Post-Election Quotables

There is no shortage of commentary the day after an important election in this country. The following is a compilation of excerpts from several helpful articles I read this morning. There is a lot of information to take into consideration as we move ahead as The (seemingly) Divided States of America, and we would be wise to observe and reflect upon much of what is said...


In Michael Barone's article, "Two Americas," he describes the great divide amongst this countries' citizens as evidenced by the stark contrast between conservatism and liberalism:

There are plenty of smart and creative and successful people in both Americas. But they don’t like to mix with each other these days...

...One America tends to be traditionally religious, personally charitable, appreciative of entrepreneurs, and suspicious of government. The other tends to be secular or only mildly religious, less charitable, skeptical of business, and supportive of government as an instrument to advance liberal causes.

The more conservative America tends to be relatively cohesive. Evangelical Protestants and white Catholics make common cause; the 17th-century religious wars are over. Southern or northern accents don’t much matter...

...The more liberal America tends to be diverse. Like Obama’s 2008 coalition, it includes many at the top and at the bottom of the economic ladder.


Albert Mohler, in his article, "Aftermath: Lessons from the 2012 Election" calls Christians to pray for civil leadership in the midst of moral decline.  We have a sovereign Savior who is in control and calls for us to be in the world, but not of it... and though He upholds the universe by His power, we have a responsibility in proclaiming the truth of the gospel to our fellow image-bearers:

Christians must now pray for our President. As the Apostle Paul instructs us, “First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way.” (1 Timothy 2:1-2 ESV) We should eagerly and urgently pray for our President. We should pray for his health and his family, for his stamina and his character. We should even pray that he and his administration will be remembered as one of the greatest of our nation’s history, measured even by the convictions that are most important to us.

We are rightly and deeply concerned. We must pray that God will change President Obama’s heart on a host of issues, ranging from the sanctity of unborn life to the integrity of marriage. We must push back against his contraception mandate that tramples upon religious liberty. Given the trajectory of his first term in office, we are urgently concerned about a second term, knowing that the President will never again face the electorate.

As the President acknowledged in his speech last night, our nation faces huge challenges. We must pray that President Obama will lead in a spirit of national unity and mutual respect, bringing Americans together to resolve these ominous problems. Incredible responsibility now rests on his shoulders. He has won a second term, now he must rightly lead...

...The nation is divided politically, but that divide points to a division at the level of worldview. The 2012 election makes clear that Americans are divided over fundamental questions. Americans are divided into camps that define and see the world in fundamentally different terms. The election did not cause this division, it merely revealed it. This deep division at the level of worldview presents President Obama with a daunting political challenge, but a worldview crisis is an even greater challenge for the church...

...Evangelical Christians must see the 2012 election as a catastrophe for crucial moral concerns. The election of President Obama returns a radically pro-abortion President to the White House, soon after he had endorsed same-sex marriage. President Obama is likely to have the opportunity to appoint one or more justices to the U.S. Supreme Court, and they are almost sure to agree with his constitutional philosophy...

...Clearly, we face a new moral landscape in America, and huge challenge to those of us who care passionately about these issues. We face a worldview challenge that is far greater than any political challenge, as we must learn how to winsomely convince Americans to share our moral convictions about marriage, sex, the sanctity of life, and a range of moral issues. This will not be easy. It is, however, an urgent call to action...

...Christians must never see political action as an end, but only as a means. We can never seek salvation through the voting booth, and we must never look for a political messiah. Nevertheless, Christians do bear a political responsibility, established in love of God and love of neighbor. We are rightly concerned about this world, but only to a limited extent. Our main concern is the Gospel of Jesus Christ.


Over at American Vision, Leah Smith offers some wise counsel to Christians in her article, "The Election is Over... Now What?" She presents a much-needed critique against professing evangelicals and provides pratical steps toward obtaining a robust biblical worldview while making disciples:

Once upon a time Christians knew what they believed. They knew why they believed it. We often shake our heads at what goes on the world. We don’t like the anti-Christian laws being passed, more government control, our freedoms regulated and the general secularized state of our nation. However we have failed to recognize who dropped the ball. Christians have lost something very basic and precious: the ability to articulate the gospel. Most Christians profess to believe in the Great Commission that Jesus commanded, to “go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them inthe name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” (Matt 28:19)

How do we suppose nations will become discipled if we are unable to give even a reasonable answer for the hope that lies within us? How do we expect to handle confrontations without being blown away by any intelligent worldly answer?

She concludes with a call to action...

1. Get a biblical worldview. We are secular humanists and we don’t even know it. The Barna Group reports that only 19% of Christians who profess they “have made a personal commitment to Jesus Christ that is important in their life today” and who “are certain that they will go to Heaven after they die only because they confessed their sins and accepted Christ as their savior” — hold a biblical worldview. Even if you love the Lord with all your heart– statistically, it’s very likely you do not have a biblical worldview. It is imperative we get one.

2. Get married and have a family. Atheists can do this too, so it is imperative that we hold a biblical worldview with which we approach every thought, action, decision and idea within the family unit. Why have a family? It is the backbone of society. That is why when you delve into the roots of socialism, you find the strategic intent to destroy Christianity and the family. Do we want a biblical society? Start by having a biblical family. I believe there are very few who have the “gift” of singleness. Find a good mate. Use wisdom... Raise up godly, clear-thinking Christians who will take dominion as God commands.

3. Have children, and if possible, lots of them. The Bible doesn’t suggest that we “be fruitful and multiply”, it commands us to. Having one or two kids is not multiplying; it is not growing the population. That is barely a replacement rate. Meanwhile, the Muslim culture continues to out-populate everyone with an average birth rate of 6 per household. Get busy people.

4. Bring up my children with a Christian, bible-based education. If we want to expand the Kingdom, do not, I repeat, do not give our kids away to the government. I cannot be so arrogant as to think I can compete with the humanistic brain washing they receive five days a week.  They are not “salt” or “light” yet, so I mustn’t be pretentious in thinking my one child is going to evangelize or survive a humanist indoctrination centre. That’s like throwing your kid in a shark-infested pool and thinking he’s a good swimmer, so he should be able to make it to the other side, no problem.  There is too much to say on this, but basically, if I am a Christian parent, a Christian education needs to be mandatory.

5. Get educated in:

Basic apologetics (the defense of the Christian faith): The Bible doesn’t require us to be experts. However, 1 Peter 3:15 tells us to have a logical answer for the hope that lies within us. The fact that most of us don’t understand logic and reason is beyond pathetic. It’s apathetic. There are some great resources out there for some basic training and education. There are even audio books, so no one has an excuse to be a dumb Christian anymore.

Basic theology: We have a problem. There are atheists that understand our Christian history and theological background better than we do. It is a skewed and distorted version, but it is sad that they know more than many of us. And because we don’t know our own presuppositions (or what that even means), they are formulating new and absurd arguments daily that we can’t refute. That is not good. Not good at all. So learn about presuppositions and learn some basic orthodox Christian doctrine and theology – and even more importantly, why it is truth.

Basic evangelism: I need to learn how to witness. Not hand out a tract, I mean how to present the gospel in a real conversation with people I meet... My goal is to learn of the most prevailing religions and cults in my city (where I am it would be atheism, Sikhism, Mormonism, J.W.’s, etc) and be well read enough that I can carry a conversation with them and understand what it is I am dealing with. I would love to see churches offer classes on the religions in their community and teach their congregations how to talk and witness to their community. Churches ought to teach basic apologetics as it is a good foundation for evangelism.

6. Women... know your feminine role. I believe the discipling of the nations will happen quickly when women go back to being women, with joy and celebration. When there is family harmony within a biblical context, and husbands love their wives and are leading as the Bible outlines, societies change. Governments change. Children are back in the hands of their own parents and that affects everything. Yes, sacrifices must be made to make this happen, however, we are in a time that if we want our grand children to live in a nation free of slavery and persecution, it is crucial that we make these sacrifices now.


Russell Moore presents a biblical paradigm that is sure to hit many professing Christians of the "religious right" between the eyes. In "Christians, Let's Honor the President," Moore reminds us of our responsibility to submit to authority and pray for our nation's leaders. Most importantly, he rightly divides Scripture to state his case:

Many of us have some disagreements with the President. As a conservative Christian, I believe unborn children have certain inalienable rights, including the right to life, and I wish President Obama would work to protect them. I believe freedom of conscience is the preeminent right in a civil society, and the Administration’s incursions on religious liberty are troubling. I don’t plan to back down one bit on these matters, even as our forefathers Isaac Backus and John Leland relentlessly stood up to the founding generation of leaders on behalf of religious freedom and human dignity.

We are going to disagree with the President on some (important) things; there will be other areas where we can work with the President. But whether in agreement or disagreement, we can honor. Honor doesn’t mean blanket endorsement...

...Christians, above all people, should pray for and show respect for our President and all of our elected officials. After all, unlike those who see politics as ultimate, we recognize that our political structures are important, but temporal, before an inbreaking kingdom of Christ. We don’t then need to be fomented into the kind of faux outrage that passes for much of contemporary political discourse. And, unlike those who see history as impersonal or capricious, we see behind everything a God who is sovereign over his universe...

...There’s a time to vote. There’s a time to campaign. And there’s a time to petition. But, through it all, let’s be the people who, even as we speak with conviction, are marked by kindness and respect. When we have to differ with President Obama, let’s do that, with backbone. But let’s make sure we do all this with honor, with respect, with prayer, and, most of all, with love.

I will be praying for our civil leadership; for their salvation and ability to govern righteously. By grace, I will submit to their authority while challenging foolish and/or ungodly policy. I will continue to labor in the Gospel to the glory of God and for the joy of the saints. I will seek the Kingdom of Heaven first and praise the Lord Jesus Christ... the King of kings and Lord of lords. Christians are not a defeated people, even when the future looks bleak. We share in Christ's victory!

Election and Perseverance

I've been deeply encouraged and blessed by the books I've had the opportunity to read by God's grace. Lately, there are two that have providentially worked together in order to strengthen the knowledge of the gospel and the doctrines of grace in my life. Not only have they solidified my understanding of distinct doctrines, they have helped shape my comprehension of the way these truths are connected and inseparable. Most specifically, the areas of interest regarding my recent study are the doctrines of election and perseverance... two of the most comforting truths of Scripture, when understood rightly.

"What if God, although willing to demonstrate His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction? And He did so to make known the riches of His glory upon vessels of mercy, which He prepared beforehand for glory, even us, whom He also called, not from among Jews only, but also from among Gentiles." (Romans 9:22-24)

"The vessels of mercy 'were by nature the children of wrath, even as others'. Both kinds of vessels were clay 'of the same lump'. What did God do toward saving the vessels of wrath? He 'endured them with much long-suffering'. Does not this show tenderness and compassion? Why did He not do more toward their salvation? Because He was 'willing to show His wrath, and to make known His power'. He saw it best, after exhibiting His long-suffering patience and His gracious readiness to pardon them on condition of penitence, to leave some sinners to reap the just rewards of their iniquity, in order that He might thus display His wrath against sin, and demonstrate His power to deal with it as it deserves. He does these sinners no wrong, simply permits them to work out their own destruction; but at the same time He furnishes a lesson to the universe on the hatefulness of sin, and the stable foundation on which the kingdom of holiness rests, not withstanding the efforts of wicked men and of devils to destroy it...

God wishes to 'make known the riches of His glory', and to this end He makes some vessels of mercy, 'preparing them afore unto glory'. We may say, in a word, that when God looked upon the lump of sinful humanity He decided to deal with it in the way which would best serve the purpose of displaying all the attributes of His glorious character, and thus promote the highest ends of His moral government. He might destroy the whole lump; He might transform the whole lump; or He might divide it, and make some vessels unto honor, and others to dishonor. His justice calls for the first course; His benevolence calls for the second; His wisdom calls for the third. By this course He illustrates both His justice and benevolence, and at the same time secures the highest ends of His unerring wisdom. In the case of those who are lost, God permits their self-destruction despite the entreaties of His benevolence. In the case of the saved, God, by the invincible power of His grace, rescues them despite the demands of His justice. In the case of both classes, the compassionate Christ is 'over all, God blessed for evermore' (Romans 9:5)...

Salvation is all of grace, and that it can, therefore, be no reflection on any attribute of God's perfect character if He decline to put forth His saving power on behalf of any given sinner, or number of sinners." (R.C. Reed, "The Gospel as Taught by Calvin", pp. 111-113).

"The faith that saves (a gift of God, according to Ephesians 2:8-9) is so nurtured and cared for by the Spirit of God that no genuine believer apostatizes... it is precisely because the power of God is manifested in preserving the Christian's faith that he can be assured of never losing his salvation...

In describing Christ's work as the Mediator of our salvation, Calvin explains how we are heirs according to God's pledge:

'[The Mediator's] task was to restore us to God's grace as to make of the children of men, children of God; of the heirs of Gehenna, heirs of the Heavenly Kingdom. Who could have done this had not the self-same Son of God become the Son of man, and had not so taken what was ours as to impart what was His to us, and to make what was His by nature ours by grace? Therefore, relying on this pledge, we trust that we are sons of God.' (The Institutes of the Christian Religion, 2.12.2)

The perseverance of believers in the faith is also clearly taught in John 17:

"Jesus spoke these things; and lifting up His eyes to heaven, He said, 'Father, the hour has come; glorify Your Son, that the Son may glorify You, even as You gave Him authority over all flesh, that to all whom You have given Him, He may give eternal life. This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. I glorified You on the earth, having accomplished the work which You have given Me to do. Now, Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was. I have manifested Your name to the men whom You gave Me out of the world; they were Yours and You gave them to Me, and they have kept Your word. Now they have come to know that everything You have given Me is from You; for the words which You gave Me I have given to them; and they received them and truly understood that I came forth from You, and they believed that You sent Me. I ask on their behalf; I do not ask on behalf of the world, but of those whom You have given Me; for they are Yours; and all things that are Mine are Yours, and Yours are Mine; and I have been glorified in them. I am no longer in the world; and yet they themselves are in the world, and I come to You. Holy Father, keep them in Your name, the name which You have given Me, that they may be one even as We are. While I was with them, I was keeping them in Your name which You have given Me; and I guarded them and not one of them perished but the son of perdition, so that the Scripture would be fulfilled. But now I come to You; and these things I speak in the world so that they may have My joy made full in themselves. I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. I do not ask You to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth. As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. For their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they themselves also may be sanctified in truth.“I do not ask on behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word; that they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me. The glory which You have given Me I have given to them, that they may be one, just as We are one; I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me, and loved them, even as You have loved Me. Father, I desire that they also, whom You have given Me, be with Me where I am, so that they may see My glory which You have given Me, for You loved Me before the foundation of the world. “O righteous Father, although the world has not known You, yet I have known You; and these have known that You sent Me; and I have made Your name known to them, and will make it known, so that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them.'" (John 17)

Here we are privileged to listen in on what has been called the High Priestly Prayer of Christ. In it, He speaks of believers becoming 'one' so that 'the world may believe that You have sent Me' (v. 21). This prayer has been consistently understood by liberals (and, sadly, of late by conservatives, as well) as teaching that organic union (or, at least, corporate expressions of unity) among Christians will lead the world to believe in Christ. If that were true, then Jesus' prayer has never been answered in the affirmative. Indeed, it could only be declared an utter failure...

The unity for which He prayed was not a horizontal unity among men; rather, He prayed for a vertical unity with Himself, as He is one with the Father... The entire prayer is a petition that genuine believers may not be 'lost' as Judas was (v. 12). Since Christ was about to leave His own, He prayed that God would continue to 'guard' them, just as He previously had 'kept' them under His watchful care (v. 12). And He prayed not only for the apostles, but also for those who would come to believe under their preaching (v. 20). The kind of guarding that Jesus had in mind is explained in verse 21: 'that they may all be one, just as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You have sent Me.'

The unity involved in these words is a unity with the Father and the Son, a unity that is as inseparable as that which these members of the Trinity enjoy...

God doesn't make a promise, then change His mind. He never hands us something with one hand, only to take it back with the other. He would never give eternal life to a person and then later kill him spiritually. Eternal life is just that—life that lasts eternally in God's presence. God is true to His word.

"And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified." (Romans 8:28-30)

Calvin writes:

"Those whom He appointed beforehand, He also called; those whom He called, He also justified' [Romans 8:30] that He might sometime glorify them. Although in choosing His own the Lord already has adopted them as His children, we see that they do not come into possession of so great a good except when they are called; conversely, that when they are called, they already enjoy some share of their election. For this reason, Paul calls the Spirit, whom they receive, both 'Spirit of adoption' [Romans 8:15] and the 'seal' and 'guarantee of the inheritance to come' [Ephesians 1:13-14]; cf. 2 Corinthians 1:22; 5:5]. For He surely establishes and seals in their hearts by His testimony the assurance of the adoption to come." (The Institutes of the Christian Religion, 3.24.1)

A very important verse that makes the truth about apostasy clear:

"They went out from us, but they were not really of us; for if they had been of us, they would have remained with us; but they went out, so that it would be shown that they all are not of us." (1 John 2:19)

John is addressing the fact that certain gnostic teachers who had been in the fold had left and had begun teaching their heresy. Previously, they had seemed to be true Christians, because they gave no outward indication of their heretical belief. But their false views of the nature of Christ solidified and came to the fore, and they found that they could no longer fellowship with genuine Christians...

We must maintain that those who denounce the faith never had true faith in the first place. They may have been among believers, but they were not of them...

True believers remain in the faith and in the church. They endure to the end.

"For in the case of those who have once been enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift and have been made partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, and then have fallen away, it is impossible to renew them again to repentance, since they again crucify to themselves the Son of God and put Him to open shame. For ground that drinks the rain which often falls on it and brings forth vegetation useful to those for whose sake it is also tilled, receives a blessing from God; but if it yields thorns and thistles, it is worthless and close to being cursed, and it ends up being burned." (Hebrews 6:4-9)

"For if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a terrifying expectation of judgment and the fury of a fire which will consume the adversaries. Anyone who has set aside the Law of Moses dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. How much severer punishment do you think he will deserve who has trampled under foot the Son of God, and has regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has insulted the Spirit of grace?" (Hebrews 10:26-29)

While he knew that true believers would not repudiate their Savior, the writer recognized the possibility that some among his readers might not be genuine Christians after all. Therefore, he shows that people may become a part of the visible body of Christ, participating in all of God's wonderful benefits that are provided for the life of the church, but eventually turn their backs on everything they have experienced. There is no way to renew such people to a genuine profession of faith, he says, because there is only one true message—the very one they have rejected. So he describes how great a dishonor to Christ it is for one to hear and taste the gospel only to reject it, and how terrible are the consequences...

To teach that a saved person may be lost is to impugn the fatherhood of God. It is to say that He so poorly raises His children that many become delinquents who 'drop out' or must be disowned by Him... Hebrews says that the Lord 'disciplines' each of His children in order to bring them into line when they go the wrong way; if they receive no discipline, the book teaches, they are illegitimate:

"and you have forgotten the exhortation which is addressed to you as sons, 'My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor faint when you are reproved by Him; for those whom the Lord loves He disciplines, and He scourges every son whom He receives.' It is for discipline that you endure; God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom His father does not discipline?" (Hebrews 12:5-7; cf. Proverbs 3:11-12)

God disciplines all of His legitimate children, and His discipline gets positive results. God does not allow rebellious children to wander away from the family or become so incorrigible that He must put them out. Those members who leave, or who are permanently put out of the church, as we have seen, are false professors. Calvin writes:

"Wherever punishment is for vengeance, there the curse and wrath of God manifest themselves, and these he always withholds from believers. On the other hand, chastisement is a blessing of God and also bears witness to His love, as Scripture teaches (Job 5:17; Proverbs 3:11-12; Hebrews 12:5-6)." (The Institutes of the Christian Religion, 3.4.32)

Perseverance is the result of true faith, nourished and maintained by the Spirit. But the believer himself must continue to exercise it. He may never sit back and say, 'I'm saved, I may do as I please, since I can never be lost.' To think that way indicates either that he has received very faulty teaching or that he is not a believer.

This precious doctrine of the perseverance of the saints, coming down to us from the Reformation, must be preserved at all costs. We may neither abandon it nor compromise with those who would do so. The certainty of salvation, which Calvin so dearly wished His congregation to know and which he bequeathed to subsequent generations, must not be lost." (Jay E. Adams, "A Certain Inheritance", chapter 15 in "John Calvin: A Heart for Devotion, Doctrine and Doxology", ed. by Burk Parsons)

So, as we have seen from these pastors (in light of Calvin's instruction), these two inseparable doctrines are beautifully and terribly interwoven. The beauty? Christ has, by His active and passive obedience, secured salvation for His sheep. As a Christian, you are the beloved of God, chosen before the foundation of the world to be justified by the gracious instrumentation of faith, which has united you with Christ and set you apart to persevere through sanctifying discipline en route to future glorification. If you confess Christ as your Lord and Savior and have repented of your sin—if you continue to stand firm in the faith and live a life of perpetual repentance that is worthy of gospel—strive to finish the race, for while there are trials, there is no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus. The terror? If you do not believe the gospel—if you do not trust in Jesus Christ as truly man and fully God... as your Savior from sin... as the one and only Mediator between God and man—you are outside of Christ and are on a treacherous path to destruction. The trials you experience are quite possibly a manifestation of the wrath of God and you are dead in your trespasses and sins. If the undeserved gracious atonement of Christ has not been applied to you through faith, the just wrath of God in future condemnation awaits you.

If you, the reader, identify yourself with the former, may the biblical doctrines of election and perseverance be an encouragement to you. Rest in the accomplished work of Christ and look to Him as the author and perfecter of your faith. He has conquered death and our life is inseparably hid with Christ on high. If you identify yourself with the latter, I implore you... repent of your sin, believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and rest in His death, burial and resurrection. He lived a perfect and sinless life of obedience under the Law, and willingly laid down His life to be crucified as a substitution for those who trust in Him. While all of mankind is sinful, and all of mankind is deserving of death (the penalty for sin), He was without sin and yet punished for it, so those who are united with Him in His death/resurrection (through faith) would be considered righteous by God and looked upon as they were the sinless Christ. Trust in Jesus, abide with persevering faith, and by the sanctifying Spirit make your calling and election sure.