| Title | : | Before You Vote: Seven Questions Every Christian Should Ask |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | - |
| Format Type | : | Kindle Edition |
| Number of Pages | : | - |
| Publication | : | Published September 25, 2020 |
Before You Vote: Seven Questions Every Christian Should Ask Reviews
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I (think) I get what Platt was seeking to do in this book - helping people weigh through various issues and choose the candidate that they think will be the most practically helpful for various issues close to the heart of God.
I think the book is helpful for understanding the thought process of Christians who vote Democrat, and will help maintain unity among Christians who disagree about how to best fight for the poor and for the lives of the unborn.
That said, I think the only God-honoring choice for believers is to vote for the values and issues that are most pressing / urgent. The slaughter of unborn children is so horrific that it cannot, must not, be juxtaposed to any other issue. I could not vote for Hitler, no matter how much it seemed like he helped some other people.
Platt leaves too much room for folks to vote for a party that celebrates and pushes what God hates in the name of compassion for the poor. *The church* must care for the poor and pursue unity among all races of people. The means of doing so should not be through leaders that are anti-God at every turn.
We’ve just got bad candidate options this go around. You have to vote sum total values in this one or not vote at all.
“Blessed is the one who does not condemn himself in what he approves” (Rom. 14:22). Let each one be fully convinced before Jesus - he will stand or fall to his own Master when he gives an account on that day.
Above all, we need to love each other well when believers disagree. We need to bear all things and be eager to pursue righteousness and unity. Being patient with one another, urging each other to Jesus’ heart on every issue.
Praise Jesus, when the dust settles, he will be on his throne. Ruling with absolute sway and authority. May his kingdom come and his will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Maranatha, Lord Jesus! -
A few good points, especially warning against using the phrase “gospel issue.” But really bad moral reasoning on how to steward a vote. Instead of providing biblical instruction, Platt leaves the application of biblical morality to individual interpretation. Voting for Biden or Trump is acceptable. You’d think a pastor would be able to understand political philosophy (basically) and explain to congregants what comports with Christianity. Instead, he breaks everything down into individual issues and opens the door for pragmatic moral concerns applied to each issue. Simply bad moral reasoning.
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A helpful primer through the introductory questions that believers should ask themselves before voting. You can read it in a day or so as it is meant to be a short and sweet survey of the discussion. Platt's aim throughout the book is to hold a "third" way for the Christian; one that recognizes the Lordship of Christ and the inadequacies of voting believing the in "salvation" of another candidate. Repeatedly he wants the reader to understand how Christians can come to different conclusions at the ballot box, and his chapter on biblical clarity vs. practical consequences is extremely helpful in parsing out the reasons why voting cannot be a black and white issue(or perhaps more pointedly, a Red and Blue issue). He writes with patience and clarity against the idea of single-issue voting, which is a feat to his pastoral wisdom and scriptural application.
Less helpful(and I freely admit that this is depending on who you are) is the prescription for determining the choice of your vote, which is oddly the concluding thoughts of the application of the book. Platt asks the reader to make a quadrant of all the significant issues surrounding the candidate and asking the Christian to fill in their opinion on the issues determining biblical clarity and practical consequences. While such a diagram might appear helpful for some, I worry that this allows Christians to rate the importance of Biblical commands in a indivualistic manner (ie. My truth vs. God's truth). While it is true that the bible does not state position policies for a myriad of divisive issues and that Christians can disagree on those particulars, a ranking of biblical clarity by a person's own choice is confusing at best and subjective at worse. Knowing Platt's heart, this is the kind of self-determination that I know he fights against constantly, so it was puzzling to find that here.
I believe the book is great in its first six chapters and its conclusion which leads the reader through a gospel rich and biblically full journey. That alone I believe makes it worth the read. Definitely recommend for those who are looking for a primer on Scripture and understanding the nuance of the vote. -
Read this before I go vote because the title convinced me it would be quite applicable. And it was! Not, however, in the way many cynics might suspect. This book was the furthest thing from an endorsement of any political candidate. Instead, it was a call to prioritization, perspective, and most of all, unity. Overall, I really got a lot out of it.
The last chapter provides a nifty gridded tool to help you think about how you vote on different issues, so the book did get pragmatic towards the end without ever taking a side. The tool was engaging enough that I actually used it, which is impressive, because I rarely interact with books when they ask me to. The book was a little too short and to the point to get 5 stars. I didn't necessarily enjoy reading it as I was reading, but other than that, I thought it was a good book across the board. -
Short. Sweet. To the point. Read this gem in a couple hours. Platt does a fantastic job of exemplifying Biblical truth & equips voters with some practical tools to utilize when weighing what issues determine which way you vote. Which in my opinion, can be a very challenging task since there’s nothing in the Bible teaching a 21st century Christian how to vote in a two party democratic government that covers a plethora of issues.
Worth the read, even three days before the election! -
This is a bold and biblical little book that is practical in helping the Christian voter seek the Spirit of God before they cast their ballot.
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If you are Christian who claims to live by the principles of God's Word, you should read Before You Vote by David Platt. All too often, professing Christians act as if certain biblical principles are somehow suspended during election season. Getting "the right candidate" elected takes on a higher priority than love for our neighbor, unity in the church, or the pursuit of holiness. This should not be!
In this short book, David Platt uses seven questions to help Christians keep a proper focus and God-honoring mindset while deciding how to vote and while interacting with those who decide differently. This is a non-partisan book, and not like those "non-partisan voting guides" that carefully curate their questions so as to push you toward a certain candidate or party. Platt recognizes that different Christians who have the same commitment to biblical truth may weigh issues differently and arrive at different decisions on who they can vote for in good conscience. He interacts with biblical principles, not party platforms. His seven questions are:
1. Does God call me to vote?
2. Who has my heart?
3. What does my neighbor need?
4. What is the Christian position?
5. How do I weigh the issues?
6. Am I eager to maintain unity in the church?
7. So how do I vote?
Question seven is kind of the odd one out. Rather than focusing on a biblical principle, it fleshes out Platt's personal system for weighing issues (using two hypothetical examples rather than his own personal position). This provides a method for organizing thoughts prompted by questions 1-6, but it is not necessarily the only way to do so.
My one (very) minor quibble with the book is an omission that I found surprising. When Platt discusses voting options, he speaks of the three options for "stewarding your vote" as: voting for the Democratic candidate, voting for the Republican candidate, or "convictional inaction" (choosing to deliberately refrain from voting in a specific race if you cannot in good conscience vote for either major party candidate). Missing is the option of voting for a third party candidate. While very similar to "convictional inaction," it is different enough (you are expressing your conviction in a way that will be tabulated) that I think it should have been mentioned.
Overall, this is one of the best books I have read on Christian engagement with the political process (see also How the Nations Rage by Jonathan Leeman). It is a much-needed reminder that we may disagree on issues of conscience, but such disagreement should not cause us to lay aside love for our neighbors and unity of the body of Christ. To borrow a few phrases from Romans 14 (where varying convictions about food have become a divisive issue in the church): Let us each be "fully convinced in his own mind" because "everything that does not come from faith is sin," and "Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and mutual edification. Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food" or, in this case, for the sake of votes. -
Overall, a very helpful book. Each chapter (besides chapter 1, more on that in a bit) provided a new discussion on a topic that’s very relevant when discussing politics. For example, chapter 2 was about having our heart primarily focused on Jesus, chapter 3 on love for neighbor, chapter 4 was a warning on how to use the term “Christian position,” chapter 5 was about weighing the issues, chapter 6 was about church unity, and chapter 7 gave a very helpful grid on how to assess candidates and voting. All this was very well done. Particularly, I loved and will remember his two categories for assessing issues: 1) biblical clarity, and 2) practical consequences. And for this, I’d give 5 stars.
My biggest issue of the book was chapter 1. There he essentially tries to make a biblical argument for why we should vote. And although he does admit the Bible never says we should or shouldn’t, and although he leaves room for some people to not vote (but only out of a purposeful political reason), he essentially says that we should vote. His argument is that because we can vote, we are part of the governors (not just the governed) in Romans 13. From this, he argues that “our vote is a unique privilege and responsibility that God has entrusted to us by his grace” (28).
Unfortunately, that’s just taking it too far. How can he say that votings a privilege and responsibility God has entrusted to us? Where is that in the Bible? Ironically, he’ll later on in the book discuss issues that aren’t directly addressed in Scripture, and warns that we must not use strong language (like “the Christian position”) to talk about them when the Bible doesn’t. But here in chapter 1 he kind of does that by saying that God has entrusted to us to vote, when in reality the Bible never says that. Again, even if it is wise to vote (which I think it very well may be), we can’t say God has entrusted to us the responsibility—that’s a moral imperative at that point (like how God has entrusted to us the gospel, the Great Commission, etc.).
But besides that first chapter, a really commendable and helpful book. Besides chapter 1, I recommend it fully. -
This book is a must read, even if it’s after the election. I admire Platt for talking about an issue most leaders shy away from. The unity of the church is at stake these days and it can be worrisome. This book brings to light so many issues Christians have in their thoughts and speech about politics. If you can’t see the other side, read this book. If you can’t understand why anyone would ever even consider voting for ______, read this book. If you think you’re 100% right, read this book. If you are confused as I have been, read this book! If you don’t care about politics, read this book.
While I’m disappointed because I was really hoping it would help me decide who to vote for, it instead taught me something I am more thankful for. Instead of just resolving the frustration I feel, it taught me how to think Biblically about the times we are in. It taught me to value others who are made in the image of God and not just my own experiences and situations. Platt makes a good argument to look at the immigrant, widow and orphan and steward your vote for others- not yourself. It has taught me to never, ever add to the Bible what the Bible does not address. And most of all, it’s reminded me that while God is sovereign over these strange times- just because one person gets elected and another doesn’t, does NOT mean God endorses that person. The only person God has ever endorsed is Jesus Christ. I can rest in that. -
3.5/4 ⭐️ Highlights of this book include: cementing the importance of Biblical unity and how to work towards that in disagreements and differences of opinion, pointing to Jesus as the ultimate hope, regardless of any worldly circumstances and preferences
Ultimately, I did feel a bit unsatisfied by the book...I left with questions about weighing Biblical clarity on a variety of issues and what our role is as believers in stewarding our vote well, while still holding to the convictions we feel, especially in the face of a flawed political system. Maybe it’s not fair of me to expect David Platt to provide answers, and maybe that’s the point. This book left me with questions that ultimately prompt me to wrestle with God and think critically about these issues, helping me to further see him as my ultimate source of hope, peace, and truth. -
This book was such an encouragement to me, and is filled with such incredible biblical wisdom and discernment and reason throughout. I love Platt’s words on the final page as he exhorts Christ followers to glorify God with our vote on Election Day, stewarding our vote while rooted in our faith in Jesus: “Do not be faithless on that day when you cast your ballot. Do not trust in yourself on that day. Do not trust in a candidate or a party on that day. Do not trust in anyone or anything but Jesus on that day. Make the stewardship of your vote the overflow of radical trust in Jesus, his Word to you, his Spirit in you, his rule over you, and his reign not only in our nation, but over all the nations.” ... “Lord, may your kingdom come.”
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All people should read this book.
I purchased this book after reading a review about it online.
I want to challenge all people to read this book. The questions that David Platt presents in this book are not new or revolutionary, but they are vital and important questions that we should answer before any election, not just a presidential election.
What motivates us in voting? Who should get the glory? Do I have a duty in voting? These questions and similar ones are asked and addressed by David Platt.
Will it change your view and/or who you are going to vote for? Maybe, maybe not. But it will most likely challenge you to consider elections and voting from God's perspective. -
Must read! And my favorite thing about this book is the practical insights David Platt gives about weighing issues and making prayerful discernment. This is not a book about Platt's own political views or thoughts on how everyone else should vote. Rather, this book offers thoughtful questions and scripture to help Christians turn to God and reframe political questions with His ways and His Lordship in focus. This has changed my attitude about voting in the coming election but has left the discernment about how to vote between me and God.
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I would highly recommend this book to every Bible-believing, gospel-embracing Christian. Even after the 2020 election. Platt asks seven questions and the answers are incredibly important when it comes to stewarding your vote.
He touches on the inevitability of having trade-offs when it comes to choosing a political candidate, how 2 Bible-believing, gospel-embracing Christians can differ when it comes to politics, and the importance of recognizing Jesus as King and maintaining unity within the Church.
Easy, quick read! -
In a way, a comforting read. Platt separates what matters most from the other things of consequence. He reminds Christians of the indisputable parts of life under Christ the King first and a government second. Then he gives freedom beyond those core essentials. But the giving of freedom doesn't leave one to flounder. His specific questions and particularly his grid approach in the last chapter helps you feel like you have a solid process for political decisions.
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For a book with such a quick turnaround, it is well done. It is not typical David Platt reading. But the topic needed a quick response. It is clear that Platt understands the issue and responds with a Pastor's heart by giving followers of Christ clear direction, fix our eyes on Jesus! He even said it sounds cliche but it is what the follower of Christ must do. I truly appreciated his words on loving each other when we disagree on the non-essentials. That seems to be a place we all need to get back to. The questions are convicting, especially the one of "who has your heart?" I encourage all followers of Christ to read this over the next weeks leading up to the election.
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Pretty good, but definitely not going to give you a revelation from heaven on who to vote for. Does provide good perspective for how we can steward our right to vote and how the church's relationship with politics should look.
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An extremely important work by Platt that couldn't have come at a more crucial time. I know that the 2020 Election just passed, but this is a good read for any Christian (regardless of partisan affiliation) in this current age of American politics.
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An empathetic plea to the Church to represent Christ first.
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This is a treatise, really, on how to approach the responsibilities of democracy in a Biblical manner. It’s especially useful for those people who are uncomfortable being a one-issue voter, even when that issue is exceptionally important. I highly recommend this thought provoking little book.
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Platt offers 7 valuable questions for thinking through political elections in this little book. While not entirely new thoughts, Platt takes solid biblical principles and helps readers think about voting in light of these principles. Personally, I love charts and numbers, so Platt's "Biblical Clarity v. Practical Consequences" chart was perhaps the most helpful part of the book for me. Platt also makes a strong appeal to Christian unity (though could have provided a little more depth here) and rationale for how
Christians can be united even if on different side of party lines. He also did well highlighting that Christians ought to vote with others' rights in mind more than their own rights. -
So poorly written!
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David Platt is a pastor in DC. He is used to political tension in his church. Even he was surprised though when the Secret Service asked him at the end of a service if he would pray for President Trump on stage. The resulting backlash over his decision and subsequent explanation was the impetus for this book.
Platt proposes seven questions Christians should ask before voting. He says nothing revolutionary; it often feels like common sense that most of us have forgotten. His greatest strength is in attempting to help believers understand how we can come to different political convictions and the commons pitfalls we can fall into. His questions gave some voice and clarity for Morgan and myself as we sorted our own convictions before we voted.
Three criticisms. First, while the questions are not specific to this specific election, most of the examples are and I think it will keep the book from aging well. Second, Platt does a great job of scriptural analysis, but does very little historical analysis on how believers have approached voting. Third, it was an expensive price (7.99 Kindle) for an hour and half read.
“The entire idea of a representative democracy—a government of the people, by the people, and for the people—means that we are not just the ‘governed’ in Romans 13 and 1 Peter 2; in a very real sense, we are also the ‘governing.’ Our votes collectively shape our government.”
“Does that mean it is a sin not to vote? Not necessarily. First, again, I want to be extremely careful to only call sin that which God clearly calls sin. And second, it could be possible for followers of Jesus to make a prayerful, intentional decision to ‘steward their vote’ by not voting. Let me explain. I have heard followers of Jesus argue for convictional inaction, which is basically a conscious and deliberate refusal to support any political candidate, organization, or party.”
“Consider how political campaigns are designed to appeal relentlessly to our personal preferences. Candidates and parties woo crowds with promises of a better life for you and your children. With an air of nationalistic pride, electioneers paint a picture of a superior and more prosperous country in which you can achieve all your individual dreams. As voters, we are inundated with messages about our rights, our opportunities, all the privileges we are entitled to possess, and all the comforts we deserve to enjoy.”
“In this way, pastors should speak authoritatively on issues that are clear in God’s Word, but they should never speak authoritatively on issues that are not clear in God’s Word. Pastors should never bind the consciences of others with their personal convictions, opinions, or preferences. In other words, we as pastors do not have the right or authority to stand before the people of God and call them to vote for a certain candidate, take a certain position, support a certain policy, or participate in a certain activity unless we can show clearly in God’s Word that every Christian should believe or act in that way.”
“This is tragic, and I don’t use that term lightly. Followers of Jesus are dividing into different churches not based on what they believe about the Bible and the gospel, but based on what they believe about political candidates, parties, and positions.”
“Do you know what’s really interesting here? The Bible says that it’s good to have strong convictions about what we believe best honors Jesus, even in situations where we disagree with other Christians. This sounds counter-intuitive to the way we might think....Now you (or I) might think that such convictions make the problem worse. But they don’t, so long as we follow the rest of God’s Word.”
“I trust we all want to glorify God with our vote. I’m guessing that at least some of us are afraid we might make the “wrong” decision. I’ve struggled with that before, with wondering whether I made the wrong decision. But as I think about that question, I believe Romans 14:23 teaches us that the way to sin on election day is to steward your vote apart from faith in Jesus. And that’s the primary thing I want to exhort you not to do.” -
Consider this... please.
Remove your Republican hat. Remove your Democrat hat. Put on your Christian hat and review the issues and candidates in light of the Word of God.
"We are swimming in toxic political waters that are poisoning the unity Jesus desires for his church, and we are polluting the glory Jesus deserves through us in the world."
"No worldly leader is worthy of our hearts. No governmental authority or political party is worthy of our trust, allegiance, or hope.... There is only one leader who is worthy of our hearts, including our trust, allegiance, and hope. He is the Son of Man in whom there is salvation, and his name is Jesus."
"As followers of Jesus, God requires us to live with undivided love for him and unselfish love for all people around us. Surely such a way of life affects how we participate in city, state, and national governance."
"In the end, what’s most important, and what I am definitively advocating for based on God’s Word, is the realization that how we use our vote is a matter of faithfulness before God. For our vote is a unique privilege and responsibility that God has entrusted to us by his grace, and God calls us to use every means of grace he grants us to love him above all and love our neighbors as ourselves."
"According to God, then, my concern in voting should not just be for me and my children but also for others and their children."
"The poor, the oppressed, the widow, the orphan, the immigrant—they’re all made in God’s image. They all need God’s grace. So don’t sell your soul to a political party whose campaign slogans center on you. Instead, vote in a way that demonstrates supreme love for God and selfless love for others."
"approach each issue with two categories in mind: (a) the Christian position according to God’s Word and (b) a Christian position according to our wisdom. The latter category will involve issues that are less clear in God’s Word but on which, with the help of God’s Spirit, we work to make the wisest political decisions possible. We will make such decisions humbly, realizing that other Christians may make different decisions."
"According to Psalm 139 and a host of other Scripture passages, God knows, loves, forms, and fashions children in the womb of their mothers. Abortion, therefore, is an affront to God’s sovereign authority as Creator, an assault on God’s glorious work in creation, and an attack on God’s intimate relationship with the unborn. For this reason, Christians should work to save children in the womb. This is the Christian position. And I should add that the Christian position is also to care for children out of the womb as well as their mothers in at-risk situations."
"“How many close relationships do I have with followers of Jesus whose political convictions differ from mine (assuming those political convictions have biblical foundations)?” If you don’t have many (or any), then I want to encourage you to cultivate those kinds of relationships. Otherwise, we run the risk of deceiving ourselves into thinking that we have unity with other Christians around the gospel when, in reality, our unity is around a political ideology with Christ on the side."
"Pastors, for Christ’s sake, let’s never tie his majestic glory or matchless name to a mere politician or party."
"Take the time to listen to, learn from, and love one another, particularly those who differ from you." -
A biblical, non-partisan approach to voting in the upcoming American election.
Challenges both Christians who vote Democrat and Republican.
Focuses on: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself."
Asks these questions:
1. Does God call me to vote?
2. Who has my heart?
3. What does my neighbor need?
4. What is the Christian position?
5. How do I weigh the issues?
6. Am I eager to maintain unity in the church?
7. So how do I vote?
Ends by saying: "Lord, let your kingdom come."
Thankful that my pastor shows that Christians can vote for either party and be living in accordance to scripture.
A necessary read for Christians before they vote! -
A short book, saturated in scripture, that encourages believers to:
-understand the biblical basis for the responsibility of voting
-guard against functionally putting our hope to see justice and prosperity in government rather than God
-care for the needs of the vulnerable above our own
-recognize the difference in clarity in the Bible on various political issues
-prioritize maintaining unity in the church
-develop a framework that weighs issues against each other on the basis of biblical clarity and practical consequence.
While it didn't necessarily bring new insight on much, it was helpful to have it all laid out in this format to have a balanced perspective for what believers consider when we cast a vote. I appreciate its concise nature and how it is written without obvious political bias from the author. -
David Platt has written yet another book that can cause us to look at our everyday activities in light of the Gospel and the Kingdom of God. Not your typical polemic about voting for this candidate or that, Platt actually encourages the believer to consider how to treat others who might disagree with their views, and challenges us to consider the multifaceted views of many faithful believers on issues that do not always make the national news feeds. He ends the book with a grid through which to weigh candidates without telling you where to stand on any issue, but to educate yourself on the issues and the candidates. His final encouragement is to seek God and vote as you live, for His glory.
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Wildly practical and relentlessly biblical. I shouldn’t have expected anything less from David Platt. He provides a framework for thinking through the upcoming election (and any election) that is grounded in Scripture and leaves room for different Christians to come to different conclusions about how to vote. I never got the sense that he was tactically endorsing any particular conclusions, and rather understood him to be offering pastoral counsel for Christians who, like me, feel politically homeless in our divided world. He does so while also acknowledging that faithful Christians can come to different conclusions, and thus exhorts us to maintain unity as the Church. Even if you’ve decided how you’re going to vote, I strongly encourage all Christians to read it.
