Biblical Reasons Christians Should Vote
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It’s that time again, when debates take over our TVs, candidates are chosen for the ballot, and the polling places prepare to open to voters. Whether you have a knot in your stomach over elections, you are overjoyed to be voting for the first time, or you have little to no interest in politics – the time is here.
Today we are going to observe Biblical reasons why Christians should vote.
The Message of Freedom
Scriptures talks extensively about the freedom that we experience in Christ. We were once enslaved to our sins, but we are now children of God. Many people around the world do not get to have a say in the way their countries are run. But the government our ancestors established has a different set up. The fact that the pilgrims came to America in order to seek freedom to worship God the way that they desired reveals how important freedom was to them.
Although we ultimately must trust the Lord in His sovereignty with whoever is in the Oval Office, the House, the Senate, and the Supreme Court, we have a valuable role to play. We have the choice to vote.
“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery” (Galatians 5:1).
We are free in Jesus. He has set us free. If He has given us the ability to live in a place where we can live out our freedom in Him by voting – essentially honoring and worshipping Him with our vote – then let us do some research and check some boxes. Of course, all have sinned and fall short of God’s glory, so there are no perfect candidates. However, if we have been provided a right and a freedom in our country to vote, why would we as Christ-followers neglect that joy and privilege?
We can be prayerful in our voting. We can ask God His thoughts. We can surrender our votes to Him and trust that His will be done no matter what.
So many people were desiring a voice in their nations in Scripture: Joseph, Moses, Mordecai, and the disciples of Jesus, to name a few. If Christ has set us free and we are living in a free country, how could we in good conscience neglect to act on that freedom?
Submitting to Government
Scripture talks about submitting to those in government. Romans 3:1 says, “Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.”
Our government invites us to vote. It is encouraged. We all have a role to play in the government by voting. Even if we do not like the people in charge or agree with them, at least we are able to share our opinion at the polls and be at peace that God is in control.
When we submit to the government, we honor Christ. In doing so, we release our control and share our thoughts, awaiting the decision of our King of Kings and Lord of Lords. It is a humbling experience that reminds us how we are out of the driver’s seat. This encourages us to walk in surrender and trust. We then rely on His Spirit to give us peace as we trust in Him no matter what.
Submitting to our government does not mean our faith is in them. We know that a sinner cannot be our Savior. Jesus was and will be the only Savior of this world. He is the first and the last. He is the beginning and the end. He is sitting at the right hand of God. It is when we begin to put all of our hope into a politician or a political party that we miss the point of voting as a believer.
Philippians 3:20 says, “But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ.” Our citizenship is in heaven and if we are awaiting a savior in the government, then we are going to face a lot of disappointment. Only Jesus can be the true leader that we desire.
Living Out the Fruits of the Spirit
One of the fruits of the Spirit is faithfulness. We can ask, “Am I being faithful to my responsibility in my country?” When you know you should act but don’t, that too is a sin. If we pray about it and the Holy Spirit is leading us to vote, then it is disobedient to avoid it. We want to be faithful and live out of the Holy Spirit’s strength. Yes, it can sometimes be a hassle to go stand in line at the polls. Yes, we might lose some of our free time. However, we are given the opportunity to walk empowered by God’s Spirit in us.
Dr. Krish Kandiah says, “Not voting is a form of voting, as it will influence the outcome. We need to take responsibility for our actions, as well as our lack of actions.”
Whether we neglect to vote or simply forgot to vote, it is disappointing when we miss out on the moment to voice our beliefs. Christians need to go to the polls more than ever, especially in a culture that does not value Jesus and the Bible.
Resting in God among the Reality of Our World
God originally did not design us for any ruler except Himself.
“But when they said, 'Give us a king to lead us,’ this displeased Samuel; so he prayed to the Lord. And the Lord told him: 'Listen to all that the people are saying to you; it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king’” (1 Samuel 1:6-7).
The fact that we have a government to submit to in the first place is a result of humanity’s sin. We did not like just having God as our leader, we wanted a king. So we will get angry at who our leaders are. We will disagree, there will be dishonest and immoral people in charge, there will be divisions, there will be disrespect and more. This is a result of the fact that only Jesus is the True King. But He honors our sinful decisions, and He has allowed us to have government and rulers. God is still sovereign over the world, and because of this we submit. We trust Him. We respect the elected leaders. And at the end of the day, we go and learn about who is going to line up best with our Biblical worldview, we pray, and we vote for the best possible candidates.
We know that no one is perfect but Christ, and we will do our part to honor Him in the midst of a government filled with broken people, because it is not the kingdom of heaven. And when we are disappointed or discouraged by politics, people, or news reports, we know that we are awaiting something far better.
“For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins” (Colossians 1:13-14).
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