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Integrity Issues: Character Matters

In our great country, we citizens are the ones who elect those who govern on the local, state, and federal level. This is a serious responsibility—one that requires us to assess the positions of the candidates on the issues we consider to be most important. Our own convictions on national defense, economic policy, taxation, jobs, education, defense of human life, and the environment, among other things, should be compared with the positions of those who are running for office. This will surely help us to make a wise choice on Election Day. But what about the personal character and integrity of the individual candidates? To what extent should this be a factor when considering which candidate to support?

In the course of recent United States politics, various scandals have erupted over the behavior of elected officials. Many have adopted the position that a person’s attitudes and actions in his personal life have little or nothing to do with his job performance in government. This idea conflicts both with the Scriptures and with common sense. Someone who cannot be trusted to be personally honest or moral with the people who are closest to him can hardly be entrusted with the responsibilities of public office. When exercising our right to vote, we ought to give serious consideration to measures of personal integrity which the Lord identifies for us in the Scriptures. Here are some of them:

HONESTY—Proverbs 17:7 “Arrogant lips are unsuited to a fool—how much worse lying lips to a ruler!” It is easy to throw up one’s hands and despair of modern-day politicians ever being completely honest and forthright—it seems they have too many disparate people they must please in order to get elected. However, the bold liar, or one who can be shown to habitually and purposefully deceive, surely ought to be disqualified from a Christian’s support.

WISDOM—Proverbs 25:5 “Remove the wicked from the king—s presence and his throne will be established through righteousness.” A man who seeks public office will often be called upon to appoint others to positions of great responsibility in government. It is a measure of this person’s wisdom to observe the kind of people in whom he places this trust. Sometimes you can judge a man by the company he keeps.

COMPASSION—Proverbs 31:8-9 “Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.” When a candidate’s positions are favorable toward powerful interests who support him, this may or may not be a moral flaw on his part. His position may be one of conviction, or it may be of convenience. But when he has the compassion and courage to stand up for those who are powerless that is a sign of true strength of character.

FIDELITY—Hebrews 13:4 “Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral.” When a man stands before the Lord and pledges faithfulness to his wife, “so long as we both shall live,” and then goes back on that promise, how can he be trusted to keep his oath of office?

HUMILITY—Romans 12:3 “Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment.” A man who considers himself to be superior to the public who elected him is one who seeks to be served by his power and position, rather than to serve the best interests of his constituency.

PIETY—Psalm 33:12 “Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord.” The people of our communities, state, and nation are best served if their leaders are genuine Christians. Only a follower of our Lord Jesus can embody the best of all these characteristics for the right reason—that is, a humbling knowledge of sin and of the grace of God in Christ. Also, a Christian will be in the best position to preserve freedom of religion in our land, knowing that the kingdom of Christ does not need the coercive power of the state to flourish.

While it is plain that no one can measure up to these ideals entirely, we do well to look for them in our candidates. Above all, do not neglect to PRAY “…for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:2-4).

—Pastor Bruce Naumann