To Go Against Conscience

This is one of my favorite days of the year, Reformation Day.  On October 31, 1517, Martin Luther with the nailing of his 95 Theses changed the world forever.  His courageous stand for the gospel of grace through faith stands as a testimony to us today. 

Today, I had the great joy of recounting the legacy of Luther to my students in school.  Usually as I ponder the events surronding theDiet of Worms, the phrase “Here I Stand” echoes throughout my mind.  Yet today, I find myself drawn to another portion of this famous quotation.

“…my conscience is captive to the Word of God. I cannot and I will not recant anything, for to go against conscience is neither right nor safe. Here I stand, I cannot do otherwise, God help me. Amen.”

This morning I sent out an e-mail urging others I knew here in MA to vote their conscience.  Some of the responses I got back were sympathetic to my frustration.  Many were not.  Several preacher friends of mine took me to task, playing out a scenario where I was opening the door for Deval Patrick to walk in and reek havoc here in the Commonwealth.  However each one of these people shared my assessment of Kerry Healey and wished for a better candidate.  They have made a deliberate decision to violate their own principals and support a candidate who, if elected will seek to protect abortion on demand, provide for civil unions and legalize gambling. 

I stand with Luther and proclaim my conscience is held captive by the Word of God.  I absolutely refuse to vote for canidates who PROMISE to bring about evil, no matter what their party affiliation.  This greatly puzzles me.  I fail to understand how oneseeks to curb abortion on demand by voting for candidates who support it!  I cannot fathom how one seeks to promote the Biblical idea of marriage by voting for someone who denies it!  Am I alone here?  What am I missing?

It is sad to see good men thinking this way.  A vote for Kerry Healey is vote for abortion rights.  She promises to uphold the murder of unborn children.  This is definite.  What I dislike most about Deval Patrick, Christy Mihos and Grace Ross is what I dislike about Kerry Healey. 

 Now, I understand the problem with non-GOP candidates – fiscal issues.  Here, I do tend to prefer Healey over the rest and I do believe she has some excellent suggestions as part of her 50 point plan.  If Healey were elected, my wallet would rejoice.  But money is not everything.  Iplace morality over money.  I would rather they raise our taxes 200% than see one unborn child executed.  I would rather find myself unemployed than see civil unions adopted here in the Bay State.  Therefore, I cannot support candidates who promise to bring these things about.

It is high time we placed politics aside.  I feel ashamed of preachers willing to support the GOP at the cost of Biblical principles.  Will an Bible-believing, committed Christian ever be elected here in MA?  I don’t know how the Lord will work.  I do know that with God all things are possible.  I also known that if Bible-believing, committed Christians will never be elected if even fellow Bible-believeing, commited Christians refuse to lend their support.  It is time to stop cowering under the Republican banner and declare Christ above all. 

Again, I urge the voters of Massachusetts to write in the name Michael Carl for governor.