This past Tuesday, November 8, Donald J. Trump was elected President of the United States of America. With a final electoral vote count of 290 to Hillary Clinton's 228, Trump claimed the victory early Wednesday morning. As early as Wednesday afternoon, riots broke out in many of America's major cities, with many shouting "Not our President" in the outcome of a violent and controversial election.
Many during this election have stepped forward from every walk of life in America. Perhaps the most well heard have been the evangelicals. Franklin Graham, Director of Samaritans Purse and son of evangelist Billy Graham, wrote Thursday of many people not understanding the "God factor" in the election. While I hold deep respect for Graham and his ministry and am myself conservative, I disagree with this phrase. Here is why:
1. To say that there is a factor suggests God was at one point not in control.
Maybe I am missing the point of his quotation. But I would argue that if there is a God factor, then there is another factor at work as well and, based off of the quote, another factor has been in control. The fact is that God has always been in control. He decided who was elected in 2008 and he decided who was elected on Tuesday. Romans 13:1 says "Everyone must submit to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except from God, and those that exist are instituted by God." If the authorities are instituted by God, then I would argue that God decided that Donald Trump would be elected on November 8.
2. God does not endorse candidates.
Simply put, God does not endorse candidates because God is the ultimate authority. He doesn't need a President to do what he wants done. He does it the way He does it when He does it. While the people of God represent God and help to spread His message, there is no doubt in my mind that God is in the ultimate control and that He calls us to trust His will, not ours. While many willed that Donald Trump should be elected President, it would have been commanded of us to follow God's plan if Hillary Clinton had been elected. This does not mean that we have to support her. This means that we accept that God has a plan and remember that the United States is not our final destination. If God willed that the leadership of this country be evil in intent, we must remember that He has a plan for His people.
3. We need to lessen the divide, not widen it.
This election has shown us the ugliness of what an election season can bring. It has broken friendships and divided families; it has even put up barriers in schools and churches. It is time now to do away with that division. We have elected a President. It is time to move on. That means we must look to what can be done, and not condemn liberals or have liberals condemn conservatives. When the election is over, we need to unite and be Americans. I don't have to accept your beliefs, and you don't have to accept mine. But on top of eternity in mind, we must remember an important fact. Ronald Reagan once said "If we ever forget that we are One Nation Under God, then we will be a nation gone under."
Our goal should be spreading the Gospel, not increasing dissension. It is not the duty of the people of God to condemn sinners when we ourselves were sinners. It is our duty as people of God to bring the news of the forgiveness that is accessible to all people of every nation!
God was always here and will always be here. And He is ultimately in control.
