Modern-day evangelicals’ false sense of obligation to show up at the polls every time there is an election, regardless of whether there is a righteous choice or a trustworthy candidate on the ballot, not only results in the votes of Christians being taken for granted, but also in the inevitable compromising of the Gospel.
When it comes to politics and governance in America, compromise is considered a great virtue. Politicians are praised for their bipartisanship and ability to compromise their beliefs in order to cross the aisle and pass legislation. On the other hand, any politician who refuses to compromise his principles and renege on his promises in order to cross the aisle and pass bipartisan legislation is condemned on Capitol Hill as an intolerant ideologue.
When it comes to the preaching of the Gospel, however, compromise is no great virtue, but a great vice. Whereas the Apostle Paul refused to give an inch and compromise the Gospel for an instant (Galatians 2:5), today’s evangelicals appear ever-willing to compromise the Gospel in order to go to the polls and punch a ballot.
Paul understood that a compromised Gospel was ineffectual in winning converts or changing the world. This explains why he commanded Christians to “turn away†from those who have “a form of godliness, but deny the power thereof†(2 Timothy 3:5). The “power thereof†is obviously the Gospel, which Paul unashamedly declares in Romans 1:16 to be “the power of God unto salvation to everyone who believes.â€
Unlike the Apostle Paul, who stayed away from those who denied the Gospel— “the power of godliness†and only “power of salvation†for both individuals and nations—today’s evangelicals compromise the Gospel in order to climb in bed with politicians who deny it.