“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world.”
— 1 Peter 5:8–9
This Tuesday is Election Day, and while I generally try not to mix religion and politics, I believe there are times when our faith calls us to examine the world around us and speak out against what we believe is wrong. I have long felt that the mixing of religion and politics often does more harm than good, particularly when Christianity is used to justify discrimination, promote political agendas, or claim that one political party has a monopoly on morality. However, there is a difference between using religion as a political weapon and allowing our faith to guide our understanding of justice, compassion, and our responsibilities to one another.
I have always believed, and will always believe, that the Word of God speaks to us in different ways. Scripture was written in particular historical circumstances, but its lessons are not confined to the past. The Bible continues to challenge us, comfort us, and warn us about the dangers we face in our own lives and in the world around us. When I read Peter’s warning to be sober and vigilant, I cannot help but think about the political climate in America today.
Peter describes our adversary as a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Few political figures in modern American history have roared quite as loudly as Donald Trump. His bombastic rhetoric, personal attacks, and relentless demands for loyalty have become defining characteristics of his political movement. In my opinion, his pursuit of power and wealth, along with policies that I believe disproportionately benefit the wealthy at the expense of ordinary Americans, represents much of what Jesus warned us against.
I am not suggesting that Donald Trump is literally the devil. However, I do believe that scripture offers warnings about deception that are particularly relevant to his public conduct. In 2 John 1:7, we read, “Many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh; any such person is the deceiver and the antichrist!” John was addressing a particular form of religious deception in the early church, but I believe his warning has meaning beyond its original circumstances.
When a political leader uses Christianity to strengthen his political identity, promotes Bibles bearing his name and commemorating his political achievements, and repeatedly invokes religion while demonstrating conduct that I find difficult to reconcile with the teachings of Christ, I believe Christians have every reason to question those claims of religious authority. The God Bless the USA Bible, including special editions commemorating Trump’s inauguration and survival of an assassination attempt, is an especially troubling example to me of the blending of religious devotion, political personality, and commercial enterprise.
I cannot know what is in another person’s heart. That judgment belongs to God. But Jesus did not tell us to accept every profession of faith without question. In Matthew 7:16, He tells us, “You will know them by their fruits.” I believe we have a responsibility to examine those fruits, particularly when someone claiming Christian values holds tremendous political power.
For decades, the Republican Party has presented itself as the party of morality and traditional Christian values. I have never accepted that claim. Morality is not the exclusive possession of any political party, and I believe that too many Republican voters have become willing to overlook behavior they would otherwise condemn because they support particular political goals. I have known people who acknowledge serious moral concerns about a candidate yet support that candidate because of a single issue they consider more important than everything else. I understand that people hold deeply felt convictions, but I struggle with the idea that those convictions should excuse conduct that otherwise contradicts their professed values. When we excuse dishonesty, cruelty, greed, or the mistreatment of others because it benefits our preferred political party, we should ask ourselves whether political loyalty has become more important than our Christian convictions.
Jesus repeatedly warned against greed and the corrupting influence of wealth. In Matthew 6:24, He taught, “You cannot serve God and wealth.” Yet I look at an administration whose economic priorities, in my view, favor the accumulation and protection of extraordinary wealth while ordinary Americans struggle with the cost of housing, healthcare, food, and other necessities. I find it difficult to reconcile those priorities with Christ’s concern for the poor, the vulnerable, and those whom society too often overlooks.
When Jesus was questioned about paying taxes to Rome, He answered, “Give therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s” (Matthew 22:21). To me, those words remind us that our responsibilities to earthly governments do not supersede our responsibilities to God. We may owe our government taxes and obedience to just laws, but we do not owe any president, political party, or institution unquestioning allegiance. Our conscience must remain guided by something greater than political power.
My concerns extend far beyond economics. As a gay Christian, I am particularly troubled by efforts to weaken the rights and protections LGBTQ+ Americans have fought so hard to achieve. Those victories did not come easily. Generations of LGBTQ+ people endured discrimination, persecution, violence, and rejection to secure greater equality under the law. Yet we continue to see political efforts to restrict transgender rights, challenge protections against discrimination, and undermine the dignity of people who simply want to live honestly and openly as the people God created them to be.
I believe God created us in His image, and I do not believe that being LGBTQ+ makes anyone less worthy of His love and grace. I cannot accept the use of Christianity to justify denying others the freedoms and protections that we would demand for ourselves. I also believe that decisions about our own bodies, our identities, and our healthcare are deeply personal matters that should not be dictated by politicians seeking to impose their religious or ideological beliefs on everyone else. Jesus commanded us to love our neighbors, not merely those who look like us, believe like us, or live as we do.
I am also deeply concerned about the direction of the Supreme Court. Although the judiciary is constitutionally an independent branch of government, I believe the Court’s conservative majority has issued decisions that have weakened fundamental protections. In Shelby County v. Holder, the Court struck down the coverage formula that determined which jurisdictions needed federal approval before changing voting laws. To me, that decision represents a troubling erosion of safeguards intended to protect the right to vote. More broadly, I worry about the Court’s willingness to reconsider long-established constitutional protections and what that could mean for personal liberty and LGBTQ+ equality.
These concerns are not limited to one institution. Republicans currently control the presidency and both chambers of Congress, while a conservative majority sits on the Supreme Court. I believe that concentration of political and ideological influence makes the checks and balances envisioned by our Constitution especially important.
I want to make an important distinction here. An adversary is not necessarily an enemy, and neither word automatically means evil. An adversary is someone who opposes us or works against our interests. I regard political leaders who seek to restrict LGBTQ+ rights and other fundamental freedoms as political adversaries. That does not mean I regard every Republican voter as an enemy, nor does it mean that every disagreement is a battle between good and evil. However, I believe the lines between political opposition, hostility, and moral wrongdoing have become increasingly blurred in our current political climate.
Peter tells us to resist our adversary and remain steadfast in the faith. He also reminds us that others throughout the world share our suffering. That reminder is important because our struggles are not ours alone. When the rights of one group are threatened, others should not assume that their own freedoms will always remain secure. When we see injustice directed toward our neighbors, our faith calls us to care about their suffering, even when we do not share their circumstances.
For me, vigilance means paying attention to what our leaders say and do, questioning claims of moral or religious authority, and refusing to become indifferent to the suffering of others. Steadfastness means holding to our convictions even when doing so is unpopular or uncomfortable. Resistance does not have to mean hatred, and it certainly should not mean abandoning the compassion and mercy that Jesus taught. We can oppose policies and actions without surrendering our own humanity.
This Tuesday, Americans will have an opportunity to participate in the democratic process and determine who represents them in Congress. The House of Representatives and the Senate have important responsibilities in checking executive power, overseeing the government, and shaping the laws under which we live. Even when political disagreements make progress difficult, those institutions matter.
I am deeply troubled by partisan gerrymandering and efforts that make voting more difficult. When electoral boundaries are manipulated to protect political power, voters can understandably feel that their voices matter less. Yet I do not believe discouragement should lead to surrender. Our democratic rights are too important to take for granted, and protecting them requires continued participation and vigilance.
No election will solve every problem. No political party is without fault, and no elected official should be beyond criticism. But I believe we must consider the moral consequences of the choices made by those who govern us. We should ask whether their actions reflect honesty, justice, compassion, and respect for human dignity. We should also be willing to examine our own convictions and recognize when political loyalty threatens to blind us to wrongdoing.
The warning in 1 Peter is not simply about recognizing danger. It is about refusing to allow ourselves to be overcome by it. We are called to remain sober in our judgment, vigilant in our awareness, and steadfast in our faith. Those responsibilities do not disappear when the issues before us become political.
I believe that the teachings of Jesus Christ should challenge us to be better people, not give us permission to mistreat those with whom we disagree. Christianity should never be reduced to a campaign slogan, a political endorsement, or a symbol of allegiance to an earthly leader. Our faith should be evident in the way we treat others, especially those who are vulnerable, marginalized, or suffering.
As we approach Election Day, I encourage everyone to examine their conscience and consider what kind of country they want to live in. Think about the values that matter most to you, the rights and freedoms you believe deserve protection, and the responsibilities we share toward our neighbors. Do not allow political slogans, religious posturing, or the loudest voices in the room to substitute for your own moral judgment.
Be sober. Be vigilant. Be steadfast in the faith.
And on Tuesday, put those convictions into action. Exercise your right to vote, defend the rights of others to do the same, and remember that our responsibilities as Christians and as citizens do not end when the polls close. We must continue to question those in power, stand against injustice, and protect the dignity and freedoms of our neighbors. Our faith calls us to be vigilant, and our democracy depends upon our willingness to remain so.
