NOTES ON THE REMNANT’S LAST BATTLE: DESIRING GOD IN THE NOVEMER 5 2024 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION – A NECESSARY REFINEMENT – (WITH VIDEO)

PREFACE. “For if I [merely] preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast about, for I am compelled [that is, absolutely obligated to do it]. WOE TO ME if I do not preach the good news [of salvation]!” – 1 CORINTHIANS 9:16, AMP

• YOUTUBE STRIKE. “We reviewed your content carefully, and have confirmed that it violates our policy on harmful conspiracy theories. We know this is probably disappointing news, but it’s our job to make sure that YouTube is a safe place for all.”

• THE ELECTION. There is what I discern as a New Division among the Never Trump Christians over whether to Not Vote or Vote Blue. I have been advised by a half dozen of our finest to either: (1) Stay Silent; or (2) Offer Clarity. I have chosen the latter and sincerely hope that it defines a Principled Unity.

I.  THEOLOGY

SCRIPTURE. “When many of His disciples heard this, they said, ‘This is a difficult and harsh and offensive statement. Who can [be expected to] listen to it?’… As a result of this many of His disciples abandoned Him, and no longer walked with Him. So Jesus said to the twelve [disciples], ‘You do not want to leave too, do you?’ Simon Peter answered, ‘Lord, to whom shall we go? You [alone] have the words of eternal life [YOU ARE OUR ONLY HOPE].’” – JOHN 6:60, 66-68, AMP

KEY TERM: “ABANDONED HIM.” ‘Hupagó’ [ὑπάγειν]: “‘To lead away slowly; to depart, withdraw or retire (as if sinking out of sight);’ to get hence [away from]; to permit one to depart freely wherever he wishes; euphemistically, of one who departs from life itself (Matthew 26:24; Mark 14:21); to renounce and forsake entirely; to leave with a view never to return; to desert as lost or desperate; as to abandon a country; ‘to abandon a cause or party.’”

QUOTATION. “‘The Dark Side is seductive’ … It would whisper anything in your ear if it would bring you under its reign. Promise you the stars if it meant securing your heart. It is foolish to assume it would tell you the Truth when lies serve it so very well.” ― DELILAH S. DAWSON, Star Wars Inquisitor: Rise of the Red Blade, 2023; edited

COMMENTARY. “‘When we admit into our minds hard thoughts of the words and works of Jesus, we enter into temptation, which, if the Lord in mercy prevent not, will end in drawing back.’ The corrupt and wicked heart of man often makes that an occasion for offence, which is matter of the greatest comfort. Our Lord had, in the foregoing discourse, promised eternal life to His followers; the disciples fastened on that plain saying, and resolved to cleave to Him, when others fastened on hard sayings, and forsook Him.

‘Christ’s Doctrine is the Word of Eternal Life, therefore we must live and die by all of it. If we forsake Christ, we forsake our own mercies. They believed that this Jesus was the Messiah promised to their fathers, the Son of the Living God. When we are tempted to backslide or turn away, it is good to remember First Principles, and to keep to them. And let us ever remember our Lord’s searching question; ‘Shall we go away and forsake our Redeemer? To whom can we go?’ He alone can give salvation by the forgiveness of sins. And this alone brings confidence, comfort, and joy, and bids fear and despondency flee away. It gains the only solid happiness in this world and opens a way to the Happiness of the Next.” – MATTHEW HENRY, Exposition of the Old and New Testaments, 6 vols., 1708-1710; edited

II.  TEACHING

A NEW DIVISION. Has come to the Body of Christ. First it was over the rise of DONALD TRUMP to the executive power of the Presidency in 2016. For years, the primarily White Church Community fell under the thrall of this vicious new ‘Redeemer-Protector of the Faith.’It remains that way today, in 2024, with over 80 percent of the Church supporting this Beast.

But there was The Remnant of Never-Trumps who refused to abandon Christ over this Interloper, of whom many in that company believe Trump is none other than The Biblical Antichrist spoken of in both Testaments. Their resolve has been solid, their honoring of Christian Doctrine nearly impervious to any incursions from the Maga Christian Nationalists and their spiritual cohort, the QAnon Conspiracy Movement.

THEN CAME KAMALA HARRIS. But when JOE BIDEN finally stepped down from his run for a second term that elevated the candidacy of Vice President Kamala Harris virtually overnight, she rapidly became the Deliverer of the Democrat Party. When she signed on TIM WALZ as her running mate, the Convention nearly went stark raving, worshipfully mad – as it did Republicans earlier at the GOP Convention for Trump.

But Here’s the Thing: Waves began building among that hardy Remnant to ‘Go Blue,’ and its crescendo has not yet abated. THE ARGUMENT: Harris-Walz are clearly “Less Evil” than the Trump-Vance Ticket. Plus, they are vastly more joyful. And third, theirs is the only way to save the American Democratic Republic!

‘If not them, then who?’

THE ISSUES. In order to do this, of course, we must Dismiss or Accept the following policies: (1) Abortion on Demand restored to its rightful place in America under the rubric of “Reproductive Freedom” (2) Opposition to the “Do No Harm Act” that legally protects religious freedom from being violated; (3) Clear support of the Palestinian Cause in subtle opposition to Israel’s right to exist and defend herself; (4) The full embrace of the Gender Neutrality Movement; and (5) An Extremist Progressive Agenda promoter who is being repackaged as a “joyful moderate.”

Granted it is likely true that all our Christian friends who have decided to Vote Blue need not fear losing their eternal lives (not so in the case in voting Trump!). And they can very likely enjoy another four years of, well, what, exactly, beloved? Perhaps a gentler, kinder, more stable administration, I am told by most of the ones with whom I’ve spoken.

THE COSTS. I see at least Four Implications for Choosing Blue and electing the Democrats to the highest office in the land in order“to preserve democracy.”

1. FRACTURED REMNANT. I have seen the First Cracks in our own Peloton Confessing Fellowship as infighting has in some instances moved from gentle, “Agree to Disagree” Rapprochement to full-on aggressive, demeaning and destructive sub-debates with yours truly being accused now of being Pro-Trump since I am convicted by both Scripture and Conscience to vote for neither Party this election. – cf.  Kristine Parks, “Evangelicals for Harris,” Fox News, Aug. 26, 2024
2. CIVIL WAR. While I cannot say for certain what the Trump Forces will do should they lose the election this November 5, I do know that J6 was a Wake Up Call. I understand their proclivity for the “Guns and God” undercurrent that prevails among the Maga ranks, and that they are increasingly advocating spilling blood in order to rescue the Republic from the detractors. – cf. Xan Brooks, “January 6 Was Just the Warm Up,” The Guardian, Aug. 27, 2024
3. NO BIBLICAL COMMAND TO VOTE. The right to vote is wonderful, it clearly is a privilege in a free and open society and was conceived by our Biblically-minded Founders and written into our Originating Documents. But there is not a single Scripture commanding us to vote, especially between “Two Anti-Biblical Evils.” None whatsoever. That “Rule” is entirely a cultural mandate with no anchor in sound doctrine. None. – cf. Daniel Henderson, “Is it Biblical to Vote?” Strategic Renewal, 2016
4. BREACHING THE CANON. I recently wrote passionately and logically that the very nature of the ‘Lesser Evil Doctrine Requires a Breach of God’s Law’ to some significant degree. If we are to refuse to Vote Trump and yet Vote Harris, we are only honoring a ‘partially righteous position.’Carefully and prayerfully exercised, this according to Scripture and Tradition restrains us from a potentially destructive error of Christian judgment in the election for a “Less Evil” candidate. – cf. James T. Bretzke, “The Lesser Evil,” American Magazine, Mar. 26, 2007

THE RISK. This last point is one I had overlooked until one of our key members brought it to my attention just today as I write this final revision. Of all the cautions I raise, this one deserves very special attention. TWO SCRIPTURES are key to driving this incredibly important point home from the view of the ‘Spiritual Dimension of Voting for Non-believers.’

• BAD COMPANY. “Do not be so deceived and misled! Evil companionships (communion, associations) corrupt and deprave good manners and morals and

character.” – 1 CORINTHIANS 16:33, AMPC

• DARK ALLIANCES. “Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers [do not make mismated alliances with them or come under a different yoke with them, inconsistent with your faith]. For what partnership have right living and right standing with God with iniquity and lawlessness? Or how can light have fellowship with darkness? – 2 CORINTHIANS 6:14, AMPC

IMPRINTING. “Imprinting is a specialised form of learning that occurs during a short sensitive period in development to create strong preferences for one’s own species [or associates], specific foods, habitats or sites. Imprinting can propagate behavioural patterns for future generations.” – A. GREGGOR & A. THORNTON, “Imprinting,” Science Direct, 2014; edited

Taken all together from the view of Theology and Science: We see that there is a strong force of such entanglements to “imitate” or become like them. (1) Early Trump supporters in 2016 claimed to be voting for him just to stop Hillary Clinton. (2) First Time Biden Voters did so to stop Trump. And so it goes, until now.

CATCH 22. We create a MORAL DILEMMA for ourselves when we ‘massage the Biblical Standards’ for some higher (good) purpose. In these cases, we witnessed most first time Trump voters changing dramatically to think and act like he does. The Biden voters seem now primed and ready to vote Harris, having become, well, ‘Democratized’ sufficiently.

That said, our colleague’s argument with which I strongly agree is that there is a strong probability that: ‘Blue Christian Democrats are possibly to become more like Kamala Harris, not the other way around.’ We have seen it twice before, beloved, and I have no reason to suspect that somehow this will be any different.

The Scriptures mean what they say, and Science agrees.

III.  LAST THOUGHTS

People I know and love have increasingly demanded of me: “Well then, who are you campaigning for, Dr. Kelly?”My Reply has been a genuine response to what I see as a still-politicized Christian Church, including some of the Remnant.

“I am campaigning for Jesus Christ, and no other.”

That translates as the following HIGH PRAYER OF THE KING as He presented it to His disciples 2,000 years ago: “Pray, therefore, like this: Our Father Who is in heaven, hallowed (kept holy) be Your name. Your kingdom come, YOUR WILL BE DONE on earth as it is in heaven.” – MATTHEW 6:9-10, AMPC

CODICIL. After consulting the Spirit’s leading, the Scriptures, and no fewer than Seven Witnesses who constitute some close and wise partners in this sometimes madcap Circuit Ride in the Last Days, I offer this FINAL COUNSEL.

• COUNT THE COST. I have done my level best to offer you all the matters to consider in deciding how to vote this November 5. I have also reminded us all to most soberly do what Messiah commands us, to “Calculate the cost” (Luke 14:28) before finally deciding what to do. I have enumerated them so that you know what they are.

• AS GOD DIRECTS. Here we have the matter of “Christian Conscience” that follows upon the heels of having done everything one can to ascertain the Will of the Father in this important decision. JOHN PIPER reminds us of the following advice from Paul to Timothy as a means of measuring it: “I thank God whom I serve, as did my ancestors, with a clear conscience” (1 TIMOTHY 1:3). – “How Can I Have a Good Conscience?” Desiring God, Jan. 30, 2023

CODA.  My Personal Recommendation, therefore, is this: ‘Commit to not voting for Donald Trump for any reason, and seriously consider not voting at all in preference for an honorable Write-In candidate of your preference.  

I believe this constitutes GOD’S HIGHER WAY, beloved. So please listen to John Piper’s Commentary below as Finish Work. Selah.

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