Tag: Values Voting

04 Nov – Biblical Reasons to Vote (Re-blog Gateway Church)

Biblical Reasons to Vote – click here to view original

What can I do?

Vote! Voters shape the future of our nation. Casting your vote is a powerful way to make your voice heard and take a stand for righteousness. It’s not only one of our great American rights, it’s also our responsibility as Christians.

Biblical Reasons to Vote

The leaders we elect in this election cycle will determine our future on important issues such as:

  • The definition of marriage.
  • The right to life.
  • Government vs. private health care.
  • The national debt.
  • Our religious freedoms.

The policies and laws our leaders enact will affect our state and nation for decades to come. As Christians, we want to see public policies established that reflect biblical values. However, in order to see these policies enacted, we have to elect principled leaders. In order to see principled leaders elected, Christians must make their voice heard by voting.

But can voting really make a difference?

Absolutely! You see, it’s estimated over 60 million committed Christians live in the U.S., and only about 30 million of them vote in any given election. At the same time, every presidential election in the past 25 years has been won by less than 10 million votes. So what would happen if 30 million newly registered Christians voted in the next election? Not only would it impact the election, it could change our nation!

What can I do?

Vote! Voters shape the future of our nation. Casting your vote is a powerful way to make your voice heard and take a stand for righteousness. It’s not only one of our great American rights, it’s also our responsibility as Christians.

Together, we can elect principled leaders who will return America to its great and godly heritage as “one nation under God.”

Our Founding Fathers and Patriots on Voting

“Let each citizen remember at the moment he is offering his vote … he is executing one of the most solemn trusts in human society for which he is accountable to God and his country.”
Samuel Adams, 1722–1803 (The “Father of the American Revolution”)

“Should things go wrong at any time, the people will set them to rights by the peaceable exercise of their elective rights.”
Thomas Jefferson, 1743–1826 (Third President of the United States)

“The time has come that Christians must vote for honest men, and take consistent ground in politics, or the Lord will curse them … God cannot sustain this free and blessed country, which we love and pray for, unless the church will take right ground.”
Charles Finney, 1792–1875 (Evangelist and Author)

“Providence has given our people the choice of their rulers, and it is the duty, as well as privilege and interest of a Christian nation to select and prefer Christians for their rulers.”
John Jay, 1745–1829 (First Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court)

“Now more than ever the people are responsible for the character of their Congress. If that body be ignorant, reckless, and corrupt, it is because the people tolerate ignorance, recklessness, and corruption. If it be intelligent, brave, and pure, it is because the people demand these high qualities to represent them in the national legislature.”
James Garfield, 1831–1881 (20th President of the United States)

“Voting at elections is one of the most important rights of the subject.”
Alexander Hamilton, 1757–1804 (Secretary of the Treasury and Author of The Federalist Papers)

Scriptures

“Choose wise, understanding, and knowledgeable men from among your tribes, and I will make them heads over you.”
Deuteronomy 1:13

“Moreover you shall select from all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place such over them to be rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens.”
Exodus 18:21

“He who rules over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God.”
2 Samuel 23:3

When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; but when a wicked man rules, the people groan.
Proverbs 29:2

If the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?
Psalm 11:3

“If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”
2 Chronicles 7:14

Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence.
1 Timothy 2:1–2

Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord.
Psalm 33:12

“You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men. You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden … Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”
Matthew 5:13–14, 16

Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.
James 2:17–18

Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.
Galatians 5:1

“Proclaim liberty throughout all the land to all its inhabitants.”
Leviticus 25:10 (Inscribed on the Liberty Bell)

“Is it lawful for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not?” But He perceived their craftiness, and said to them, “Why do you test Me? Show Me a denarius. Whose image and inscription does it have?” They answered and said, “Caesar’s.” And He said to them, “Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”
Luke 20:22–25

Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God.
Romans 13:1

Therefore submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake, whether to the king as supreme, or to governors, as to those who are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and for the praise of those who do good.
1 Peter 2:13–14

Honor all people. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king.
1 Peter 2:17

All Scripture is from the New King James Version (NKJV) © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission.
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See website: Gateway Church – click here.

3 Reasons You Should Care About Election Day (Reblog TGC)

Anne Chamberlin lives in Allen, Texas, and blogs at Tales from Shangri-La.

thegospelcoalition.org / October 28

It’s the last Tuesday in October, just one week away from Election Day. I’ve noticed in some (not all) American Christian corners a silence about issues in the political realm. This may have to do with a few possibilities: the rejection of old-school Moral Majority hypocrisy and overreach, the rejection of Obama-as-Messiah liberalism, a distaste for corrupt government and flawed candidates, some kind of notion that secular nations like ours aren’t our Christian business, or ignorance about self-rule in our country. As believers, we know that the purpose of government is not to save souls, but to “punish those who do evil and praise those who do good” (1 Pet. 2:14).

washington monument

Whatever the cause of the silence, here are three reasons American Christians should be politically principled, informed, opinionated, and involved.

1. You are a ruler, and God calls kings to rule well.

There is no one king in America. You and I are kings, for we hire and fire our elected representatives. While you may not have asked for this burden, when you are an American citizen you live in country that has given its people self-rule. It follows that, as kings, Christians would seek the advice given to rulers in Scripture.

Some guidance in Scripture for rulers is direct. God has direct guidance for King Lemuel in Proverbs (Prov. 31:1–9). Lemuel is to rule soberly, justly, and fairly, looking out for those who are oppressed and those whose rights are being stolen. The proverbs have many statements about kings: they take pleasure in honesty, they appreciate skilled labor, they mete out justice.

Some guidance in Scripture is by example. The king of Ninevah (a non-Jewish king of a non-Jewish people) was a king who did well. He repents of his moral sins, and he legislates that his people repent as well, thereby saving them from destruction. Again, these were not Israelites (Jonah 3:7–10). For another example, in the New Testament Paul calls on believers to pray for rulers, that they would help us live peaceful and quiet lives, that we might be “godly and dignified in every way” (1 Tim. 2:1–4). It would follow that Christians would wish to rule in such a way that those prayers are answered.

2. You are a Christian, and God calls you to love well.

Christ calls us to love our neighbor. It is the second half of his summation of all the law and the prophets (Matt. 22:34–40). Christian, do you love your neighbor? If you do, you will care about the types of laws he lives under. You will care about the just, merciful, and sensible implementation of such laws, too, for these things affect your neighbor. You will keenly study and deduce the things your elected officials wish to reward and encourage, and that which they wish to punish or discourage, and you will vote accordingly. These things affect your neighbor.

You will keenly study and deduce which policies work, and which are well-intentioned yet bound to fail. They affect your neighbor, and you love her. You will weigh a flawed candidate with sensible policies that achieve good things for your country and culture—against another flawed candidate with well-intentioned but foolish or destructive policies.

You will need to think philosophically about the human condition, and weigh the two parties and their approach to legislation, and you will decide which party has more sensible and upright policies. You will need to be shrewd about propaganda, false narratives, cover-ups, and the like, and you will need to learn from history. Because you love your neighbor.

You will do this because in your city, county, state, and country the crime rate, education, educational freedom, corruption, defense, and how the international community treats your countrymen—to name a few issues—matter to your neighbors. And you love them.

Christian, you love your neighbor, even—especially—the tiniest ones. I am speaking of our neighbors in utero who deserve the right to live. May I submit that you consider these—your smallest, weakest neighbors—when you weigh candidates and legislation?

3. You have the Word, and you already know ‘it’s complicated.’

As a child of God, you hold in your hands the book that thoroughly explains the human condition. Again, whether you like it or not, to whom much is given much shall be required. By describing life, humanity, family, community, and kingdoms, the Bible is relevant to people living in every possible “-archy” and “-ism.” Its message is eminently applicable to image-bearers living in monarchies, oligarchies, aristocracies, kleptocracies, and democracies, and under fascism, communism, and socialism. It’s relevant because government is about people, and the Bible is the definitive, inerrant story of God and humanity.

And it’s yours. It’s in your hands.

The Bible teaches us about human nature and experience, how we thrive, and what brings out the best and the worst in us. It describes how true oppression looks and what true human rights and duties we ought to pursue. Of course human candidates, parties, and platforms are not perfect. Far be it from any believer to be surprised by sin, corruption, or imperfection. But somehow we still scorn and turn away from a system made up of flawed people. What did we expect? As Americans, we can turn away from brokenness in our culture, government, and systems. We can reject “those people and their government” and God’s call on us as rulers and Christians, because we cannot find the flawless candidate or party or legislation. We can hunker down in our “Christian ghetto.”

As Christians, however, we are called to turn toward our neighbors. We are called to live in this world and engage our communities and love those around us. We can do this by exercising the gift of self-rule wisely, shrewdly. As Christ’s regents, we can support sensible candidates and policies to help bring about freedom and quiet living rather than oppression, here in our little 21st-century kingdom called America.