Hey everyone. Today is the day where I talk about what is societally forbidden for the sake of “peacekeeping” and upholding reputation. It has taken me a while to actually decide if this was something I was going to approach, not because I was afraid but because I needed to check my motives (or as my mother frequently says “check my heart”).
The Bible mentions the power of the tongue multiple times and is clear that either with it we uplift or destroy (James 3:6-8, Proverbs 18:21). Therefore, I have prayed for the Lord to hold the reins on my tongue and grant me wisdom in my speech. If you can’t tell by my last post and this one I am doing a deep dive into James and verse 17 says, “But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure, then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere” (NIV). Therefore, in talking about the intersection of faith and politics I wanted wisdom from the Lord that bears those fruits to be present and not the negative, slanderous type of language that typically appears when talking about faith or politics.
Finally, this is also a PSA saying this blog post is not me telling you who to vote for or why you should vote for one person over another. It is really just an encouragement for Christians who fear the political arena and prefer not to involve themselves in politics for one reason or another.
Alright, thank you for allowing me a long winded introduction. I first want to say to my fellow believers, it is not wrong for you to allow faith in God to influence your voting decision. In discussing government people tend to follow and heavily suggest the “separation of Church and State” mindset. Personally, I find it hypocritical for those without affiliation to religion to tell those that do, to neglect their faith when considering who to vote for. I say this because religion is simply a worldview and the compliance with a set of values. The only difference between lets say a Christian’s and an Atheist’s worldview then, is where they get their set of values. Christian’s adhere to the values written in God’s word. Atheist’s get it from maybe their parent’s standards that have been passed down, their own personal convictions or values, etc. Either way both individuals have a worldview and both make daily decisions based on their respective philosophies of life. Deciding a presidential candidate is then just another decision that people make based on their established worldviews. All of that said, you should not feel guilty for allowing your Christian values to influence political decisions, when EVERYONE has values influencing their decisions. Impartiality is but a pipe dream and no one is unbiased, no matter what they may claim.
Second, while I do agree that we should be praying for our nation and our leaders, we must also be active participants. I have heard some mention the “we are in this world but not of this world” that Jesus says in John 17:6-19, when mentioning why they do not vote. I believe that is a misapplication of the text. Jesus says in verse 14, “for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world.” It is true that someone can be “not of the world” but in a way contrary to the way Jesus is not of the world. A person can be violent, societally unaware, or downright crazy in a way that looks different from the rest of the world, but it obviously does not make them set apart from the world the way Jesus is. What Jesus says in verse 14 refers to his countercultural character and actions, that we as Christians are supposed to emulate. While the world teaches that you have a right to avenge yourself when you have been wronged, the Lord says “Vengeance is mine” (Romans 12:19) The world says sex before marriage is okay, marriage is something that can repeatedly be done and undone, Jesus says they are “united as one flesh” and “What God has joined together, let no one separate” (Mark 10:6-9). These are just a couple instances in which we are “not to conform to the pattern of this world” and instead walk the narrow path (Romans 12:2). So, when it comes to politics and voting, I think Romans 13:1 and 1 Peter 2:13-14 are more applicable than the verses in John. “Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities…” “Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human authority: whether to the emperor, as the supreme authority, or to governors…” If God’s word tells us to submit to the authorities of this world, should we not then pray and vote for the authority to be established? I don’t believe we are called to be passive in things such as this as a means to differentiate ourselves from the rest of the world. The way we do that should be the way we love, forgive, and stay faithful to God’s word, not by abstaining from politics and voting.
Lastly, when choosing a candidate it is obvious you must examine policies. Again, I must say I am not telling you who you need to vote for in order to be a “good Christian”. What I will say is a candidate’s policies reveal their values, and you can compare those to God’s word to see if they will go alongside God’s will or fight against it. What they prioritize in their campaign reveals where their heart lies, and if they are more likely than the other to abide by “on earth as it is in heaven”.
I think as Christians there is a lot of fear, because people already make all sorts of negative judgements because of our faith, and it can be scary to enter politics and face more negative judgements. To that I say, “Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts the Lord is kept safe” (Proverbs 29:25). Do not allow the fear of man to keep you trapped. Pray and trust the Lord, because it is He who has the authority and in the end His judgment that has the final say.
Do your research, pray for your nation and your leaders, and GO VOTE.
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