness Coalition who are politely stationed outside with a rather robust barricade, warning that our terribly combative posture could be a serious safety hazard to the effective witness of the Gospel and the unity of the Church.

Indeed these days the charge of “combative tone” is the closest you might get to seeing church discipline actually enforced within the average mainstream evangelical church or network.

Gentleness over Combativeness?

One such set of counter-verses to Christian combatants occurs in Ephesians 4, where Paul speaks of the need for believers to walk “with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” (Eph. 4:2-3). 

To many, it seems straightforward enough. Stop disagreeing so strongly, forget your differences, be peaceable, and show the world your unity. To sharply disagree or say things which offend other Christians is thus seen as “divisive,” “breaking the bond of peace,” or “failing to bear with one another in love.”

Perpetual combativeness certainly can be a sign of immaturity, of course. Parents rarely need to call out their children for insufficient combativeness when they disagree with a parental command, lose a board game, or miss out on dessert. Indeed, if a sibling “borrows” a favourite toy, many children seem more than willing to go to war for their pound of sibling flesh if they believe some great injustice has been done!

Christians are not called to be childish, impetuous, or malicious. There really is such a thing as an unhealthy desire for “quarrelling” and an approach to opponents which is unfair, hot-headed, and ungentlemanly (see 2Tim. 2:24-25). But we must discern the need of the hour, and the way some Biblical verses are frequently used to support subtly unbiblical things. Failing to oppose such things over time always causes greater damage and disunity in the long run.

Aren’t We Always Meant to “Build Up”?

The Church in the west has been passive for far too long. We have forgotten what it means to fight for our convictions. We live at a time when the wolves are at the door and many of the supposed gatekeepers have not only welcomed them in with open arms but have strongly chastised those who tried to stop them. They pat the wolves, stone the prophets, and wonder why their sheep keep disappearing. 

In our era of perpetual evangelical winsomeness, the greatest evangelical “sin” was to seem unwelcoming or disagreeable. To speak against compromise in the Church too strongly tends to incur the charge of immaturity, as though the one alerting the Church to doctrinal and social evils is like the child attacking their sibling for taking their favourite toy or winning the game. “Let it go”, “Learn to get along”, “Love doesn’t insist”, “Be nice”! 

Those who bring challenge to the established mindset must often speak in strong words to be truly heard. We need not make something seem worse than it really is; we simply need to say it is as bad as it is when it is as bad as it is. The desire to sugar-coat the truth in “nicer” tone often misrepresents the severity and urgency of the issue. It’s not always nice to be nice.

Those who really wish to challenge their fellow Christians – or indeed to challenge those in the world with Christian convictions – will be accused of falling foul of Paul’s teaching on gentleness and unity, of seeking to tear down rather than build up.

Again, Paul appears to emphasise this later on in the same chapter of Ephesians:

“Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear…Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamour and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another.” (Eph. 4:29-32).

Such verses gladden the hearts of the perpetually winsome, who might see “corrupting talk” as anything seeking to challenge or deconstruct an opponent’s ideas or credibility with too sharp an edge or to "inappropriate" a tone. “Surely,” they say, “there can be no argument for Christians to argue when it doesn’t always immediately ‘build up’ their opponent? Listen to Paul, see – be gentle! Don’t say anything that won’t make them feel affirmed! If someone’s in error, don’t make too big a thing of it; be tender-hearted; be kind; be nice!” 

I’m not saying there are no times where some exhortations like this should be heeded. But beyond everyday “fellowship” issues within church communities, this therapeutic approach should not be applied en masse to cover all of our strategic theological and public engagement. 

When Cowards Abuse Unity

Using Paul’s exhortations for tender-hearted unity against the righteous Christian combatant (or perhaps, the “protestant”…) can often be (ab)used in such a way that it puts them in a situation where they cannot possibly disagree without seeming to prove the point of those who are (somewhat ironically) “protesting” against them.

Too often this tactic is used as a subtle strategy today to make the cowards seem like the heroes, as though they “chose” unity above their insatiable desire to confront evil or error. Most of the time, such people just did exactly what felt most comfortable to them, and were glad they had some verses to back them up. They often don’t care about the net effect of their cowardice because the effects are less immediately obvious than those of the zealous over-confronter. The effects of cowardice may be subtle, but they are usually ten times more destructive over the long haul. Entire denominations fall into apostasy not because of confronters but because of cowards, and the nice guys who kept letting them get away with it. 

If we truly care about love and unity, we must not only oppose the bullies and fools, but also oppose the cowards, who may be abusing the concept of unity in order to suit their own desires. When confronting such people, they probably won’t like you for it, at least not at first. But over time, loving confrontation on significant issues is more likely to lead to deeper unity among God’s people in the long run. 

by Clear Truth Media

What Happens When the Election is Over? How Should Christians Live?

What should our posture be as the people of God when the November 5, 2024 election is all over? 

How do we reflect the love of Christ to our neighbors and our friends? Here are five important postures:

1. Gratitude

This sounds counter-intuitive. Can we find something praiseworthy in a divisive, partisan season? Even if we will be grateful when we can stop getting hit with text messages, mailers, and TV ads, we can find room for gratitude that, unlike most people in human history, we even have a politics to complain about.

Consider that right now, nobody in totalitarian regimes like North Korea, Russia, or China is complaining about partisanship. In fact, if you were to ask the average citizen in those countries if they’d trade places with us, they’d gladly accept that offer. America is far from perfect, with lots of glaring problems and issues—hence a political campaign—and yet we are still the freest, most prosperous nation in human history.

We have the opportunity to choose the people who hold public office and the policies they enact. We may wish our point of view had more influence or got more votes, but at least we have some measure of influence. Today, billions of people long for that kind of freedom. So, we should thank God for the privilege of living in America, regardless of who wins the election. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 urges us to “in everything, give thanks.”

2. Prayer

In 1 Timothy 2:1-4, Paul urges Timothy to pray for “or everyone, for kings and all those who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity. This is good, and it pleases God our Savior, who wants everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” November 5th will put a different president in the White House. He or she deserves our prayer. We’ll also see several new Senators, House members, mayors, state legislators, judges, governors, and local school board members. Christians must make it a regular practice to ask God to direct those in office to govern fairly, righteously, and as a “God’s servant for good” (Romans 13:4).

It's important to pray for leaders, whether or not you agree with them or voted for them. Paul urged Timothy to pray for a ruthless Roman emperor whom neither of them would have supported if given a choice, a man who arrested, jailed, and executed Christians. On our worst day in America, we’re not anywhere close to living under this kind of tyranny. I am sobered by how often I complain about politicians compared to how often I pray for them. We should make this a regular habit, both personally and in our congregations.

3. Engagement

Our work in “seeking the welfare of our city” (Jeremiah 29) and living as “salt and light” (Matthew 5:13-16) doesn’t end when the last ballot is counted. There is much work for us to do in between elections, both locally in working with our state and local governments to help serve our neighbors and in speaking out on important issues. The scared, unwed mothers in our communities will still need the help of our pregnancy resource centers, even when the election is over. Our school boards still need the wise involvement of faithful Christians, and our schools still need help educating children. The hungry, the hopeless, and the homeless still need the tangible service our SBC churches so generously provide in communities across the country.

What’s more, our engagement in public policy is just beginning. The new officeholders will be making consequential decisions. Regardless of who inhabits the White House, who controls Congress, who sits in governors’ mansions, city councils, and other offices—we should support them when they make good decisions and oppose them when they make poor decisions. And we should do it while obeying 1 Peter 3:15-17, which instructs us to both “have an answer for every person” while doing it with “gentleness and kindness.”

4. Hope

It is good and right for Christians to be concerned about important issues that face our communities, our cities, and our country. Speaking truth in the public square is not a distraction from our Christian mission. We do this because we genuinely care about policies that impact our families and the lives of our neighbors.

Still, we should engage the world with hope. Jesus, before he went to the cross, reminded his disciples, “In this world you will have tribulation, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). The opposition we face for our convictions, the difficulty in seeing good laws passed, and the frustrations we feel in a broken world should not surprise us. Jesus promised this. Yet we can be comforted with his words. Christ has overcome the world. Do we really believe this? Would anyone accessing our social media timelines get this vibe from what we post? Would our friends and family members observe that Christian hope is something that guides our lives?

Political fortunes rise and fall. Sometimes we’ll see great victories and sometimes we’ll experience great defeats. But we shouldn’t be dispirited. God is sovereign. We may have been sweating this election, but the Lord of all the earth was not in Heaven white-knuckling the election. He is on the throne. He knows what time it is. He’s gathering history to himself. And he’s made us for this moment.

5. Faithfulness

There are many things about this election season we can control, but so many more that we cannot. We can’t control how our neighbors vote, nor can we control what those in power will do with the power they are granted.

What we can do is be faithful to the things Christians are called to do in every moment and every season: walking with God through prayer, Bible reading, gathering with our brothers and sisters every Sunday at church, and making disciples of all nations. The Great Commission isn’t conditioned based on who wins the election. And here’s the good news: unlike political campaigns, which have no guarantee of success, Christ has promised that he will build his church (Matthew 16:18). The move of the Spirit of God among the people of God applying the Word of God to bring the lost to Jesus is not dependent on who lives at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. And as important as political engagement is, it’s not ultimate. We’ll make better American citizens when we recognize we are first citizens of another kingdom. So let’s be faithful in walking in step with the Spirit, working to build up the body of Christ, and loving our neighbors.

By Daniel Darling, the director of the Land Center for Cultural Engagement at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. He is a regular columnist for World and a contributor to USA Today. He is the author of several books, including The Characters of Christmas, The Dignity Revolution, and A Way With Words. Daniel and his wife, Angela, have four children. You can follow him on Twitter and find his work on his website.

Judging By Results

If you are a follower of Jesus, then it should be abundantly evident in a life that is different because of Jesus. If your life is not different, then there are questions about the legitimacy of your claim to follow Christ. It doesn’t mean you are perfect and sinless, but it does mean you should be more like Jesus than like who you used to be. The failure of people who claim to follow Jesus to actually be something like him, actually invites the criticisms that we hear far often today. Christians are accused of hypocrisy, something young people say is why they leave church. The following is how C.S. puts it:

I think this is the right moment to consider a question which is often asked: If Christianity is true why  are not all Christians obviously nicer than all non-Christians?

What lies behind that question is partly something very reasonable and partly something that is not reasonable at all. The reasonable part is this. If conversion to Christianity makes no improvement in a man’s outward actions—if he continues to be just as snobbish or spiteful or envious or ambitious as he was before—then I think we must suspect that his ‘conversion’ was largely imaginary; and after one’s original conversion, every time one thinks one has made an advance, that is the test to apply. Fine feelings, new insights, greater interest in ‘religion’ mean nothing unless they make our actual behaviour better; just as in an illness ‘feeling better’ is not much good if the thermometer shows that your temperature is still going up. In that sense the outer world is quite right to judge Christianity by its results. Christ told us to judge by results. A tree is known by its fruit; or, as we say, the proof of the pudding is in the eating. When we Christians behave badly, or fail to behave well, we are making Christianity unbelievable to the outside world. The war-time posters told us that Careless Talk costs Lives. It is equally true that Careless Lives cost Talk. Our careless lives set the outer world talking; and we give them grounds for talking in a way that throws doubt on the truth of Christianity itself.

Quotes from Mere Christianity, Part 83
C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity (1952; Harper Collins: 2001) 207-208.

Do You Delight in God

NOTE: In this article, David Mathis, executive editor for desiringGod.org and pastor at Cities Church in St. Paul MN, asks a really important question, especially to we men, Do You Delight in God? (Psalm 37:4)

Twenty-five years ago, I was a freshman at Furman University in Greenville, South Carolina. I had grown up in the church. I made a profession of faith at age eight and was baptized. God had blessed me with a home church that loved the gospel and taught me that I could trust the Bible. However, looking back now, I can see that something was missing in my Christianity.

There was a deep struggle in my soul: I wanted to be happy, and I felt guilty for wanting it. My ache to be happy, I suspected, was more a liability than an asset. Living the Christian life, I assumed, was about my ability to put aside what I really wanted to do.

You too want to be happy. And you can’t escape it. All your life you’ve been trying to satisfy your deep down longing for real joy by finding that perfect possession or perfect spouse, enjoying good food, knowing influential people, collecting reliable friends, traveling to scenic places, winning at sports (whether as a player or a fan), achieving success at school or work, and getting your hands on the latest gadgets. Our unsatisfied longings gnaw at us late at night as we scroll through social media and flip from channel to channel and let another episode autoplay.

Now, most of us aren’t endlessly miserable. Not yet. Not at nineteen or twenty. We find measures of satisfaction in the moment, but we don’t stay satisfied, not deep down. Did God make us this way? And if so, why did God hardwire us to ache for joy? Why this universal search for satisfaction?

Surprised by Joy

I remember as a college freshman, with my very duty-oriented faith, beginning to feel a kind of fascination with joy. As a kid, I had sung, “I got the joy, joy, joy, joy down in my heart.” Joy, when mentioned in church, often came off so light and flippant. And yet that one fruit of the Spirit’s nine (Galatians 5:22–23) connected most with the deep longings for happiness I was just beginning to realize as a college freshman.

As I read more of the Bible, I was amazed by what I found about joy and delight. It was the Psalms in particular that awakened me to the possibility and promise of real joy — joy that is not icing on the cake of Christianity, but an essential ingredient in the batter. Three psalms specifically captured my attention.

Soul-Thirsts for God

First, Psalm 37:4: “Delight yourself in the Lord.” And not just this command, but then this promise: “and he will give you the desires of your heart.” You mean at root God isn’t suspicious or frustrated by my desires? He made my heart to desire, and means to satisfy, not squash, my deepest longings? And where will that happen?

Second, Psalm 16:11: “In your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” Real joy comes not only from God as a gift from his hand, but in seeking his face. God himself — knowing him, enjoying him — that’s what he made your desires for. He made your restless human heart for real satisfaction — in him. He made your soul to thirst, and he meant for you not to deny your thirst but to satisfy it, in him.

Third, Psalm 63:1: “O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.” This resonated deeply with me. I wanted this, and wanted to be more like this.

The Psalms had my attention. Again and again, they tapped into my soul, discouraged my sense of mere duty, and highlighted the central place of the heart — both in honesty about the many sorrows in this life, and in hopefully commanding me to “rejoice in the Lord” (Psalm 40:16; 64:10; 97:12; 104:34; 105:3; 118:24).

It was almost too good to be true to discover that my undeniable longing to be happy wasn’t just okay, but good, and that the God who made me actually wanted me to be as happy as humanly possible in him. For me to learn, and then begin to experience for myself, that God wasn’t the cosmic killjoy I had once assumed, but that he was committed, with all his sovereign energy and power, to do me good (Jeremiah 32:40–41) — it took weeks, even months, for such good news to land. I’m still not over it today.

And more good news was still to come.

All to the Glory of God

I knew from growing up that “the glory of God,” which often seemed like a throwaway Christianese phrase, was important. Turning pages in my Bible, I found it everywhere, like 1 Corinthians 10:31: “Whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.”

God made the world, and made us, that he might be glorified. The Bible is very clear, and our own sense of justice resonates with the rightness of it, that God made us to glorify him. But that creates a crisis for many of us. Does God mean for me to pursue his glory or my joy? I want so badly to be happy, and the Bible commands, not condemns, my rejoicing in God. And I know I’m supposed to want him to be glorified in my life. Are his honor and my happiness two tandem pursuits in the Christian life? If so, how do we pursue both?

Then came the most remarkable discovery: our happiness in God glorifies God. My pursuit of the deepest and most durable joy, and God’s pursuit of his glory, are not two pursuits but one. Because, as John Piper champions in his book Desiring God, “God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in him.” God’s design to be glorified and my desires to be happy come together in one amazing pursuit: the pursuit of joy in God.

Do You Enjoy Him?

God is not honored when we pay tribute to our own iron will by saying to him in prayer or church, “I don’t even want to be here, but I’m here.” What honors him, what glorifies him, what makes him look good, is joy and satisfaction in him. God is most glorified when we say with the psalmist, “You are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you,” and “In your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” We say, “Nothing makes me happier than to know you, Father, through your Son, Jesus, and to be here with you over your word, or in prayer, or in corporate worship. Jesus, you are my joy. You are my treasure. You are my delight. You satisfy my soul.” In those words, and in the heart behind them, God is glorified.

“Not only does God invite us to believe him, trust him, fear him, obey him, and worship him, but to enjoy him.”

What is the most important truth you’ve learned in college? I posed this question to myself in thinking about what I wanted to say to you this morning. Of the countless new facts and liberating discoveries I made in those all-important, trajectory-shaping college years, what has proved most life-changing? Here’s one way I would put it: For me, the single most important breakthrough in all my college learning was finding that God is not just the appropriate object of the verbs believe, trust, fear, obey, and worship, but also he is the most fitting, most satisfying, most worthy object of the verb enjoy.

Believe God, trust God, fear God, obey God, worship God, yes! But do you enjoy him? Not with the small enjoyment of chuckling at a clever commercial, but the large enjoyment of basking before an ocean. Not the thin enjoyment of humming along with a pop song, but the thick enjoyment of coming to the long-anticipated pinnacle of a symphony or a great novel. Not the shallow enjoyment of acquiring some new gadget, but the deep enjoyment of reconnecting and catching up with a longtime friend.

Not only does God invite us to believe him, trust him, fear him, obey him, and worship him, but to enjoy him. Psalm 34:8 says, “Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good!”

Learning to Fly

So, in light of that single greatest discovery in my college years, let me ask just briefly this morning what it means for the daily and weekly rhythms of the Christian life.

In other words, how do we get involved? What steps, humble as they may be, can we take? How do we position ourselves to receive the grace of God, to receive his joy? In his mercy, he has not kept it a secret how he provides ongoing grace and joy for the Christian life. I like to summarize it in three parts — three previews of what our focus will be tomorrow night.

1. Hear His Voice

Each new day introduces a fresh occasion to hear his voice in the Scriptures, not mainly as marching orders, but as a meal to feed our souls. Not just for soul nutrition, but for enjoyment. God wants our regular sitting down with his Book to be more like coming to dinner than going to the grocery store. Don’t try to store up truth for tomorrow or next week. Come to enjoy him today. Like the Israelites in the wilderness, when God gave them manna, simply gather a day’s portion and enjoy.

2. Have His Ear

Some call it prayer. When we enjoy God, prayer begins to be a way not just to ask God for things we would enjoy, but to enjoy God himself. In prayer, we respond to what God says to us in his word, and in doing so, we commune with him, both asking for more of him and experiencing him in prayer, in the moment, as our greatest enjoyment. The heart of prayer is not getting things from God, but getting God.

3. Belong to His Body

Finally, then, is belonging to his body. One vital manifestation of life in the church is corporate worship. When we pursue our joy in God, corporate worship becomes the stunning opportunity to gather together, not just with fellow believers, but with fellow enjoyers of God.

How might it change corporate worship for you — not just in church on Sunday morning, but also here in chapel — to look around and think, “These students and professors not only believe in the truth of Christianity but they enjoy the God of Christianity.” As we sing, we are enjoying Jesus together. As we pray, we are enjoying him together. As we hear his word read and his message preached, we are uniting our hearts together in the God who himself, in the person of his Son, became one of us, lived among us, suffered with us, died for us, rose triumphantly from the grave, and now sits in power — with all authority in heaven and on earth — at his Father’s right hand, and is bringing to pass, in his perfect patience and perfect timing, all his purposes in our world. For our everlasting joy. Together.

One Great Possession

Coming to enjoy God — not just believe him, trust him, worship him, and obey him, but enjoy him — has changed everything for me. It’s changed how I approach the Bible, how I approach prayer, and how I approach corporate worship and fellowship. But there’s still one last piece missing: What about love for others, especially when it’s costly? Will enjoying God move me toward others, or away from them? Will joy in God move me toward hard, painful, costly needs in this fallen, sin-sick world, or away from them?

My answer, which I can testify to in experience now for 25 years, is that finding joy in God liberates us to truly love others. I leave you with one amazing testimony: Hebrews 10:32–34. The situation is that some in this early church were put in prison for their faith, and others, instead of going into hiding, went public to visit them in prison. In doing so, they exposed themselves to the same persecution their brothers were receiving:

Recall the former days when, after you were enlightened, you endured a hard struggle with sufferings, sometimes being publicly exposed to reproach and affliction, and sometimes being partners with those so treated. For you had compassion on those in prison, and you joyfully accepted the plundering of your property, since you knew that you yourselves had a better possession and an abiding one.

So, these early Christians put themselves in harm’s way by coming forward to provide food and basic needs for their friends in prison, and they too were persecuted. Their possessions were plundered, whether by official decree or mob violence. And how did they receive it? Hebrews 10:34: “You joyfully accepted the plundering of your property. . .” What? How? Can you see yourself joyfully accepting the plundering of your possessions? Where did this come from?

The answer is in the last part of Hebrews 10:34: “. . . since you knew that you yourselves had a better possession and an abiding one.” The word for “property” is the same word, in the plural, as the word for “possession.” Literally, “you joyfully accepted the plundering of your possessions [plural] because you knew you had a better and abiding possession [singular].” Because you had God as your heavenly treasure, you were able to accept the loss of your earthly treasures in the calling of love — and not just accept, but accept with joy. You joyfully accepted the loss of your finite, earthly, limited possessions because you had the infinite, heavenly, all-satisfying singular Possession, whose name is Jesus Christ.

So, do you enjoy God? When you enjoy God, you are finally free to surrender your small, private enjoyments (called sacrifice) for the greater enjoyment of meeting the needs of others (called love).

 

David Mathis (@davidcmathis) is executive editor for desiringGod.org and pastor at Cities Church. He is a husband, father of four, and author of Workers for Your Joy: The Call of Christ on Christian Leaders (2022).

Outrage Is Not a Fruit of the Spirit

In today’s digital world—and especially in an election year—it’s heartbreaking to see God’s people become a bickering, angry mob. (If you don’t believe me, spend a few minutes reading comments on YouTube, Instagram, or Twitter/X.) We are not called to be a herd of online bullies, rushing to judgment and egging each other on to defame our brothers and sisters. (Some of whom may well be more faithful and honorable in God’s sight than we are.)

We desperately need the Lord to do a transforming work in all of our hearts and lives. For God’s glory, our good, and the good of a desperate world that needs to know Jesus, let’s stop relentlessly sniping at each other and become in actual thought and practice what He went to the cross to make us—His pure and spotless bride: “...just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish” (Ephesians 5:25-27).

We are far too quick to believe reports we hear, and so eager to engage, imagining that we are standing up for Jesus when our actions are based on falsehoods. We gang up like cowards, imagining that if we punch hard enough and yell loud enough, we’ve been courageous.

Outrage appears to now be a core value of some Christians. Righteous indignation is sometimes appropriate, e.g. when it involves the killing of children, or false doctrine promoted at the expense of the gospel. But when outrage/anger becomes our default, we lose all credibility and, in my opinion, become poor ambassadors for Christ. And when our outrage is against Christ-followers who are doing the right thing, I believe it is particularly hurtful and repugnant to God. Jesus clearly taught that we will be held accountable for our behavior.

What would happen if each of us did our part to emphasize first and foremost not human figures or political agendas or earthly kingdoms, but our identity as His sons and daughters and citizens of HIS kingdom? What would happen if we acted as ambassadors of Christ, not ambassadors of political parties and agendas? “We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God” (2 Corinthians 5:20).

Political tribalism related to various news channels and talk shows encourages people to pick up their verbal boulders and hurl them at anyone with an opposing viewpoint. We throw stones even at fellow believers who think differently than we do.

But what good does this accomplish? Doesn’t it just fuel our anger and rob us of perspective and peace? Instead, let’s “encourage one another and build each other up” (1 Thessalonians 5:11, NIV).

Don’t get me wrong: there is a time and place to discuss political issues and candidates, particularly as we evaluate them against the standard of God’s unchanging Word. But if we would walk away from online disputes and pour the same amount of time and energy into helping those around us, God would be honored and we (and those we help) would be happier. Chances are, real and positive change might actually result!

By Randy Alcorn who is bestselling author of over sixty books, including Heaven and The Treasure Principle, and is the founder and director of Eternal Perspective Ministries (EPM), a nonprofit organization dedicated to teaching biblical truth and drawing attention to the needy and how to help them.

Why Society is Failing Men and Boys?

Every day, we see more grown men and young boys dropping out of school, dropping out of work and choosing to drop out of society entirely. They're getting lost in distractions, chasing comfort and losing the sense of purpose that used to drive men to live with meaning and ambition. 

 We need to turn this around.

In 1998, I started the heavy metal ban All That Remains, and in the past 25 years, I’ve performed for hundreds of thousands of people worldwide. Most of them are young men. I’ve had countless conversations with them and often their stories are devastating. With no purpose and a society that doesn’t significantly value boys and men, many are simply self-selecting out of society altogether.

I hear about addiction, depression and a feeling that there is no hope. Some of them tell me that my music helped them find a little light in the darkness. But while I’m glad I can be that for some, the fact that so many feel this way is a massive problem.

The foundation of any strong society is built on family, faith and community. And without strong male figures and role models, these foundations start to crack. 

I consider myself lucky I had a dad who showed me what being a man is all about. 

He was a blue-collar guy from western Massachusetts. He was a machinist, a construction worker, an entrepreneur, and a business owner. 

While we didn’t do the same type of work, he was and has always been the type of man I aspire to be. So many young men today don’t have that, and it's showing. 

The National Fatherhood Initiative reports that 17.5 million children, nearly 1 in 4, are growing up without a father at home. That’s a huge number. Their research also shows that children raised in a home without fathers result in a greater likelihood of poverty, drug use and prison. 

But it’s not just about absent fathers. We’re also seeing fewer and fewer spaces that exist exclusively for men and boys to connect with each other. This trend is problematic for several reasons. 

First, it reflects the lack of value we place on men – which can be viewed as an outright hostility to men and boys by society. 

Second, because of that lack of value we place on men, they no longer feel their own value in society and choose to opt out altogether. 

One of the areas we’re seeing this play out is education, where boys and men are falling behind. College enrollment among young Americans has been declining gradually over the past decade. According to the Pew Research Center, young men now make up only 44% of young college students, down from 47% in 2011. 

And this gap in education is spilling downstream into the job market. As Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., noted in his report "The State of the Working and Non-Working Man," men are decreasingly participating in traditionally male jobs. 

 Rubio notes, "In 1985, the median male wage was sufficient to provide comprehensive health insurance, reliable transportation, good housing, a healthy diet, and college tuition, with 20% left over for other consumption and saving. The same man in 2022 could work the whole year to pay for middle-class essentials, and still come up 10 weeks short." 

It’s not just about money either. According to data from the National Institute of Mental Health, men in the United States die by suicide at a rate four times higher than women. Additionally, men are more likely to engage in illicit drug use and to begin using alcohol or drugs at a younger age, and drug use is more likely to result in a visit to the emergency room or in death for men than in women, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse. 

With no purpose and a society that doesn’t significantly value boys and men, many are simply self-selecting out of society altogether. 

These issues hit close to home for me because I get it. I’ve been there; had things gone differently for me, I could be in the same place as many other men are today, struggling with addiction, loneliness and depression. 

I believe we are at a turning point, and while I’m not the first to say it – and won’t be the last – if we don’t take these issues seriously, we’re going to lose a whole generation of men and the families they’d help build. That’s something society can’t afford to lose. 

 

by Philip Labonte, founder and lead singer of the heavy metal band All That Remains and a contributor to Timcast IRL. He has been an outspoken advocate for issues facing boys and men. 

 

Nothing to Hide, Prove or Lose

The day will come when every man will stand before the Lord and be asked to give an account of his life. God makes clear the basis of this coming judgment: he “will render to each one according to his works” (Romans 2:6). 

I have spoken with the adherents of many faiths who insist they can approach that day with confidence. Each has put their good and bad deeds onto a scale and become convinced that in the end, the good will outweigh the bad. But a person who is humble and sincere will recoil at such a thought, intimidated and perhaps even terrified to consider the declaration of Jesus that “I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me to repay each one for what he has done” (Revelation 22:12). 

For when we are honest with ourselves, we know that even our best deeds are still tainted by sin and even our best intentions are still suffused with selfishness. We know that we have no truly good deeds to claim and that we have fallen far short of the glory God demands. 

Sometimes I find myself pondering my life after I trusted in Christ and considering the strange and grievous reality of being both saved and sinner and of living in both the already and the not yet. I consider that I have so often been careless with my life, I have so often been cowardly in my faith, I have so often been faithless in my calling. At times I have nearly mutinied against God. I would never deny that I have deserved rebuke and reproach. 

But God knows as well that I have never been a traitor and I have never been a deserter. Though always imperfectly, I have tried to fight on his side since the day he called me. I have tried to fulfill the duties he assigned to me. 

I have tried to leave whatever he committed to my charge a little bit better than I found it, to increase my one small talent into two. Even though I have often failed, I have at least tried—tried because of my love for him. I have not been perfectly righteous, either, but I can say that I have strived to be righteous. 

Neither have I only ever thought what is perfectly virtuous or said what is perfectly fitting for the occasion, but I have at least attempted to think in upright ways instead of evil ways and to speak words that bless instead of curse. And this, too, because of my love for him. This, too, because of his presence within me. 

I have earned nothing I need but Christ has earned everything I need and I have trusted in him to provide it. So I trust that God is pleased with my intentions even when my deeds have been so faulty and my desires when my words have been unsuitable. Yet imperfect deeds and optimistic intentions would be the shakiest grounds of confidence before God. Thankfully, God gives much firmer grounds: I trust him to be pleased with my broken efforts and partial self-sacrifice only in the light of Christ’s perfect efforts and complete self-sacrifice. 

These deeds are not the basis of my salvation but proof of it and fruit that flows from it. I have earned nothing I need but Christ has earned everything I need and I have trusted in him to provide it. And so I am convinced that God will not condemn me based on my sin but will pardon me based on Christ’s righteousness, for Christ is my hope, Christ is my help, and I have trusted wholly in him. 

I believe that on that great day to come, God will not oust me from the company of the faithful even though there is nothing in me that makes me deserving to be among them. He will not strike my name off the roll of the victorious even though I have so often shown that I am unworthy to have it there. 

I have every reason to believe that my name will be found written in the Book of Life and will be overwhelmed with joy to find it there, even if it comes lowest and last of all. I can have such confidence not because of whom I am and not because of what I have done. I can have such confidence only because of the finished work and the infinite love of Jesus Christ. 

By Tim Challies is a husband, father, pastor, author, speaker and popular blogger, who lives near Toronto, Ontario.