Want To Know How To Evaluate The Candidates?

Here's how you can Understand the Issues ~ Evaluate the Candidates.

How To Gather Information About Candidates?  

Some people wonder, "Since you are a pastor, why are talking about politics? Should you not focus on your ministry instead?"

HOW TO CHOOSE A CANDIDATE?  

Justice.   

Protection  

In Genesis 1 and 2 we read that God created all things and entrusted to people the management of the rest of creation.   

Productivity and Industriousness

As a counterbalance to concern for the poor,

it is clear from the Bible that God puts a high premium on hard work and being industrious.

The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it. (Genesis 2:15)

and to aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we instructed you,

so that you may walk properly before outsiders and be dependent on no one. (1 Thessalonians 4:11-12)

Now we command you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you keep away from any brother who is walking in idleness and not in accord with the tradition that you received from us.

For you yourselves know how you ought to imitate us, because we were not idle when we were with you, nor did we eat anyone's bread without paying for it,

but with toil and labor we worked night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you.

It was not because we do not have that right, but to give you in ourselves an example to imitate.

For even when we were with you, we would give you this command: If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat. (2 Thessalonians 3:6-10)

A few important exceptions (i.e., those who are permanently mentally or physically handicapped).

Our approach should be to help people struck by adverse circumstances to “get back on their feet”,

rather than permanently depending on the government or private individuals and organizations.

Question: Which political candidates propose policies to help the poor in time of need yet encourage them to be independent and productive members of society?

Poor and Underprivileged.

In the Bible

God places a high priority on helping and protecting the most vulnerable members of society

—the poor, homeless, immigrants, orphans, the aged, the fatherless and widows.

Christians must seek to apply biblical wisdom

in appraising HOW the political parties address them.

Question: Which political candidates show the greatest willingness to meet the needs of underprivileged, vulnerable members of our society?

A Christian cannot open their Bible and ignore God’s call to care for the poor.

God’s concern for the poor is a pervasive theme throughout the Bible.

Exhortations to care for the poor

Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to do it. Do not say to your neighbor, “Go, and come again, tomorrow I will give it”—when you have it with you. (Prov. 3:27- 28)

Do not rob the poor, because he is poor, or crush the afflicted at the gate, for the Lord will plead their cause and rob of life those who rob them. (Prov. 22:22-23)

Open your mouth for the mute, for the rights of all who are destitute. Open your mouth, judge righteously, defend the rights of the poor and needy. (Prov. 31:8-9)

learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow's cause. (Isaiah 1:17)

Woe to those who decree iniquitous decrees, and the writers who keep writing oppression, to turn aside the needy from justice

and to rob the poor of my people of their right, that widows may be their spoil, and that they may make the fatherless their prey!

What will you do on the day of punishment, in the ruin that will come from afar? To whom will you flee for help, and where will you leave your wealth? (Isaiah 10:1-3)

And the word of the Lord came to Zechariah, saying, “Thus says the Lord of hosts, Render true judgments, show kindness and mercy to one another,

do not oppress the widow, the fatherless, the sojourner, or the poor, and let none of you devise evil against another in your heart.” (Zech. 7:8-10)

Jesus himself displayed remarkable concern and compassion for the poor in his healing and teaching ministry

And Jesus answered them, “Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind receive their sight and the lame walk,

lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them. And blessed is the one who is not offended by me.” (Matthew 11:4-6)

Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ (Matthew 25:45)

Jesus’ half-brother, James, wrote that “pure and undefiled religion” includes care for orphans and widows

Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world. (James 1:27)

Question: Which political candidates show the greatest willingness to meet the needs of underprivileged, vulnerable members of our society?