Why I am a One Issue Voter

When we make a choice that affects others, God is most pleased when our choice is one that reflects biblical ethics. This drives me to be a one-issue voter. Is the candidate and his/her policies committed to protecting all human life—including babies still in the womb or not? There are no other considerations if one candidate is pro-life and the other one is not. If two candidates have the same commitment to preserving human life, I consider which one has better policies for protecting the church and allowing the spreading the gospel. [1] This rule and one exception provide the guidance for the voting choice with no other considerations.

I do not vote for the person who I think will put the most money in my pocket. I don’t try to measure the level of pride in one candidate as compared to another. I don’t consider personality or subjective preferences. I disagree with evangelical leaders who ignore the national consequences of murder and only focus on the internal sins of one candidate. These men show a serious lack of discernment. Biblical ethics is my driving factor in the voting booth.

Not all biblical commands are equal nor are all sins are equal in consequence or punishment, according to the Lord Jesus Christ. Why were not pride, lust, and coveting sins that received capital punishment in the civil law given to Israel directly by God? It is because these sins were not equal in consequence to others or requiring the same divine punishment based on the justice of God. Of course, they are evil and ungodly sins of the mind. But it is unjust to treat internal sins as if the damage by them to other humans is equal to murder, theft, and rape on earth. Punishment will be set for each deed done in the body on the day of judgment (Matt 16:27; 2 Cor 5:10; Col 3:25; Rev 2:23, 22:12). Sin that begins in the heart, but is mortified or restrained, does not deserve the same punishment as when that sin that the heart desires is carried out in full measure to the harm of others. Murder is forgivable, but it cannot be undone.

When this is said, there are two things that make conservative Christian’s struggle with that statement. First, they have been under the teaching of bold Protestant men that strongly reacted to the Roman Catholic man-made distinction between Mortal and Venial sins to the degree that they went to the other extreme of teaching all sins are totally equal in every sense and situation. Second, they have heard evangelists, in their appeal to the lost, warn them that just one lie or one lustful thought is enough for them to be sent to the Lake of Fire. Even when others have committed more extreme crimes, it does not mean they won’t face the judgment of a holy God. They will face it. Their righteousness is not compared to other humans, but to God’s holy standard and the law they willingly disobeyed that is written in their hearts. This is true. Often believers hear the evangelists’ warning that concerning one being able to escape the coming judgment, there are no little sins. No sins will be excluded on the day of judgment for those not united with Christ. Then, they make the mental leap from this one instance to assume, therefore, all sins are equal in every sense. However, we will show below that this is not what the Bible teaches.    

When a person says all sins are equal and should be punished the same, they have unbiblical ethics. If one of my sister’s neighbors covets her car and has lustful glances towards her, it is not the same as if he rapes her, murders her, and steals her car. It is true that just one sin of the mind will make him guilty on judgement day and banned from heaven unless he is united with Christ—by His cross-work and His active obedience. But this neighbor’s punishment before a human court and before God will be greater if he acts on his sinful thoughts and does actions that affect numerous people and the victim. A serial killer and a person who does a rolling stop at a stop sign do not deserve the same punishment in a just system.

The Bible teaches that not all laws are equal. Jesus said, “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices—mint, dill, and cumin. But you have neglected the more important matters (weightier) of the law—justice, mercy, and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former” (Matt 23:23 NIV). This was not a new teaching. We read in Micah 6:8 “He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God” (Mic 6:8 ESV). Also note 1 Sam 15:22; Ps 51:10-17; Isa 1:11-15, 29:13-14; Jer 7:21-24; Hos 6:6-11; Hab 2:4; and Zech 7:8-14. Amos writes: “Take away from me the noise of your songs; to the melody of your harps, I will not listen. But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream. Did you bring to me sacrifices and offerings during the forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel?” (Amos 5:23-25 ESV.) Do note that since Adam and Eve left the garden, there has never been a 40-year period when the laws concerning murder, theft, or adultery were put on a temporary hold. Anthropologists discover these natural laws in some form in every culture they examine. [2] The lighter laws—the purity and ceremonial laws—were not as important as the moral laws revealed in the Ten Commandments (Exod 20:13; Deut 5:17; Jer 7:9). The Pharisees made the purity and distinction laws along with the worship regulations the most important in error. Jesus was asked, “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law? ³⁷ And He said to him, You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. ³⁸ This is the great and foremost commandment. ³⁹ The second is like it, You shall love your neighbor as yourself. ⁴⁰ On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets” (Matt 22:36-40 NASB). Also see Mark 12:28-34; Deut 6:5, 10:12; Lev 19:18; and Matt 19:17-19. The first moral law Jesus lists summarizes commands 1-4 of the Decalogue and the second moral law summarizes commands 5-10. Joshua reminded Israel, “Only be very careful to observe the commandment (mitsvah) and the law (torah) which Moses the messenger of Yahveh commanded you, to love Yahveh your God and walk in all His ways and keep His commandments (mitsvah) and hold fast to Him and serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul” (Jos 22:5). Joshua taught the greatest commandment was a mitsvah and not a ḥōk (statute) or mishpatim (ordinance). See further explanation on these three terms below.

 Nine of the Ten Commandments are repeated in the New Testament and are applied to the Christian community. This includes the command against the murder of humans (Matt 5:21, 19:18; Mar 10:19; Luke 18:20; Rom 13:9; Jam 2:11, 4:2). These moral laws are the weightier or most important laws. [3] Jesus said,

For I assure you: Until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest Hebrew letter or one small portion of a Hebrew letter will pass from the law until all things are accomplished. ¹⁹ Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commands and teaches people to do so will be called least in the kingdom of heaven. But whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven (Matt. 5:18-19).

 

Each law must be accomplished before it is repealed, replaced, set aside, or annulled by a clear New Testament text. Furthermore, if there are lesser commandments, by necessity, there are also greater ones. Jesus illustrates this in another place.

At that time Jesus passed through the grainfields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry and began to pick and eat some heads of grain. ² But when the Pharisees saw it, they said to Him, ‘Look, Your disciples are doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath!’ ³ He said to them, ‘Haven’t you read what David did when he and those who were with him were hungry– ⁴ how he entered the house of God, and they ate the sacred bread, which is not lawful for him or for those with him to eat, but only for the priests? ⁵ Or haven’t you read in the Law that on Sabbath days the priests in the temple violate the Sabbath and are innocent? ⁶ But I tell you that something greater than the temple is here! ⁷ If you had known what this means: I desire mercy and not sacrifice, you would not have condemned the innocent (Matt. 12:1-7 HCSB).

It was more important to preserve human life than to follow a ceremonial rule about bread meant only for the priest’s family. This is because preserving life is what the commandment against murder requires. David and his men were given the bread so that they would not starve. The moral laws are the heavy ones [most important], the purity, distinction, and ceremonial laws are the light ones [least important] (Matt 23:23). For biblical ethics, the moral law to preserve human life is more important than the temporary purity laws (Mark 7:19; Col 2:16) that were annulled or replaced in the new covenant. Not eating a rabbit does not reflect the holiness of God. It merely made the Jew different from the surrounding Gentiles. However, choosing to not steal because we love God reflects His holiness. This is ageless and everlasting. In a fallen world, we sometimes must not only choose between the most important and least important but also sometimes our options are to choose the lesser of two evils to make the best choice available.

Norman Geisler makes this point by writing: 

      Not all moral laws are of equal weight. Jesus spoke of the “weightier” matters of the law (Matt. 23:33) and of the “least” (Matt. 5:19) and the “greatest” commandment (Matt. 22:36). He told Pilate that Judas had committed the “greater sin” (John 19:11).  Despite a rather widespread evangelical distaste for a hierarchy of sins (and virtues), the Bible does speak of the “greatest” virtue (1 Cor. 13:13) and even of “greater” acts of a given virtue (John 15:13). [4] 

To find the path that would most glorify God and to choose the highest possible good, we should seek to understand which commands have the greatest weight.

      Following the course of action that is well pleasing to God may not always be easy in a sinful and fallen world, but such obedient and even heroic options can, by the grace of God, be found and followed even in the most extreme conditions. Such unswerving commitment to discerning and obeying the will of God—including a willingness to pay the “cost of discipleship”—is much needed in the twentieth-century American church, where believers are all too often tempted by the comforts and compromises of the surrounding culture. [5]

To follow biblical ethics, we should first seek a path that would allow us to obey all the moral commands or to not violate any of them. “Normally, there is a third alternative when we face a moral dilemma. Scripture promises that God will provide a way of escape (1 Cor. 10:13). Often, this is the way of faith.” [6]

However, sometimes a third option cannot be found. If we cannot find another way out after Bible study, prayer, asking counsel from pastors, and sanctified reasoning; we should choose to obey the greatest command to glorify God the most in this situation. Dr. McQuilkin writes about cases like this. 

       If one feels he must make a choice and do what the Bible describes as breaking a law, he should (1) make the choice in line with biblical precedent and (2) confess the sin as a sin. [7]

The Bible teaches that not all punishment is equal (Exod 21:14; Num 35:15; Deut 25:1-3). Not every sin or sinner will receive equal punishment (Deut 28:20; Psa 28:4; Matt 10:14-15, 11:21-24, 12:41-42, 16:27; Mark 12:38-40; Luke 23:41; John 5:29; Acts 10:42; Rom 2:6, 16, 14:10-12; 2 Cor 5:10, 11:13-15; Gal 5:21; 1 Tim 5:24-25; 2 Tim 4:14). Jesus illustrated this in this text:

But if that slave says in his heart, ‘My master is delaying his coming,’ and starts to beat the male and female slaves, and to eat and drink and get drunk, ⁴⁶ that slave’s master will come on a day he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know. He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the unbelievers. ⁴⁷ And that slave who knew his master’s will and didn’t prepare himself or do it will be severely beaten. ⁴⁸ But the one who did not know and did things deserving of blows will be beaten lightly. Much will be required of everyone who has been given much. And even more will be expected of the one who has been entrusted with more (Luke 12:45-48 HCSB).

Preserving the life of unborn and newly born children is a Christan’s moral obligation. As we mentioned above, each of the Ten Commandments has a positive and a negative side. When God asks us to honor our father and mother (Eph 6:1-2), this means it is wrong to dishonor our parents. When God commands us to not steal (Rom 13:9), which is the negative side of this commandment, the positive side is also required. We are to work and share with those who cannot work. Paul writes, “The thief must no longer steal. Instead, he must do honest work with his own hands, so that he has something to share with anyone in need” (Eph. 4:28 HCSB). Likewise, the negative command “do not murder” (Rom 13:9) has a positive side. We must also preserve human life when possible. And the Bible views intentional murder of humans as a crime so serious that the state should punish the guilty by death (Gen 9:5-6; Exod 21:12, 14, 29; Lev 24:17; Num 35:16, 30, 31, Deut 19:11-13). Thus, it is a very serious matter (Rev 6:10).

The Christian has a responsibility to the unborn in a constitutional republic. The Bible says, “Speak up for those who have no voice, for the justice of all who are dispossessed. ⁹ Speak up, judge righteously, and defend the cause of the oppressed and needy” (Prov 31:8-9 HCSB). David writes,

For it was You who created my inward parts; You knit me together in my mother’s womb. ¹⁴ I will praise You because I have been remarkably and wonderfully made. Your works are wonderful, and I know this very well. ¹⁵ My bones were not hidden from You when I was made in secret, when I was formed in the depths of the earth. ¹⁶ Your eyes saw me when I was formless; all my days were written in Your book and planned before a single one of them began. (Psa 139:13-16 HCSB).

See also Exod 21:22-25 where God declares that a baby in the womb is a human life with equal civil rights. Also consider 2 Kin 8:12 and Amos 1:13.

The shedding of the blood of human babies in or outside of the womb calls out to God for national judgment (Gen 4:10,15:16; Lev 18:21, 20:2-5; Deut 18:10; 2 Kings 16:3, 17:17, 21:6, 23:10; Num 35:33; Prov 28:17; Jer 19:4, 32:35; Ezek 20:26, 31, 22:13, 23:37). In ancient times, people would burn babies on metal idols that had been heated by fire. This caused the baby’s skin to burn off, like saline injection abortions do in our day. The idol for Molech had two hands that would be heated for this purpose.

Researchers claim that fourteen days after conception, pre-born babies can feel pain. God records these atrocities against nations. The Amorites lost the land of Canaan for murdering infants, which was among the sins that led to the Jews’ captivity by the Assyrians and Babylonians. The Northern tribes never returned to land, and only a small remnant from Judah made it back to the land of promise. During the 70 years of Babylonian captivity, even the godly remnant suffered during many difficult days. These are matters of serious consequence and must be considered by a Bible believing follower of Jesus when they enter the voting booth.

Thus, it is not the best for our country. It is not wise to follow evangelical leaders who lack discernment. They are not practicing biblical ethics. It is futile to attempt to gauge the pride of each candidate and choose the one we subjectively feel is the least proud. We lack too much information to do such a thing with any accuracy. God is the only one capable of accurately judging the human heart. Instead, the greater moral commands need to win out in our thinking.

Contemplate the concept of one person being accountable for another before God, which was communicated to Ezekiel. God says, “However, if the watchman sees the sword coming but doesn’t blow the trumpet, so that the people aren’t warned, and the sword comes and takes away their lives, then they have been taken away because of their iniquity, but I will hold the watchman accountable for their blood. ⁷ As for you, son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel. When you hear a word from My mouth, give them a warning from Me” (Ezek 33:6-7 HCSB). We are not Jewish prophets or lookouts on the walls of an ancient city. But there are principles in this conversation between Yahveh and Ezekiel of God’s expectations when His people have an opportunity to do something to preserve a human life and don’t follow through on that action. This text is not discussing voting. But when human life is in the balance, the principles in this text are addressing taking actions to persevere life when I can, and thus, apply to voting. There are other matters that make me figuratively hold my nose in the voting booth because there are areas where neither candidate smells very appealing. However, I hold on to biblical ethics and vote for the one who will work the hardest to reduce the bloodshed of the innocent in my country.

The moral law gives us specifics on how to love God supremely and to love our neighbor as ourselves (Matt 22:37-40). In a New Testament sermon, John MacArthur, Jr. noted that the Ten Commandments are linked to ten words that show us how to love God and others. We love: 1. Loyally, 2. Faithfully, 3. Reverently, 4. Intimately, 5. Respectfully, 6. Harmlessly, 7. Purely, 8. Unselfishly (giving), 9. Truthfully, 10. Contently. Our focus above has been on number ‘6. Harmlessly,’ to not intentionally murder and to preserve innocent human life when it is possible. Long before the Mosaic Covenant, God gave Noah instructions after the flood that all peoples and cultures are to provide serious consequences for those who intentionally take a human life without cause (Gen 9:5-6). These consequences were a concern for Cain after murdering his brother centuries before Noah (Gen 4:10-16). This moral law preceded the giving of the law at Sinai and continued after the New Covenant was fully in place (Rom 13:9; 1 Cor 15:26; 1 Tim 1:7-16; Rev 6:10), unlike circumcision, the Passover, and the dietary laws. These verses show it is still a requirement for God’s people, and keeping this mandate is a way for us to reflect His eternal holiness.   

Some may reject the use of the term ‘moral’ with the term ‘law’ because they see all laws as part of one whole, with no division or separation. For those who hold this view, they still must realize that Jesus taught that there are more important and less important laws among what they perceive to be a single category of law. They must distinguish between laws and prioritize the ones that matter most for ethical decision-making.

There are two key reasons I am comfortable recognizing three categories of laws in the Hebrew Bible. A study of this topic by historical theology reveals that Augustine clearly recognized three categories of OT law. Augustine’s view in the 400s AD was not new and has been accepted by many orthodox theologians throughout church history. The second reason is the actual Hebrew terms used for the law. Consider the use of three different terms together to describe the entire law in Lev. 26:15; Deut. 8:11, 11:1, 26:16, 17, 1 Kin. 2:3, 6:12, 8:58, 9:4; 2 Kin. 17:34, 37; 1 Chr. 22:13; 2 Chr. 7:17, 19:10, 33:8; Neh. 1:7, 9:13, 10:29; and Mal. 4:4. The Bible uses these terms together to discuss the entire law. When the terms are used alone, they refer to specific types of laws. This can be seen in contexts where these terms are found. Moses uses these three terms when he writes: “You have today declared the LORD to be your God, and that you would walk in His ways and keep His statutes, His commandments and His ordinances, and listen to His voice” (Deut. 26:17 NASB). The purity laws and worship regulations are the statues (ḥōk). The Israeli civil laws are the ordinances (mishpatim). This word contains the Hebrew word for judge, (shapat) for the elders who applied these laws at the city gates in the land of Israel. The term commandments (mitsvah) refers to the moral laws that reflect the holiness of God in hundreds of passages (See Exod 20:6 where the ‘Ten Words’ are called mitsvah). You can see the massive charts of every biblical use of these terms that support this position in my book available at https://www.academia.edu. [8]

When an Old Testament author uses two terms for the law together, the entire law is included, even the third category not mentioned. This is like when we say, A to Z. The letters in-between these two letters are also included.

Israel had to follow all three categories of the law until Jesus’ death. This change was symbolized by God tearing the veil in the temple before the Holy of Hollies at the moment of the death of the Messiah (Mark 15:38). Thus, not every text in the Hebrew Bible will strictly separate these categories. Because Israel was required to keep all three categories of the law until the New Covenant began (Jer 31:31-33), we should not expect every Old Testament prophet to make a sharp division between these law categories in the Hebrew Bible. The New Testament teaches that there was a change concerning animal sacrifices, circumcision, Old Testament officers, sabbaths, feast days, and dietary laws (Heb 8:13). At the same time, the New Testament applied moral laws to both Jewish and Gentile converts after Pentecost (Eph 6:1-2). This unravels part of the mystery hidden from the old covenant saints concerning the changes in covenant administrations (Eph 3:9). The author of the book of Hebrews writes concerning Jesus replacing Aaron’s descendant as high priest, “For when the priesthood is changed, the law must be changed also” (Heb 7:12 NIV) and “The former regulation is set aside because it was weak and useless” (Heb 7:18 NIV). He also states that in his day these ceremonies are now “dead works” (Heb 9:14) and notes that these regulations were only “imposed until the time of reformation” (Heb 9:10). However, there are no New Testament statements like this concerning commandments five through ten in the Decalogue. This is significant because a law remains in force until it is repealed, replaced, annulled, or its set time has expired.

But even those Christians who disagree with what has just been stated and do not accept three categories of Old Testament law still need to use biblical discernment. If they don’t change their focus, they’ll end up like the Pharisees who missed the big picture by only concentrating on a small detail. They would filter their drink to keep a gnat out but end up swallowing a whole filthy camel when taking a drink. This was because their focus was backwards of what it should have been. When you make the minor things major, you end up making the major things minor. Calvin wrote on Matt 23:23, “It is the invariable practice of hypocrites to allow themselves liberty in matters of the greatest consequence, and to pay close attention to ceremonial observances.” [9] Thus, when we reflect on Matt 23:23, no careful Bible student can argue that Jesus did not teach that some laws were more important than others.

In Deut 10:16-22, Moses presents Yahveh as the model of justice for His people in how they care for widows, orphans, and strangers in the land. It is very important to God that these vulnerable individuals who cannot defend themselves are treated with dignity as image bearer of the Triune God of the Bible (See Isa 1:17-28, 28:17).

In Deuteronomy 14, Yahveh gives Israel rules to distinguish them as a nation. These include not cutting themselves, eating only clean animals, paying tithes, and participating in Jewish feasts in one location in the promised land. This was later revealed to be Jerusalem. Tithes, as seen in this chapter, are part of the ceremonial laws, purity rules, and worship regulations for national Israel. There are no moral laws repeated in Deuteronomy 14. It was later oral tradition that added the rule to tithe on the spices in one’s kitchen. Instead, the Mosaic law was focused on the farmers’ major crops and animals to provide food for the families of the Levites and Priests. Contra the Pharisees’ practice, these are not the most important laws in the Bible.

Mercy is an attribute of our heavenly Father that we are to emulate. Moses writes: “then the LORD your God will restore your fortunes and have mercy on you, and He will gather you again from all the peoples where the LORD your God has scattered you” (Deut 30:3 ESV). Also see Exod 33:19 and Isa 30:18. Daniel offered guidance of a vital lifestyle change to the king when he said, “Therefore, O king, may my advice be pleasing to you. Renounce your sins by doing what is righteous, and your iniquities by showing mercy to the poor. Perhaps your prosperity will be prolonged” (Dan. 4:27). Jesus said, “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy” (Matt 5:7 ESV). This is much more important than bringing a thimble of spice to the temple.

Faithfulness is loyalty. Yahveh spoke through Hosea, saying, “For I desire loyalty and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings” (Hos. 6:6 HCSB). Loyalty to God is greater, weightier, and more important than the outward, heartless observance of ceremonies. Covenant loyalty is a moral attribute of God that His people are to emulate (Deut 32:4, 20; 1 Sam 26:23; Psa 37:3; Isa 11:5, 16:5, 25:1; Lam 3:23; Hos 4:1; Jon 2:8; Rom 3:3; Gal 5:22). Like mercy or compassion for the needy, this characteristic starts in the inner man and eventually manifests itself in actions. Because the Pharisees’ hearts were far from God (Isa 29:13; Matt 15:7-14), without regeneration; justice, mercy, and faithfulness [10] were impossibilities for those trying to earn God’s favor by a list of man-made rules (Matt 23:9-35). Justice, mercy, and faithfulness are highly valued by God when they come from the heart and are shown through actions.

I decide based on the more important matters of justice, mercy, and faithfulness. The infant is innocent, and it is unjust to murder any baby. I show mercy to the infant and to the child’s mother by investing in groups that support them. I show covenant loyalty by faithfully telling the truth that each pre-born infant is made in the image of God (Gen 1:26-27). I love my pre-born neighbor in the womb when I enter the voting booth. Likewise, I am aware of the pro-abortion journalist article from the Huffington Post that mocks my position. She does this to strengthen her cause for not using biblical ethics for life’s choices and to weaken the pro-life movement. As R. C. Sproul’s mother used to say, “Consider the source.” Regardless of these matters, I am a one issue voter.

 

Ted D, Manby, Th.M.

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ENDNOTES

[1] I use the same principles for the exception above when the only choice is between two pro-abortion candidates.

[2] See Margaret Mead,  Some Anthropological Considerations Concerning Natural Law (core.ac.uk) article, at Notre Dame Law School. 

[3] Walter C. Kaiser, Jr., “The Weightier and Lighter Matters of the Law: Moses, Jesus and Paul” in Current Issues in Biblical and Patristic Interpretation: Studies in Honor of Merrill C. Tenney, edited by Gerald F. Hawthorne (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1975), 176-192.

[4] Norman L. Geisler, “Graded Absolutism,” in Readings in Christian Ethics, vol. 1, Theory and Method,

ed. David K. Clark and Robert V. Rakestraw (Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 1994), 131.

[5] John Jefferson Davis, Evangelical Ethics: Issues Facing the Church Today (Phillipsburg, N.J.: Presbyterian and Reformed, 1985), 14.

[6] Robertson McQuilkin, Principles of the Christian Life:  An Introduction to Biblical, Personal, and Social Ethics (Columbia, S.C.: by the author, 1983), 145.

[7] Ibid., 146.

[8] An Exegetical and Canonical Analysis of Leviticus 26: Laws, Covenants, Promises, and Warnings | Ted D Manby - Academia.edu

[9] John Calvin, Commentary on a Harmony of the Matthew, Mark, and Luke, vol 2., Calvin’s Commentaries, vol. 16 (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1981, reprint), 46.

[10] See John 19:39 for loyalty by a Pharisee after regeneration.