The "Right Person" in Office Will Not Save Us
There has been a false narrative in our American culture for a long time that the "Right Person" in public office will save us.
Yes elections matter and policies have affects and implications all across the country that affect real-life people. Our president, congress, Supreme Court, and local officials enact and implement policies that affect how we treat the unborn, the immigrant, the widow, and the orphan, and justice to the oppressed.
The promises and sovereignty of God do not depend on getting the "right" person in office, they never have and never will.
Psalm 146:
1 Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord, O my soul! 2 I will praise the Lord as long as I live; I will sing praises to my God while I have my being. 3 Put not your trust in princes, in a son of man, in whom there is no salvation. 4 When his breath departs, he returns to the earth; on that very day his plans perish. 5 Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord his God, 6 who made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, who keeps faith forever; 7 who executes justice for the oppressed, who gives food to the hungry. The Lord sets the prisoners free; 8 the Lord opens the eyes of the blind. The Lord lifts up those who are bowed down; the Lord loves the righteous. 9 The Lord watches over the sojourners; he upholds the widow and the fatherless, but the way of the wicked he brings to ruin. 10 The Lord will reign forever, your God, O Zion, to all generations. Praise the Lord!
Verse 3 reminds us that a human government cannot provide salvation. Every human being’s greatest need is salvation from our sin. Our nation can try to legislate certain moral principles, but mankind is not saved by outward adherence to laws or policies. For example making murder illegal does not stop murder or the sin in our hearts. Salvation is of and from the Lord, and he brings it about no matter who's president, mayor etc.
Evangelicals today have allowed themselves to be deluded into the lie that God will only send revival and change with the right president or other public official in office. The biblical reality is some of the most powerful works of God in Scripture came in the midst of oppressive and evil rulers and governments. We can cite God's deliverance from Egypt, or God's working through Daniel in Babylon as examples. Religious freedom is certainly something we desire, but God does not need it to save us.
Human leaders cannot save us and their plans and accomplishments are just temporary and fleeting. God does not need approval from any person in our government to act, he is always at work. We should vote, make sure our voice is heard and communicate what we would like to see take place in our nation, and debate ideas.
But the reality is we do these things knowing that should we not see the results we want, or if we think the "wrong" person has won the election, God is not wringing his hands in the heavens. God can bring about his justice even in an unjust nation. He cares for the poor and oppressed as he always has even if our leaders don't. God will bring the wicked to ruin, even if they are in the ones in power.
In the years to come our concerns about elections and politicians will be little more than a footnote, but Christ will still be reigning. If you are his, you will be enjoying eternal paradise under his perfect government.