Christians should be known by our unity. We stand on the truth that Christ died for our sins, was buried, and rose from the dead on the third day. We believe that God has revealed Himself in Creation and through His Word, the Bible. We believe in the miracle of the Virgin Birth, the sinless life of Jesus, and the deep, mysterious truth of the Trinity.
This Election season, though, I have seen Christians shame one another on their choice for Presidential candidate. One side says that if you're a Christian, you MUST vote for Trump. The other side claims that if you're a Christian, you MUST NOT vote for Trump.
I see that our choice here is not that different than the situation Christians faced in Romans 14. Some Christians thought it was OK to eat food sacrificed to idols, whereas other Christians thought it was sinful to eat those same foods. As Paul tells us, it is a gray area... a matter of conscience.
Your choice in this Election is a gray area. Scripture does not give you a clear command on who to vote for. In fact, such a thing as a "popular vote" didn't even exist in the Roman Empire.
Romans 14:23 lays down the principle that you should follow: "For whatever does not proceed from faith is sin." In areas where the Bible doesn't clearly say you should or shouldn't do something, you must be convinced that an activity is OK for you in order to do it innocently. If you are not convinced that the matter is OK and you do it, it is sin.
How does this apply to the Election? If you believe you can vote for Trump (in good conscience), do it. If you do not believe your can vote for Trump (in good conscience), don't do it. While Christians may discuss the candidates and persuade one another (gently and in love), we should never shame each other for our choice. They will know we are Christians by our love for one another, not by who we vote for.
