“For though we walk in the flesh, we do not wage battle according to the flesh, for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. We are destroying arguments and all arrogance raised against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ,” –2nd Corinthians 10

Though there is a specific context for this passage in the Apostle Paul’s 2^nd letter to the church he founded at Corinth, yet there is a universally applicable principle here. Unless somebody wants to argue for the areas of life where His disciples are not commanded to take their thoughts captive to Christ.

In today’s United States, with the constant bombardment of corrupt political threats to everything this nation was founded to be, it is very easy to be seduced into convincing oneself that politics is either an area where we can have our own thoughts or that a function of taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ is advancing a certain secular agenda.

Neither of these is supported by biblical teaching.

Now, to be clear, anywhere that morality and politics intersect, Christians are commanded to believe certain things and hence to hold certain positions because of those God-ordained beliefs. We know this because, for instance, Peter tells us in his 2^nd letter: “seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence.”

We are not at liberty to contrive our own political convictions as we see fit according to what we perceive as benefiting ourselves. Or even benefiting others. Talking every thought captive to Christ in the arena of politics means that we seek to love and honor our Father God in every political position wherein His character and law can be either violated or upheld. We are His ambassadors and must represent Him faithfully according to His Word.

This begins by being willing to believe the truth about any person or circumstance regardless of who or what it may cost us or make us wrong about. We have no pagan political heroes and we do not closely ally ourselves with pagan political parties. Our allegiance is to King Jesus and Him alone.

With that in mind, this does not mean we shouldn’t vote or that we shouldn’t support candidates where biblically possible. We are to advocate principles and policies. Not parties or personalities. We are dealing with unbelievers in the political realm. They will not be godly people. What matters to Christians in a political system where they have a voice, is the policies they promote.

If there ever was a time in American history when Christians were presented with reliably converted brethren as candidates vying for their vote, that day has long since passed us by.

I suppose this is a long way of saying that we wish character could matter in our politicians, but it can’t. We either vote for the child of Satan whose policies will dishonor God the least, or we don’t vote at all.