Should Christians Vote For Pro-Abortion Candidates?

There is a disturbing political trend emerging among some evangelicals in 2020: support for a Biden/Harris ticket. For one of several examples, Tremper Longman III, a former professor at Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia, has recently encouraged Christians to vote Biden/Harris in 2020.

Without question, the 2020 Democratic Platform is passionately pro-abortion. The DNC platform states, “We believe unequivocally, like the majority of Americans, that every woman should be able to access high-quality reproductive health care services, including safe and legal abortion” (pg. 32).

The Democrats are so zealously committed to the pro-abortion cause that they speak about it as a matter of “justice” and favor the repeal of the Hyde Amendment, which seeks to prevent federal funding (read: your taxpayer dollars) for abortions. Surprisingly, Biden originally supported the Hyde Amendment before the radical leftists convinced him to change his mind—yet another example of how our culture is not merely drifting left but is being driven left, as Al Mohler recently observed in his excellent book, The Gathering Storm: Secularism, Culture, and the Church.

Dislike for Trump appears to be the primary reason for these evangelicals to be losing their minds—and possibly their souls. To be fair, as certain as it is that the Democratic Party has become the Pro-Abortion Party, it’s equally certain that President Trump has an unflattering history of indiscretions. So let me be clear. To maintain, as I do, that Christians shouldn’t vote for pro-abortion candidates isn’t an endorsement of Trump’s character, though I do believe we live in the unfortunate reality of a two-party system, and Christians must consider the most good they can do with their vote. Nevertheless, nothing will change the fact that followers of Christ cannot in good conscience cast a vote for a political platform in direct opposition to God’s moral law. Have we lost our minds?

God’s commandment is clear: “You shall not murder.”

Westminster Assembly’s exposition of the sixth commandment accurately summarizes our duty: “The duties required in the sixth commandment are, all careful studies, and lawful endeavors, to preserve the life of ourselves and others by resisting all thoughts and purposes, subduing all passions, and avoiding all occasions, temptations, and practices which tend to the unjust taking away the life of any; by just defense thereof against violence, patient bearing of the hand of God, quietness of mind, cheerfulness of spirit; a sober use of meat, drink, physic, sleep, labor, and recreations; by charitable thoughts, love, compassion, meekness, gentleness, kindness, peaceable, mild, and courteous speeches and behavior, forbearance, readiness to be reconciled, patient bearing and forgiving of injuries, and requiring good for evil, comforting and succoring the distressed, and protecting and defending the innocent.”

If you cast a vote for Biden/Harris in 2020, you are supporting their promotion of “safe and legal abortions.” That’s a fact. And that’s a fact completely inconsistent with the teachings of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Should any of these things really even need to be said?

Voting for this pro-abortion platform means that you are voting for a lie. Abortions are not “safe.” They are not safe for the women who have them. The psychological damage of murdering your baby is overwhelming. Nor are abortions safe for the little children who have their brains sucked out and are dismembered in the womb. And that’s not to mention the precious babies that survive botched abortions who some Democrats refuse to protect. Consider the Democratic opposition the Born-Alive Abortion Survivor Protection Act. Your hands are full of blood!

This also means you are voting for an unjust law. Isaiah says, “Woe to those who decree iniquitous decrees, and the writers who keep writing oppression” (Isaiah 10:1). The DNC platform’s invocation of the word “justice” with regards to a woman’s right to choose (complete the sentence) to murder her baby is downright sickening. “I look at the faithless with disgust, because they do not keep your commands” (Psalm 119:158). Of course, when you reject God and His Word, you can twist language to suit your agenda because there is no longer any restraint on your God-forsaken heart and mouth other than your own seared conscience.

Instead of asking, Should Christians vote for pro-abortion candidates? perhaps we should be asking, Are Christians who vote for pro-abortion candidates even…Christians? “Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him” (1 John 3:15).

I’m well aware that many Christians—and certainly many wishy-washy evangelicals—will say that pastors should stay out of politics. “This is an indifferent matter where good Christians disagree.” Honestly, such a perspective is truly astounding given the state of things in our country today.

This isn’t a political issue. It’s an issue of basic Christian morality. God’s true children are opposed to murdering babies. If you support murdering babies, then you are an evil person. If you support a leader who wants to protect the act of murdering babies, you are joining hands with the wicked to do evil. Your disdain for Trump doesn’t justify a vote for the most pro-abortion ticket in the history of this country. If you simply cannot vote for Trump in good conscience, I respect that. Vote for a third party, but, I beg you: don’t cast your vote for those who favor the shedding of innocent blood. It simply isn’t a Christian option.