How do we now vote?

Conservative evangelicals have self-identified with the Republican party for a few decades, mostly over issues like abortion and gay rights. That coalition of interests has caused a number of debates, depending on who the Republican standard-bearer has been. John McCain alienated a number of Christian voters with a more moderate stance on some issues like immigration, and was dissed by others on his pro-fetal tissue votes.

But the political world and the spiritual world are always two different spheres of ambition and thinking, and Christians may have a lot more to worry about than McCain and embryonic testing. As reported by CNN, "Steve Schmidt, a key architect of John McCain's presidential campaign, is making his first public return to Washington a bold one. Schmidt will use a speech Friday to Log Cabin Republicans, a gay rights group, to urge conservative Republicans to drop their opposition to same-sex marriage, CNN has learned."

The Republicans are first interested in sitting in the White House, not standing before the White Throne of Revelation 20. Political expediency always trumps religion with the average politician, and compromise, not religious conviction, is the path to success for most with the voters.

There are many who think the Republican party has been too cozy with the "religious right", as they call evangelical voters and those who speak for them. And I have often been concerned that the lines have been drawn too straight to divide between one party and another, as they relate to the issues a biblically-based citizen would call important. Democrats of today are in some ways a lot like Republicans of Lincoln and Teddy Roosevelt's day, at least on social issues like civil rights and equal justice.

Too bad for Christians there isn't a political party that sets its platform by the Bible, instead of by a national committee. But then, such a party would not likely succeed in getting a major candidate elected or even nominated. And, just so we recall, we're not citizens of this world anyway, and shouldn't expect to have our interests fairly represented in our government, any more than they were in Paul's day.

Our job is to testify to the resurrection and gospel of Jesus Christ, the real King. Give to Caesar what is his, OK, but don't expect him to "earn your vote." And if you vote for him, don't expect him to feel the same way about all your issues. But maybe he's still a better earthly ruler than the other guy (or girl). In the end, it's still the Lord who oversees them all, for His own "platform".