I’ve recently received a number of articles about whether Christians should vote in this election, the moral implications they should consider, etc. All interesting and well meaning. But with due respect to those authors, I’m going to present a somewhat different view. Until about a century ago, there was no question about whether Christians should vote or participate in government. The answer was a resounding yes. Why the change?
America’s founding ideas came from biblical principles and are being corrupted. I’ve recently completed a series about the current corruption—critical theory. Its false pagan ideas must be continually repackaged and trotted out again and again, because they don’t—and can’t ever—work. However, many of American society initial beliefs have been corrupted.
This article outlines the connection between a few of America’s founding ideas and governance. and relate to voting in elections. I’ve written about these ideas in prior articles, but with next week’s election, it seems like a good time to present them again.
Some Relevant Biblical Ideas
- All power comes from God. He’s established two earthly powers—the church and governance. We see evidence of God’s governance even in the Bible’s first books, with Adam and Eve, Noah, and Moses among many others. Moses became Israel’s first judge, and his brother Aaron God’s high priest. Initially, God was Israel’s king, but later the people asked to have a human king instead, like the neighboring kingdoms.
- The Israelites selected their leaders from among their families, clans, and tribes. They were selected to serve, not rule, their people. They were responsible for the people’s welfare. These leaders settled disputes, acting as judges. By supporting righteous behavior, they supported the common good. God warned these leaders He would hold them accountable for their judgement.
- The priests also served the people by teaching what it meant to follow God’s word, performing religious ceremonies, and observing religious days. The knowledge they imparted to the people laid the foundation for individuals choosing to become God’s disciples.
- One set of laws apply to all. It didn’t matter whether one was rich or poor, powerful or weak, Hebrew or foreigner. God’s divine and natural laws, supplemented by human law were to be applied evenly. They recognize our shared common nature. But America no longer recognizes natural law today, only human positive law. Just one means of moving God from our society.
Principles, Natural Rights and Laws
Life
All life comes from God. No one has the right to take it away, giving you the right to defend yourself. God requires an accounting from someone taking life. Abortion is contrary to this principle.
Love God
We are to have no other gods, no idols, keep the sabbath, and not profane His name. Out of love we are to obey Him and live according to His teaching. This is religious liberty. State shut-downs are contrary to this principle. They prevent us from living our values on many different levels.
Love People
We have a duty to use wealth righteously, by caring for those in need from our abundance. We are to honor God and our parents. These actions all relate biblical charity. Biblical charity involves voluntary actions beginning in faith. They require virtue, discerning good from evil, and result in actions performed out of love for another. Biblical charity builds virtue in both the giver and receiver. Those individuals and organizations providing money to groups supporting this summer’s rioters, looters, and killers violate this principle.
Know and Act
This principle complements the previous one. We are not born knowing what we need to do. Therefore, we need an education—in both reason and faith. We have the freedom to choose. It comes with the duty to respect others. Moral principles are to direct our freedom. We are to discern good from evil and do good. After all, we are not to lie. School shut-downs and some public school curricula like common core and the 1619 project are contrary to this principle.
Fulfill Our Purpose
By knowing and choosing good we become like our teacher; we become His disciple. Then we in turn are to teach others. Facilitating this discipleship is the church’s purpose, and the duty of every one of its members. Discipleship embodies the biblical notions of freedom and individual liberty we are to observe. Lock downs, restrictions on religious observances, and taking away an individual’s ability to act in their best interest are contrary to this principle. Contrary principles assume man is bad and some ‘superior’ human must instruct man, rather than God.
Creation’s Purpose
Creation was made for man’s use. Creation is God’s, not man’s. We therefore owe a duty to care for it—we owe God stewardship. We are to use it, but do so responsibly. As it was made for our use, we also have the right to keep what we create or produce. Otherwise, would there be moral directions not to steal or covet? Preventing people from earning a living, or taking away their ability to choose, through forced lock downs are contrary to this principle.
Procreate
We are to procreate, produce children. We therefore have a responsibility to care for them. They are part of our fruit, our first charges in creating disciples. Producing children requires a family of one man and one women in marriage. All the gender related corruption being advocated today is contrary to this principle.
We’re a Single People
All Christians have one God, one language, are citizens of one country (heaven), and one set of laws we all share. God is head of the one true global government. Everything in heaven has a corrupt counterpart in hell, such as a single global human government.
Being a people requires assembling, communicating, and making our own decisions. Morally using our freedom. These principles have been violated by this year’s lock-downs, removing God from the public square, and free speech suppression occurring over the last several years.
Christians and Governance
The preceding ideas and principles were part of the human governance the Israelites were to implement after rejecting God’s kingship. Their covenant with God didn’t change. The Israelites were still God’s people, and He their God. Whether successfully implemented doesn’t matter. They were part of God’s instructions to His followers. Instructions moving from actions alone to one’s heart in the New Testament.
Judges like Moses initially handed out justice when someone did wrong. Later, it came to be the role of kings appointed by God, and later still kings inheriting their position. Moral governance comes through service and justice; bad through rule and power. Moral governance limits power and scope to those areas that individuals can’t readily address on their own. Bad governance uses concentrated unlimited power over all life’s aspects. Most state government’s responses to this year’s virus were immoral and incompetent instances of bad governance.
Silence Implications
So, back to the initial question. How should Christians respond to any election? Anyone can choose not to vote; we have the freedom to do so. But I submit that decision is not biblically based. In any self-governing society, each individual is an integral part of its governance. Those taking such action are abdicating their responsibility. It’s like trying to leave society without actually leaving. To restore society, we must work to reimplement its founding ideas.
We only select someone to represent us in our stead. If we don’t like the choices, then we have a moral duty to change them. We do that by finding and supporting those who share our ideas, turning out those who govern immorally, or running for office ourselves. There are many local offices for school boards, county/city supervisors, commissioners, mayors, etc. Allowing incompetent officials to remain in office is not right. Just look at this year’s actions by New York’s, Michigan’s, California’s, and Virginia’s governors. Isaiah’s prophecy rings true today, “I will put children in authority; capriciousness will govern them.” (Isaiah 3:4-5)
We Understand, But …
Yet, we were no different. Until 2016 we were largely uninvolved with politics. It felt unclean. But that changed with the previous administration’s actions. Like our current president, we realized if we wanted to set things right, we had to get involved. The stakes are high. We see and hear them almost every day in the media. Most, but not all, the corruption currently comes from one party. A party that’s removed God from its platform. This party looks solely to humanity to solve today’s problems.
Take the recent supreme court nomination uproar as just one example. Several politicians sent us letters about the nominee’s threats to our healthcare, the coronavirus handling, and women’s right to choose. But this party’s worked for decades undermining America’s institutions and founding principles. The same principles discussed above. They couldn’t get enough support to create law the right way through legislation, so they simply changed the rules to get what they wanted. They used executive orders and judicial activism instead. This party’s built its house on sand, and it has no one to blame but itself. They perversely advocate evil in the name of good.
If good people don’t vote, use their vote wisely, or run for office—who’s left? When people who know won’t do as they ought, God has a way of accomplishing His purpose with the most unlikely of people. These last three years should be an example to us all. Do we have eyes to see and ears to hear? God’s hoping we do.
