Election Day is coming soon - what does the Bible say to us Christians about this matter? Probably some brethren think the pulpit is no place to discuss political questions or voting etc., but actually, the Bible touches upon this subject a good deal more than we might think. Lots of people say that religion and politics don't mix, but you'll never read that in the Bible. The prophets didn't know that. Jesus didn't know that. Neither did Paul. All of them registered their religious views with the government powers of their day.

To my knowledge I have never endorsed specific candidates in the pulpit, even when the choices have appeared to me to be so clearly in favor of one candidate or another from a Christian point-of-view. I believe a preacher ought to always respect differences of opinion within the church and the Christian community, especially in political matters - rather than take advantage of his place in the pulpit to endorse a particular political candidate. This does not and should not, however, prevent me from explaining from the scriptures what are our general obligations as Christians in regard to politics.

As the election approaches, here are several Biblical principles for Christian voters:

1. PRAY! Paul urges us that "... prayers... be made for everyone - for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness." We are to pray for leaders of a certain kind, for those who will allow us to live like God want us to live. We are to pray for leaders who will promote God's kind of morality.

   Nothing is clearer from a study of the scriptures than the fact that historically God raises up leaders and deposes them according to his pleasure and according to their own morality. "He sets up kings and deposes them." (Daniel 2:21) And nothing is clearer from scripture than that God listens especially to the prayers of his children and grants their requests whenever they can be reconciled with his will. God listens to the prayers of even one of his children. Imagine what he does when the same prayer goes up from thousands of churches throughout our country.

   Recently, Shirley Dobson, wife of Dr. James Dobson of Focus on the Family, sent a letter to thousands of churches calling for a National Day of Prayer on Nov. 5 asking God to help us elect moral and godly leaders. Imagine if God hears prayers rising from the hearts of millions of Christians on November 5 asking him to help us elect moral and godly leaders! What would be the impact of that?
   
   

2. VOTE! From a Biblical point-of-view, here's why. Jesus says, "Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's" that is, give to government what it requires (as long it is not in violation of God's will).

   What does our government require from her citizens? We live in a republic whose form of government requires the involvement of its citizens for its success. So part of our Christian obligation to Caesar as citizens of the USA is that we participate in the political process, at least by voting for the candidates we think will be best for our country. We should vote because it it part of our civic responsibility to Caesar.

   Of course, one could envision a scenario when all candidates were so repulsive that one might choose to not vote at all. But keeping in mind that there never have been or will be any perfect candidates for office, one should nearly always be able to at least vote for the lesser of two evils.

   We ought to vote because the Christian voice is actually the most valuable voice for the preservation of our country. Jesus says to his disciples, "You are the salt of the earth, the light of the world." It is we Christians who especially act as salt to our culture, preserving it from rot and decay.

   John Adams, one of the signers of the Consitution and one of our early Presidents, wrote, "We have no government armed in power capable of contending with humans passions unbridled by morality and religion...Our consitution was made only for a moral and religious people." (quote from Kingdoms in Conflict by Charles Colson, p. 120)

   George Washington asserted, "Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to a political prosperity, religion and morality are indispensable supports." (ibid)

   The founding Fathers of our country recognized that morality and religion are necessary supports to the success of our form of government and to the survival of the Constitution itself! Christian people in particular therefore are needed to let their religion and morality come into play for the good of our country. So we, especially of all people, need to vote!

   If we abdicate our responsibility here, if we fail to vote, if we neglect to vote, it is the same as if we had been forbidden to vote. We give the voice and power and direction of our government to the non-religious and to the immoral.

   Some think, "Oh, one vote doesn't count. My vote doesn't count." But one vote does count. Just one vote change per precinct in the Kennedy Nixon campaign in 1960 would have changed the results of the election!

   Yes, one vote counts. Imagine if all Christians failed to vote because they thought one vote doesn't count. On the other hand, imagine if all Christians decide to vote because they all believe every vote counts. Imagine if all Christians got on the phone and helped some Christian to get registered to vote and then made phone calls before election day to get out the Christian vote. Votes count, especially when Christians think their votes count!

   So vote. Register other Christians to vote. Part of our responsibility as parents is to teach (train) our Christian children that voting is part of their Christian responsibility to let their light shine and to render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's.

   "All it takes for evil to triumph is for good people to do nothing."

   "In Germany they came first for the communists, and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a communist. Then they came for the Jews and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Jew. Then, they came for the trade unionists, and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a trade unionist. Then, they came for the Catholics and I didn't speak up because I was a Protestant. Then, they came for me, and by that time there was no one left to speak up." (Martin Niemoller)

   VOTE!!
   
   

3. CHOOSE WISELY. It is certainly true that our leaders are to some extent a reflection of the people. But it is also true that the people oftentimes become a reflection of their leaders! Remember King Ahab, arguably the worst king in the history of Israel. The Bible says that Ahab "provoked me (God) to anger and caused Israel to sin." (1 Kings 21:20-22)

   Make no mistake, whoever we choose as our leaders will have a dramatic impact and influence on the country as a whole.

   So Christians must choose wisely, leaders of a certain kind:
   
   

   1. who will encourage, accommodate, tolerate the Christian religion, not hinder or prohibit it. (Hate crime legislation is upon us which could eventually make it illegal to preach against homosexuality or abortion... And don't forget the Supreme Court ruling regarding the Boy Scouts. We are one Supreme Court vote away from forcing the Boy Scouts to accept homosexual scout leaders. If that happens, will the churches be next?)
   2. who recognize the Biblical family structure. "So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them." God made Adam and Eve, not Adam and Henry. He intended marriage to be between a man and a woman... Vermont has already OK'd same-sex marriage. This is an attack against the very Biblical and ancient foundations of the institution of marriage itself.
   3. who value human life from conception till death. God is the God of life, Jesus is life and both are very much against the taking of human life. What does the candidate believe about the value of human life not only after the baby has been born but five minutes before being born, or while it is halfway born? (Roe vs. Wade)
   4. who place a value on justice and fairness for the oppressed and the poor, both of which get plenty of attention in scripture.
   5. who reflect a Christian lifestyle and character. "When the righteous rule, the people rejoice; when the wicked rule, the people groan." (Pr. 29:2) "Righteousness exalteth a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people." (Pr. 14:34)
   6. who encourage personally responsibility for one's life, for the willingness to work and take care of one's self as one is able... "If a man won't work, neither shall he eat."
   
   
   
4. PUT GOD'S KINGDOM FIRST. Salvation from sin will never be found in human politics. It will only be found in God's kingdom. This is simply to say that our own worst social problems... will never be solved merely by government, by electing new legislators or passing new laws. The human heart must be changed, and only God is up to that task.

   So while we have political and civic responsibilities as Christians, our primary work is to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ for this is the only cure for sin and all the ills that come from sin... Indeed, the best thing we can possibly do for the political good of our country is to simply spread the good news of Jesus Christ and change the hearts of our fellow man.

   Everyone here is a citizen of the USA. It is more important to be a citizen of God's kingdom, for it is eternal and the benefits of being a citizen in that kingdom are literally out of this world. Today, you can become a naturalized citizen of this kingdom. Jesus said, "Except a man be born of the water and spirit, he shall in no wise enter the kingdom of heaven."