Ed Walsh
Puritan Board Senior
Friends,
For many years now I have been personally convicted that I could never, in good conscience, honestly take an oath of office and swear to uphold the laws of the land and the Constitution as they now stand. I shared this last week with a small group I lead on the gospel of Luke. I was surprised at the instant smirks and even anger I received in response to what I said.
Below is an email I sent the next day to all who attended the group. What do you think about my position?
===========
Greetings,
Some thoughts from last night...
I have voted most of my adult life, but I am often torn. I do not think a decision about voting and holding office is such a no-brainer that we need not even think about it. Aren't Christians, even in their own words, often faced with the lesser-of-two-evils dilemma? Is this action supported in Scripture?
When I mentioned that I do not believe that I could in good conscience hold, at least some, public offices, there was an instant response by seemingly everyone against my statement. [Name] gave the most animated response saying something like this. "So do you think we should just abandon the government and leave it completely in control of the wicked"? Or words to that effect. I considered that as a clear reductio ad absurdum that fails the test when in my opinion the morality of swearing to uphold immoral laws and the (feared) results are not relevant to the question. Where in Scripture are we told that the consequences of an action are determinative of the morality of the action? Aren't we often told just the opposite? (Esther 4:16 & Daniel 3:17-18) Where in Scripture do we ever read that we can "do evil that good may come?" (Romans 3:8)
So for the sake of discussion I have included two links to articles by the old Reformed Presbytery so you can at least become familiar with the other side. Maybe we will talk about this again sometime. Please know that although I speak as I have, I hold no final opinion one way or the other. It's just a perennial question that occupies my mind about every two years. I usually choose to vote.
Here are the links:
http://www.covenanter.org/reformed/2016/11/4/why-reformed-presbyterians-cannot-vote
http://www.covenanter.org/reformed/2016/11/4/why-covenanters-do-not-vote
For many years now I have been personally convicted that I could never, in good conscience, honestly take an oath of office and swear to uphold the laws of the land and the Constitution as they now stand. I shared this last week with a small group I lead on the gospel of Luke. I was surprised at the instant smirks and even anger I received in response to what I said.
Below is an email I sent the next day to all who attended the group. What do you think about my position?
===========
Greetings,
Some thoughts from last night...
I have voted most of my adult life, but I am often torn. I do not think a decision about voting and holding office is such a no-brainer that we need not even think about it. Aren't Christians, even in their own words, often faced with the lesser-of-two-evils dilemma? Is this action supported in Scripture?
When I mentioned that I do not believe that I could in good conscience hold, at least some, public offices, there was an instant response by seemingly everyone against my statement. [Name] gave the most animated response saying something like this. "So do you think we should just abandon the government and leave it completely in control of the wicked"? Or words to that effect. I considered that as a clear reductio ad absurdum that fails the test when in my opinion the morality of swearing to uphold immoral laws and the (feared) results are not relevant to the question. Where in Scripture are we told that the consequences of an action are determinative of the morality of the action? Aren't we often told just the opposite? (Esther 4:16 & Daniel 3:17-18) Where in Scripture do we ever read that we can "do evil that good may come?" (Romans 3:8)
So for the sake of discussion I have included two links to articles by the old Reformed Presbytery so you can at least become familiar with the other side. Maybe we will talk about this again sometime. Please know that although I speak as I have, I hold no final opinion one way or the other. It's just a perennial question that occupies my mind about every two years. I usually choose to vote.
Here are the links:
http://www.covenanter.org/reformed/2016/11/4/why-reformed-presbyterians-cannot-vote
http://www.covenanter.org/reformed/2016/11/4/why-covenanters-do-not-vote
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