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.
[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.
[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.
[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.
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