An Open Letter to Black Christians

AN OPEN LETTER TO MY BLACK CHRISTIAN FRIENDS:

I have had to really think about why people support Obama and how to respond to friends of mine who are black Christians (I don't use the term "African-American", just as I am not a "European-American", because we are all Americans). At the risk of losing your friendship, I have to say a few things that may seem like reproof, but in a kindly and nonjudgmental way that will help you to reconsider your reasons for voting for Obama. I hope that in this letter, the Holy Spirit will speak to your hearts:

1) First and foremost, it's an issue of authority. In making decisions, we believers must filter those decisions through the light of God's Word and His character. We are commanded to judge (evaluate, make decisions) with righteous judgment, which means that in the political realm, as in other realms, we must lay aside our personal preferences on race, gender, party affiliation, etc., and use our God-given authority in a manner that would please Him, to reflect His character and His heart.

Because all authority in heaven and in earth belongs to the Risen Christ, ours is simply a delegated authority from Him, not one that originates in us. Therefore, we have a weighty responsibility to exercise our delegated authority only in accordance with the wishes of the Delegator. Even Jesus, in His earthly walk, said that His judgment was righteous only because it He judged according to the will of the Father. (John 5:30)

So this matter of judging/ deciding about how to exercise our delegated authority in our vote is a high and holy responsibility, as well as a test of obedience. If we choose to vote our own preferences, and if those preferences are contrary to the revealed will and heart of God, then we are abusing our authority, and are in rebellion against God's authority. That is a most serious matter.

2) This means that no true believer should vote for Barack Obama, because his agenda is blatantly ungodly. He speaks so eloquently, but his true agenda, as evidenced by his voting record, supports almost everything that God detests. All sin is detestable to God, but there are a few things that are so abhorrent to Him that He calls them "abominations", and among those are: a) The taking of innocent human life, and b) The promotion of homosexuality. Obama is an ardent supporter of both, even to the point of repeatedly killing legislation in the Illinois house that would have granted "personhood" status to those aborted babies who are born alive by accident.

Furthermore, Obama would appoint people to the Supreme Court that would promote further assaults on unborn life, give special rights to homosexuals and other gender-confused persons, even to the point of destroying the institution of marriage (In California, you can't even apply for a marriage license now that says "bride" or "groom"). I am not a rabid pro-lifer, but I don't know how any genuine believer could support a candidate who holds such a position, and stand before God with a clean conscience. How could a believer vote for such an agenda, and not fear His judgment in the hereafter? I couldn't.

3) I have friends who, like you, are black believers, many of whom are voting for Obama on the basis of race. I can understand a certain pride in a black candidate for President. But should race be a basis for a vote for the highest office in the free world? How would you feel if I said that I was voting for McCain because he is white? ... Wouldn't that make me a "racist"? So who is "racist" when he/she votes for someone specifically because he is black, white, brown, red, yellow, etc.?

And it's interesting that more than 36% of abortions in the US are performed on black babies...So who is being racist, the candidate who supports abortion laws that border on genocide, or the one who opposes it? Please read this important article: http://www.obamanation.com/5.html .

4) More importantly, does God call us to vote on that basis? I think not! I would vote for Alan Keyes, Michael Steel, Roy Innes, Jesse Peterson, or Condoleeza Rice, before I would vote for a white person who supported so many things that are abominations in God's sight, and so destructive to a civilized society.

By the same token, I wouldn't vote for Hillary just because she is a woman, because her values are abhorrent to God in so many ways. But I will vote for Sarah Palin, because she represents godly values. It's not a gender thing, just as it's not a race thing.... It's a "principle thing." I really don't care if someone is white, black, or brown, male or female, or pink polka-dotted... But I do care what character and agenda he or she has, and if it's right in God's eyes! And that's the issue.

5) I believe that this election is a huge "allegiance/obedience test" for black Christians. You are being asked to make a clear choice: Will you vote "race," or will you vote "righteousness?" It's that simple. Where is your allegiance? Are you willing to submit your voting choices to Him? I truly believe that God wants to raise up black candidates to a place of great honor, but it has to be with candidates of honor and integrity, not Obama. Who knows but that He would be so pleased with His people of color voting righteously, that He may bless them with a truly great black candidate who gets elected to office?

6) Don't you know that the way that the enemy works is to present the counterfeit shortly before God brings the real thing, and to short-circuit the will of God before it can be brought to birth? It's all throughout the Bible: Abraham, Sarah, and Hagar: Ishmael (the counterfeit and the fruit of the will of man, not God) is the descendant of Hagar, and his descendants are now the Muslims. Look at that consequence today. The Israelites wanted a King, when God wanted to give them David, and they chose Saul. You all know how that turned out. Satan, through Herod, tried to destroy every male child to prevent the Messiah's coming. Thousands of babies were slaughtered. In Revelation, the dragon attempts to kill and eat the "child of the woman" as it is brought to birth. Satan tempted Jesus to cast Himself off the precipice to let the angels save Him, in an effort to cause Him to sin by "tempting God," to short-circuit the fulfillment of His Mission by offering Him the counterfeit before the genuine could be brought to fruition. It's all through the Word, if you look for it. Barack is the counterfeit, not the real thing.

7) This is essentially a spiritual choice: America is on the edge of a terrible precipice at the end of a long spiritual decline, and the struggle to avoid going over the cliff is played out in the political arena in this most critical election. It's sort of like the struggle between Russia and the US during the Cold War... The War was between the two superpowers, but the battle wasn't fought directly between them on their soil. Instead, it was fought in Cuba, Angola, Eastern Europe, Korea, Southeast Asia, etc. It's the same here... this is essentially a spiritual war, not an earthly one. And Earth is the Angola, Cuba, etc., in the greater struggle between the True God and the god of this world. We must decide on which side we will fight, in whose army we are enlisted, in whose cause we will exercise our authority. So the question becomes...as believers, will we vote for the candidate who represents the values of the Enemy of God, or the one that represents the values of God Himself?

In that vein, I hope you will consider what I say, and make it a matter of prayer. I had to say it, as your sister in Christ. With a sincere and Godly prayer for your reconsideration,

A sister in Christ in Palm Beach County

Thanks to Lindy Markham for providing the above.