My goal from early on in this primary was to see a Republican candidate emerge who
1) meets the biblical qualifications for civil office in Romans 13,
2) has enough experience with a solid track record of leadership in lower offices (preferably executive office) to demonstrate proven ability to govern, and
3) has a realistic possibility of actually being elected.
Meeting the biblical standards for office in Romans 13 means, among other things, that “rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil” (Romans 13:3) because civil rulers are God's servants for praising what is good (v. 3-4) while making evildoers “afraid” for they “do not bear the sword in vain... (as) an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil” (v. 4). Civil rulers receive our taxes so they can be “God's ministers attending continually to this very thing” (vv. 6-7) and we are to give civil rulers proper respect “not only because of wrath but also for conscience’ sake” (v. 5).
By definition, godly civil rulers ought to strike fear in the hearts of evildoers. What fear does Mitt Romney strike in the heart of baby-killing abortionists, sodomite advocates of homosexual marriage, etc.? At most, he causes them to fear that they can't trust anything he says based on his past record of flip-flopping.
We, as conservatives, also have good reason to be fearful of Romney's flip flops. He's not a good candidate for liberals or for conservatives, and he shouldn't be our candidate as Republicans.
Romney may well be an economic conservative, but promoting the economic well-being of a nation's citizens is quite low on the priority list of God's standards for civil rulers. It's not irrelevant, and a true socialist is advocating theft, sinning against at least the Eighth Commandment and probably also the Tenth Commandment against coveting our neighbor's goods, so outright socialists ought to be opposed, and in that sense Obama is worse than Romney. But the primary purpose of civil government is upholding justice and punishing evildoers, and Romney has a long history of opposing punishments for baby killers, promoting sodomite marriages, and appointing judges whose records showed something very different from the biblical standard of punishing evil and promoting justice.
Apparently we're supposed to believe that Romney has changed his mind and ignore his long record of liberal campaigning and liberal governance. Even if we believe Romney really has changed his mind, he needs to get some governing experience as a real conservative under his belt to prove he actually means what he says. I personally believe if Romney is sincere, he ought to move to Utah or Idaho or some other state where he has a good chance of getting elected, run for governor, and prove from practical deeds that he actually means what he says he now believes. As a devout Mormon, I think Romney of all people should understand the importance of demonstrating good deeds.
Now what about the rest of the Republican field?
After Iowa, I thought that Santorum was the best of several viable candidates; the South Carolina vote shocked me and I still am not sure how Gingrich won that state. For a while I thought the South Carolina vote showed evangelicals were backing Gingrich; later votes showed otherwise. However, the fact is that Bachmann, Cain, Perry, and now Santorum are all out, Gingrich is the only candidate left standing, and I think those of us who are conservative Christians need to unite and try to help Gingrich make a last stand to defeat Romney.
Will that work? I don't know, and I realize it's a very long shot at this late date. What I do know is that Mitt Romney is not only a bad candidate but a disqualified candidate under biblical standards and he needs to be fought against as long as there is any viable alternative left.
I'm not going to try to discern the mind of God on things which are not clearly written in Scripture. What I am going to say is that media reports during George W. Bush's presidency consistently show that Bush's virtually unprecedented razor-thin victory, caused in large measure by millions of disgusted evangelicals staying home on election day 2000 after learning shortly before the vote of Bush's drunk driving conviction many years earlier, caused Bush to realize that his presidency depended on keeping evangelicals happy, and that was a major contributing factor to Bush running the country based in significant measure on his Christian principles.
King David's sin with Bathsheba didn't deprive him of his kingdom, but it did bring chaos: “Thus says the Lord: ‘Behold, I will raise up adversity against you from your own house...’” (II Samuel 12:11). The subsequent history of King David shows clearly that sin has consequences, and they were pretty serious consequences that almost but not quite deprived him of his kingdom.
Maybe a narrow skin-of-the-teeth victory by Gingrich is the sort of “chaos in the kingdom” a President Gingrich will need to remind him that it's God, not politicians, who raise rulers up and tear them down again. A very narrow victory seems to have worked with Bush.
Darrell I am convinced as a Christian that when a race is on it's not finished until the winner has met the qualifications and sealed the deal. Romney hasn't done that yet and people could very well find themselves working against the man He would determine rise to the top once again.
There's no one who can argue against Newt's accomplishments for Conservatism....a mighty work was done when all opposed him then....and his faith was anything but strong. But now he has a relationship with God...and as I stated before that the Lord may very well show Newt it is indeed by his hand he will raise him up, and not by his own strength alone.
Further God does seem to come into the affairs of men at the last hour...especially when the stakes are very high. How can we know how He will determine this...but one thing we do know...Newt is still standing...he is conservative...he is equipped for the job and meets all the requirements....and he wants to put this nation back under the Sovereignty of God. He has not wavered from that.
I completely agree "Romney is not a good candidate for liberals or for conservatives, and he shouldn't be our candidate as Republicans"...... it's as frightening to think about Romney as President as it is Obama. People truly do not know who or what Romney is about because Romney conceals this behind his mask.
I do believe that conservatives are tired of fighting the good fight...it's a bloody battle indeed...but this is not the time to give up and yield to the Romney/Obama/media beast which is certainly not ready to stop their agendas.....we still have an option...it's still open for us...and Newt can lead the way of we get behind him. There is time left...the winning bell has not rung yet...and God can still work.