I have no idea what the date of this will be, but the political signs and ads in yards and on television indicate that it is approaching rapidly: Election Day. But whenever it is, I won’t be at the polling place when it rolls around. For me, it is simply another day. It comes and goes without causing me a bit of anxiety. I cannot help but snicker at how uppity people get regarding elections. Christians who shy away from defending the gospel will express all manner of strong emotion when it comes to political races.:”(This seems to be part and parcel with being a Christian, unfortunately. Christians get emotional about music, education, politics, and all sorts of other things while forgetting all about boldness when the subject turns to Jesus Christ and His message.)”: This behavior is striking to me.
When I was spiritually young, I thought that to be a good Christian meant I had to be a patriot and love America, sign all the right petitions, and vote for all the right(-wing) people. I myself got uppity when I came across Christians online who did not share my zeal for economic and political “battle.”
Well, all of that was before the beginning of the sola Scriptura epoch in my life.
You see, it is one thing to be a Christian–to be born again, to love the Lord, and to be active in activities called Christian. But it is entirely a different thing to be a Christian–to be born again, to love the Lord, and to hunger and thirst for His word and the activities it prescribes.
Placing the Bible in such a place of prominence is seen as odd by some. Accusations of “worshiping the Bible” might even be tossed around. But the Lord Himself has magnified His word above even the name by which I am saved (Psalm 138:2); because my Savior is worthy of all my praise, I can find no harm in magnifying the Bible in my life either. It is important to God, and I would be foolish to let something else supersede its place in my life.
So what does that have to do with why I will not be voting? Simple. The politics of the world are just that–of the world. In order to serve Jesus better, I choose not to entangle myself in the affairs of this life (2 Timothy 2:4). Now, certainly, there are certain activities of this life that I am obliged to–providing for my wife, working so that I might eat, properly handling my finances, and so on.
But politics is not a necessary pastime for me. I know full well that the powers that be–the governors, magistrates, presidents, and princes of this world–are there because God has ordained them to be so (Romans 13:1). That word “ordained” is the same as the one used in Acts 13:48, which states that those who were “ordained to eternal life believed.” God has chosen who will receive eternal life beforehand, just as He has arranged the governing of this world.
Now, before anyone calls me on this: God has chosen who will be saved, but He still tells us to preach the gospel; isn’t that analogous to us still voting even though God has already chosen who will win the elections?
That analogy works at first glance, but it falls apart quickly when one considers a simple fact: God has chosen to make us a part of the salvation process through evangelizing, and He has told us to do so. Nowhere can such a command be found in the Bible relating to politics. Nowhere does God even insinuate that He needs or wants our help in placing rulers in power.
And that is why I won’t be voting. Whether I do or not won’t affect who will be elected. The choice has already been made, and the Chooser does not ask for my help implementing it.
If this makes me a bad American, that’s fine. The moment I die, that isn’t going to make a bit of difference in my afterlife. I’m certainly not apathetic about who will win; knowing that whoever is in power was chosen by God is a bit more comforting than knowing that my vote helped put someone there who could potentially mess things up badly. Does this mean that those God ordains won’t mess things up? Of course not. But it does help in the realization that things are happening according to God’s greater purpose and plan. The world is being guided toward the events of Revelation everyday, and it is not because some Republicans and Democrats wasted countless millions to get some votes.
It is because God is Sovereign. And that is why I won’t be voting.
The powers that be are not necessarily people here they are the rights the libertys of the people.
ex-oo-see’-ah
From G1832 (in the sense of ability); privilege, that is, (subjectively) force, capacity, competency, freedom, or (objectively) mastery (concretely magistrate, superhuman, potentate, token of control), delegated influence: – authority, jurisdiction, liberty, power, right, strength.
Rom 13:1 Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.
The way this word is used in scripture clealy means liberty or rights. It does not mean that you shouldn’t vote because voting is allowed in the US according to the delegated powers or liberty. God has ordained this law and he allows us to vote, it is our right.
Ill do a short article on my web page perhaps. Good article though, just given you my view point something to think about.
Ezra, thanks for sharing that. I have never heard that viewpoint before. I look forward to your article!
But if it is the governing people who set the laws and liberties of the land AND it is God who ordains those liberties, then wouldn’t the outcome be the same–regarding liberties, anyway–no matter who is in charge?
If this is the case, then I must confess that I still won’t be voting. An uninformed vote is a meaningless vote, and politics is not something which I follow.
Suffice it to say, I will live by faith that whatever happens will be for the glory of God and focus my thoughts and energies elsewhere as a matter of personal choice.
Love your site, and your thoughts. But, I beg to differ with you on this my brother –
What say you to the 40 million dead babies that Americans have sacrificed through abortions since 1973? Will we respond to the clear biblical mandate to cry out for justice on behalf of those who have none? To take care of the needy and those who have no priveleges?
If not for any other issue on the platform, I believe the issue of abortion is enough to draw every believer to the polls. If “righteousness and justice” is the foundation of God’s throne, are we remiss not to pray and do our part to see that men and women who support life be elected into office? Surely it is God’s mercy that this happen, that perhaps judgment on our nation will be less severe. For every deed will be accounted for by the Holy, Just God, is not voting a cry for mercy more than it is a ballot for a politician?
“Therefore He who knows the good he ought to do and does not do it…”
Blessings dear friend.
couch,
You make a good point, and we most certainly should be crying for mercy, and if voting is an outlet for that for you, that is awesome. Vote and vote often! :)
The issue of abortion isn’t so much a political one. Sinners will murder even if it’s illegal–which is why there’s still a drug problem, a theft problem, and so on. Abortions will take place even if it is made illegal. (Now, if governmental justice took after the Old Testament models, that’s quite a different story. There were no jails: you paid by death, giving up a hand, or retributive payments. I think that’d change things quite a bit, but America will never be like that.
The moment government was place into the hands of the people (the majority is rarely right), it gave up any notion of ever being biblical, in my opinion.
However, I believe that God is Sovereign and is guiding the affairs of men. He used Herod’s slaughtering of children under two for His purposes, and I wouldn’t be surprised if current affairs were somehow working toward His glory. I’m certainly not condoning abortion and I don’t mean it to sound that way, I am merely mentioning a possibility.