Every time an election comes around, many Christians struggle with whether they should be involved in the political process or not. Are believers supposed to be involved in the political/social aspects of life, or are we to adopt more of a ‘hands-off-and-pray’ attitude? These questions get even more convoluted if there is no clear choice of how we would cast our vote if we were to vote.
As believers, we should seek to please God in everything we do, including how we vote.
Christians Should Not Let Political Views Divide The Body Of Christ
Politics often has the effect of polarizing people. It divides people into camps of differing opinions and passions. Many Christians believe that the Republican Party is synonymous with Christian beliefs. Some Christians believe the Democratic Party wants to destroy America or turn it into a Godless nation. Neither of these beliefs is true. There are many people in each party who love Jesus and seek to serve Him with all their hearts. There are also many people in both parties that have rejected Jesus and are rebelling against God in their hearts. It is not a connection to a political party that makes one a citizen of the Kingdom of God, but a relationship with the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
D. James Kennedy rightly puts his Christianity ahead of his political affiliations when he writes, “To me, more important than being a conservative or a liberal is being a committed Christian. When I vote, do I please Jesus with my vote?” (Kennedy, p. 13).
As believers, we should seek to please God in everything we do, including how we vote.
Christians Should Do All We Can To Glorify God
Romans 13:1-7 tells us that the biblical standard for any government is that it is to be God’s servant for the good of the people. If the government that we are under is meeting this mandate, we should support it wholeheartedly. Conversely, if it is not conducting itself according to biblical standards, we should do what we can to change it.
One way in which we are able to affect change is to vote. We are to be salt and light (Matthew 5:13), which means we are to be an influence on our society. Voting is one means by which we exercise that responsibility. Our government reacts to what it perceives to be the will of the people. If Christians do not vote, and those who reject God do, the message that gets to our government is that the people of America do not want God in our nation. Laws will be made that reflect a godless society because godless voters will be the force guiding the lawmakers.
We should also contribute money to worthy causes, if we are able. If there is some government program, or a certain politician or political party, that God has laid on our hearts to assist, and we can further that cause by donating money, we should donate the money. Once again, in all we do, we must seek God’s will before we act.
As responsible citizens of this country, Christians should exercise their right to vote for the things we believe in, and to vote against those things that are non-biblical. If we do not, we are leaving the financial, moral, and spiritual direction of our nation in the hands of Godless people. To not be involved with the shaping of our culture would be to say that we do not think it is important to be an influence for Jesus to others.
The Christian’s main responsibility to God is to spread the good news of God’s love, humanity’s sin, and Jesus’ payment for our sin; but our responsibility does not end there. D. James Kennedy offers this insight, “In addition to sharing our faith, applying our faith to all of life is the other track that the gospel train is supposed to run on…Whatever it is called, we are to impact our culture for Christ in every facet while we are here in this world” (Kennedy, p. 41).
Voters vote for politicians, and policies, that reflect their worldview. A person who sees nothing wrong with same-sex marriage will vote against any law that seeks to uphold the biblical/traditional view of marriage as between one man and one woman. Unsaved humans want their own way and, history has shown, will go to great lengths to acquire it. Christians are God’s voice in the political arena. Therefore, if Christians do not vote for the things in which they believe, then those with godless, secular worldviews will control the direction of our country.
Christians Must Keep Our Eyes On Jesus
Regardless of the outcome of any election, our faith must remain in God, not government, to effect true change. The Constitution, even as good as it is, can never be allowed to replace the Bible as the authoritative rule for Christians. When we pledge more allegiance to the government than to God, we become idolaters. We set the government up as more central to our lives than our relationship with God. When we attach ourselves too firmly to any certain political party, we are in danger of violation our consciences in order to remain part of the group.
The government cannot give anyone what they ultimately need; only God can do that. Of course, we should seek to see His will done on earth as it is in Heaven (Matthew 6:10), but we must also remember that His kingdom is not of this world (John 18:36). As important as voting is, our main concern is a spiritual concern. We are to share the Gospel of Jesus with a lost and hurting world and help them know how to live for Him for eternity. If, by casting our votes in an election or donating money to a political cause, we can make the life on earth a bit more like God intended it to be, then it is our Christian duty to do so.
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Resources
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version
“Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV)
Kennedy, D. James and Jerry Newcombe. How Would Jesus Vote? WaterBrook Press, 2008.
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