America finds itself increasingly stumbling down a path of moral and spiritual depravity with every election cycle. 

We live in a country where killing your unborn child is legal, confused teenagers are encouraged to undergo castration, and so-called “pastors” spew lies from the pulpit, sending their flocks down the road to destruction. A nation founded on Christian values has eroded its bedrock of faith and truth. 

The book of Romans reminds us, “There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands; there is no one who seeks God. All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one” (3:10-12). 

When staring down the ballots this fall, this may appear strikingly clear. Sometimes, picking a candidate seems like choosing the lesser of two evils. Some complain that our country could not be any worse off than it is now, but isn’t it only by the grace of God that we are not worse off?

Time and time again, our nation has turned its back on God. We vote to implement wicked policies and elect politicians that serve evil as their master. We show no sign of remorse and continue to prop up people and ideologies who distort the truth. 

We observe the Senate races in Kansas and Texas, both of which have candidates who falsely proclaim the gospel. 

“The problem with candidates like Talarico and Hamilton is that not only are they advocating for policies antithetical to the Bible, but as so-called pastors responsible for shepherding people and pointing them to the Lord, they are intentionally saying things about God that are contrary to what God has chosen to reveal about Himself in His word,” Claire Gatzke, director of Operational Strategy at Family Research Council, shared with The Washington Stand. 

“To use the ethos of your role as pastor and then say, ‘God is non-binary,’ is a textbook example of a false prophet or wolf in sheep’s clothing (Matthew 7:15; 2 Peter 2:1-3),” she added. “The fact that these Senate races are so publicized is a concern for the sake of people’s salvation.”

While believers are prayerful and hopeful that those who win seats on Tuesday align more with biblical truth than against it, we are not entitled to or promised this. The United States is a nation made up of sinners, and our election outcomes will reflect that, no matter who wins and loses. 

If we got what we deserved, there would be no hope for a nation that has wandered so astray. Public offices would be completely void of any who proclaim the name of Jesus. We deserve the wrath of God for our wickedness. 

But God, in His loving kindness, extends His grace. 

“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord,” and for “while we were still sinners, Christ died for us,” God’s word reminds His people (Romans 6:23, 5:8). Just as He can redeem the lost and foolish sinner, He can redeem a wicked and depraved nation. 

This Election Day, Christians should humble themselves before the Lord and revel in the life-changing gift that is the grace of God. It is only by unfathomable mercy that He allows any candidate who will work to advance the Kingdom to come into power. Without God to strengthen and guide us, our Republic wouldn’t even see the slightest flourishing.

“God is sovereign over the affairs of nations and the rise and fall of political leaders. Scripture reminds us that God establishes rulers and removes them, and I believe that truth should give Christians tremendous confidence regardless of the outcome on Tuesday,” another colleague, David Closson, director of the Center for Biblical Worldview at Family Research Council, told TWS. “Now, at the same time, God’s sovereignty does not negate our responsibility to be faithful stewards of the opportunities that he has entrusted to us.”

No matter the outcome of the midterms, believers can rejoice and give thanks. We can remember God’s extraordinary faithfulness to us, and the incredible gift of salvation He grants us through His sovereign will. As 18th-century theologian Jonathan Edwards preached in his sermon, “Sinners in the Hands of An Angry God,” “The sword of divine justice is every moment brandished over their heads, and ‘tis nothing but the hand of arbitrary mercy, and God’s mere will, that holds it back.”

“Ultimately, Christians should approach election day with both conviction and humility,” Closson urged. “We should work diligently for what we believe is right while at the same time remembering that our ultimate hope is not in any political party, or in a congressional majority, or in any political figure. Our hope is in the Lord Jesus Christ, whose kingdom cannot be shaken. So, whatever happens on Tuesday, God’s sovereignty remains unchanged in our responsibility to love our neighbors and remain faithfully engaged in the public square.”