Don’t Vote for a Weiner

Here we are a couple of weeks into the Anthony Weiner quasi – not quite a scandal. The media has had high hopes for a juicy story while at the same time rarely identifying the congressman’s political party (Democratic). The media like to protect their own on the one hand but love a salacious tale on the other. Sometimes it can be difficult to figure out where one’s loyalties lie (or which lies your loyalties should promote).

 The whole incident seems to be discussed around the questions concerning what is legal, what can or cannot be prosecuted, and breathlessly, will his newly pregnant wife support him? Media demand to know if there is anything prosecutable. Will police searches turn up anything? Is it illegal for a congressman to send pictures of his bare chest to an under aged girl? The world (supposedly) wants to know.

 As Christians however, it seems to me that we need to rethink our whole way of deciding who we vote for. As I read Romans 13:1-7 I see that the political leader is a ‘minister’ (vs. 4) and a ‘servant of God’ and is supposed to be bringing wrath on the one who practices evil. So, we are not to think of our political office holders as people who are beyond the Biblical definitions for righteousness and personal morality. No, they are ministers in a similar sense of the word as are, well, ministers. Given that all Scripture is inspired by God we cannot entertain the idea that the Apostle Paul somehow did not mean ‘minister’ when he wrote ‘minister’. Yes, in fact he did and our duty as Bible believers is to consider how this might be true. How is it that civil officers are ministers?

 The Biblical qualifications for ministers are found in Titus chapter 1:

‘ …if any man be above reproach, the husband of one wife, having children who believe, not accused of dissipation or rebellion. For the overseer must be above reproach as God’s steward, not self willed, not quick tempered, not addicted to wine, not pugnacious, not fond of sordid gain, but hospitable, loving what is good, sensible, just, devout, self-controlled, holding fast the faithful word which is in accordance with the teaching, that he may be able both to exhort in sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict.’

So, that was easy. Now we have a standard by which to choose our ‘ministers’ serving in the public sector. Unfortunately, most of the American public has no knowledge of this or any belief in the truth of it. We choose all kinds of crazies to rule over us and then wonder in rapt befuddlement when those leaders drag us into every sort of profligacy and serfdom. In Minnesota, where I used to live, we elected a man that was well known to be a degenerate man both in speech and in practice. When Californians elected Arnold I began saying that Californians had proved they were incapable of governing themselves. We elect all sorts of liars, marital cheaters, anything but just, devout, or self controlled people who flaunt their sins before us. They do not love what is good, do not hold fast the faithful word, and do not hold to sound doctrine. It forces me to ask, ‘why do we keep electing these wieners? Why do we settle for unqualified men? And, why are we surprised when we get bad government?

 For Christian Culture,

 Don Schanzenbach   6-11-11