© Six Degrees, 2016
Who Should I Vote for in 2024?
Seven Guidelines
for Every Jesus Follower
Seven Guidelines
for Every Jesus Follower
David Bryant
(revised and updated from a 2020 blog post)
The political yard signs are multiplying around my neighborhood. How is it where you live?
One house down the street not only has multiple signs but banners, flags, and balloons promoting his choice for president in November!
But at one residence, their only message is a sign that says in large letters: NOTA. Was that a newly formed third party? Or the last name of a local candidate?
I googled it. “NONE OF THE ABOVE” is what NOTA stands for. It indicates that my neighbor is willing to say what many voters feel across America. We want better candidates—on both sides of the political divide.
But vote we must! Vote we should. So, what can help me choose the best qualified out of those who appear on the ballot?
Here are the seven guidelines I use in every election. I’ll allow them to guide me on November 5. Spreading the greatness and glory of Jesus Christ is at the heart of their goal.
NOTA Is the Ultimate Campaign Sign
1 Peter 1:20 tells us about Christ: “He was chosen before the creation of the world but was revealed in these last times for your sake.” The word “chosen” could also be translated as “elected.” In other words, in ages past, in the eternal counsel among the persons of the Triune God, our Lord Jesus was selected and commissioned to become the world’s Redeemer and Sovereign.
Therefore, today—incarnate, crucified, risen, and ascended—our Savior has been given a name above all names (including every name on the 2024 ballot), with all authorities and powers (visible and invisible) subject to him and his cosmic authority.
That means this year—and every year when you get right down to it—the candidate our nation needs right now is NOTA, “none of the above.” Our great hope lies not in a Donkey or an Elephant. What our nation truly needs to do is “elect”—to exalt and surrender to—the Lamb who resides on the Throne of the Universe (Revelation 5)! At this critical hour, the ultimate hope for our nation’s deliverance—socially, morally, and spiritually—is found only in the Lord Jesus Christ.
That’s why at ChristNow.com, we labor daily to foster and fuel an “American CHRIST Awakening” wherein God’s people begin to give God’s Son his rightful place among us—which in turn will extend the gospel of his saving grace and power into the broader American community.
Yet, on the other hand, as faithful citizens in a vibrant democracy, we remain responsible for voting in November. So, how do we vote in a way that most faithfully represents and reflects the active lordship of Jesus and what his kingdom agenda is all about for our world today?
Seven Essential Guidelines for Every Jesus Follower
Every Time You Vote
Every Time You Vote
For me, a good place to start when trying to determine who I will vote into a political office is to weigh each candidate against biblical standards—even if the person is not a believer.
That’s where these seven principles come from—the Bible. They are godly clues to help Christians make serious choices in this coming election.
To make them easier to remember, I use keywords that begin with “C.” I suggest synonyms that represent a few facets of each word that are most important to me.
- CHARACTER: As I look at a candidate’s life, do I observe uprightness, truthfulness, nobleness, teachability, dignity, empathy, humility, and principled moral standards—to name a few Kingdom-type qualities to look for. What else would you add?
- COMPETENT: Has the person demonstrated that they are up to the job? Are they capable, proficient, gifted, skillful, intelligent, experienced, tested and proven, productive, and energetic? Are they using their God-given strengths and abilities well?
- CONSISTENT: Have they shown themselves to be solid, firm, dependable, stable, steadfast, and resolute in their convictions? Do their private and public lives match up? Do they keep their promises? Before the Throne, how would Jesus see them?
- CONCILIATORY: Are they predisposed toward building bridges, peacemaking, and mediating between conflicting parties whenever possible? Does their leadership style bring healthiness to a group or situation as they calm, disarm, diffuse, or affirm? Do they show respect toward the opposition—even when they lobby for the agenda they believe in? Even if they do not know Jesus, do they exhibit something of his heart for reconciliation?
- COLLABORATIVE: Similarly, do they put a high premium on working with others toward the common good? Are they active listeners, open-minded, transparent, reasonably flexible, conducive to seeking compromise, and willing to share credit for successes achieved? Are they convinced that to secure the best results, we need one another? Do they actively seek creative alternatives that might result in win-win outcomes for everyone? How Christlike are they in this dimension of leadership?
- COURAGEOUS: When faced with challenges or opposition—or, at times, temporary setbacks—does the candidate continue to display boldness, bravery, fearlessness, and even audacity as they pursue what they feel is right and righteous? In the struggles over policies or viewpoints that arise in any political arena, have they shown themselves to be both resilient and persistent? Yet, even when they feel the need to stand their ground, do they regularly show kindness and respect toward those who disagree with them? Again, how fully do they display the ways of God’s kingdom even if they are not committed to Jesus as Lord?
- CHRIST: I hinted at this seventh guideline in the six above. Obviously, for Jesus followers, the overriding touchstone in any decision—and certainly in our decision about who to vote into office—must be the person of Christ himself. How so?
The Most Important “C” of All: CHRIST
To start with, consider this: In his earthly ministry, Jesus confronted people in leadership more often than any other segment of the population in his nation.
Recall that the Sadducees and Pharisees were similar to our national leaders because, under the watchful eye of Rome, they took responsibility for both government and religion, which were melded under one authority.
So, the insights we gain from Jesus’ words to them, especially in Matthew 23, hold significant relevancy for our leaders in local, state, or national government today. The people we choose to lead us retain equal priority today in Jesus’ eyes since he remains Lord of them all.
Take, for example, how Matthew 23 ends: Jesus weeps over these leaders and their fellow Israelites. Why? Because so often, he wanted to draw them to himself as their Master and Savior, but they refused his offer. Instead, they stuck to their wayward patterns. Consequently, as Jesus knew, in forty years (in 70 A.D.), God would send the entire nation into a millennia-long exile.
That outcome is worth pondering for America in 2024 as we select our leaders at the polls in a few weeks, wouldn’t you agree?
Many claim this will be the most critical presidential election in US history. Therefore, having the proper leadership in America right now must also be a defining issue for King Jesus.
With That Background, Let Me Suggest Four Applications of
the Seventh Guideline—the “Christ” Principle.
the Seventh Guideline—the “Christ” Principle.
1. Christ-conquered
Does the candidate ever openly indicate in some fashion that they have been “Christ-conquered”?
In our secularized culture, most may not be. But some are. There are candidates on the ballot this fall who have given their whole lives over to God’s Son as their sovereign Redeemer. Potentially, those who have will bring many more kingdom ways into their approach to leadership. “Those who confess me publicly, I will confess before my Father,” Jesus promised.
What if we had people like that in office—who were ready to say with Paul, “For me to live is Christ” and “I’ve counted everything lost that I may know him”? How would that transform their leadership, whether in the White House or the city council?
2. Christ-aware
At a less demanding level, do they at least seem to be somewhat “Christ-aware”?
In the prophetic words of Psalm 2, pagan rulers are called upon to exhibit that kind of sober reverence toward Christ himself and take him seriously. So, ask: Have any current candidates shown a measure of what Scripture terms “the fear of the Lord”?
That means they have some measure of concern that their leadership, their policies, and the ultimate outcomes will be pleasing to the Lord—at least as best as they know who Jesus is and can determine what God wants, even if they are not conquered (and saved) by him.
3. Christlike
Even if they seem to have only a minor “fear of God,” do they at least exhibit a way of life that is “Christlike” in how they act, how they treat people, with the values they promote, and in the influence they hold?
They may not yet have put their faith in Christ; still, they may manifest Christlike qualities. And if so, those qualities hold out promise for godlier, more effective service to the community or nation.
We mentioned this strength in most of the six guidelines above.
4. Christ-compatible
Finally—and this applies to every candidate, whether Christian or not: Is their approach to leadership—both in terms of style and substance, and certainly in terms of policies—at least “Christ-compatible”?
To say it another way, how many of their policy initiatives are moving in directions supportive of, and not in opposition to, the goals of the kingdom of God?
How many of their priorities, whether knowingly or unknowingly to them, line up with the righteous values and standards of the reign of Christ?
The question of utmost importance is this: Will their leadership be conducive to allowing and even encouraging the free spread of the gospel in our land?
There Are No Perfect Candidates:
So, How Can I Vote?
So, How Can I Vote?
Of course, this goes without saying: When applying any of these guidelines, there are NO perfect candidates on the November ballots—in ANY election year.
For sure, not one candidate on any ballot fully measures up. Each politician is frail, finite, and fallen. None of those at any level asking for your vote matches all seven marks flawlessly.
Even the most appealing candidates we may choose will give us, at best, only a glimmer of the leadership the whole creation is yearning for but won’t experience until Christ returns. Philippians 3:20-21 (NIV) states it like this:
But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.
Until that glorious day, however, we do have to vote! If we choose not to vote, that act itself IS a “vote.”
In just a few days, you will be stepping into a voting booth or filling out your mail-in ballot. How will you respond at that critical moment?
Of course, before marking your choices, you want to be sure you know something about the platform and policies your candidates already embrace and what their track record is regarding pursuing those issues. So, be sure you do your homework.
But this blog post argues that there is something even more important than party platforms and policies—something prior, something more fundamental.
“Character is destiny.” I’m sure you’ve heard that wise insight before. In other words, we need to ask: What kind of character does this candidate exhibit?
The seven guidelines really focus on that: Does she or he lead with a measure of competency and consistency? Do they tend to be reasonably conciliatory and collaborative in their approaches? Are they courageous, holding firmly to certain convictions?
But above all, determine which candidate comes closest to being either Christ-conquered, Christ-aware, Christ-like, or at least Christ-compatible.
In the end, from a kingdom perspective, any election
is far more about the quality of the persons
than about the precision of their politics.
is far more about the quality of the persons
than about the precision of their politics.
As Scripture warns all of us in Proverbs 4:23 (emphasis added):
“Above all else, guard your HEART,
for EVERYTHING you do flows from IT.”
for EVERYTHING you do flows from IT.”
VOTE as unto Christ! Even though you know whomever you choose won’t be perfect or in perfect alignment with every one of your top priorities and values, still prayerfully elect the leaders you believe have a heart that will help secure many of Jesus’ kingdom- type outcomes for your communities and our nation.
VOTE as unto Christ! See your time in the voting booth as an act of worship. Do it praising the living, reigning Lord Jesus Christ, King of the ages, whose will, ways, works, and worth will prevail throughout the earth—long after every other authority has passed away.
After all, apart from our passionate and unceasing intercession for a Christward spiritual and moral revolution in our nation—an American CHRIST Awakening—what more strategic option do we possess than our vote in the 2024 election to advance the will and work of Christ throughout our nation?
NOTA—NONE OF THE ABOVE? YES!—because in truth, even now, Jesus is already “the ruler of the kings of the earth” (Revelation 1:5)!
As a follow-up to this blog post, listen to David Bryant’s 30-minute CHRIST TODAY Podcast, episode 3: “The Lion Speaks. Every Word Matters. Listen.”
About the Author
Over the past 50 years, David Bryant has been defined by many as a “messenger of hope” and a “Christ proclaimer” to the Church throughout the world. Formerly a minister-at-large with the InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, president of Concerts of Prayer International (COPI), and chairman of America’s National Prayer Committee, David now provides leadership to ChristNow.com and Proclaim Hope!, whose mission is to foster and serve Christ Awakening movements. Download his widely read ebooks at ChristNow.com. Enjoy hundreds of podcast episodes. Watch his weekly vlogs at David Bryant REPORTS. Meet with David through Zoom or in-person events through David Bryant LIVE!
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