A Biblical Perspective on Voting
By Scott Jones
Righteousness exalts a nation,
But sin is a disgrace to any people. (Proverbs 14:34)
The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.[i] -Edmund Burke
God has instituted government among men to praise good and to punish evil.[ii] When government functions properly, then the disgrace of sin is minimized and the nation which seeks to practice righteousness is exalted. While, each citizen is subject to the governing authorities, those authorities have been established by God, and exist to govern the affairs of man in submission to their delegated authority.[iii]
The question arises: “What is the Biblical form of government?” The Bible does not answer this question directly. The Bible presents a wide variety of government forms. The pattern is that when the governing authorities submit to God, it goes well for the people, but when they ignore God and pursue the desires of their hearts, it does not go well for the people, nor for them.
Through the Founders, God has given us a Constitutional Republic. While many of the Founders were men of great Christian faith, I will not argue that a republic is the ideal Biblical form of government, but rather accept it as fact. Our republic uses the democratic process of voting to select many of our leaders. In this sense God has delegated a measure of his sovereign authority to select leaders to the citizens of our republic. This is an awesome privilege and a fearsome responsibility - for the citizens to select leaders that will submit to God, praise good, and punish evil. If Christians fail in this responsibility, then we can expect to see the rise of godless, evil leaders and the resulting disgrace of our people. And all Christians have to do to achieve this is – DO NOTHING.
God has given the citizens of the United States the sovereign responsibility to select the leaders of our government. In the Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25:14-30 and Luke 19:11-27), the Master says of the worker who does not invest his talent: “throw out the worthless slave into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”[iv] If God has given us a right that enables us to restrain sin, will he not hold us accountable if we fail to exercise it?
If Christians do nothing, evil will triumph.
The Bible gives us guidance on how to select leaders: Furthermore, you shall select out of all the people able men who fear God, men of truth, those who hate dishonest gain; and you shall place these over them as leaders of thousands, [b]of hundreds, of fifties and of tens.[v] And Choose wise and discerning and experienced men from your tribes, and I will appoint them as your heads.[vi] So these are the characteristics we should seek in those who would lead: able, God-fearing, truthful, hating dishonest gain, wise, discerning, and experienced. If Christians fail to vote responsibility, it is likely that we will get leaders who are incompetent, godless, liars, dishonest, and foolish. This is not the way to promote an exalted nation, but instead is a disgrace. If Christians do nothing, evil will triumph.
The Book of Judges provides a series of case studies of the impact of foolish and godless leaders.
All that generation also were gathered to their fathers; and there arose another generation after them who did not know the Lord, nor yet the work which He had done for Israel. Then the sons of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord and [e]served the Baals, … The anger of the Lord burned against Israel, and He gave them into the hands of plunderers who plundered them; and He sold them into the hands of their enemies around them, so that they could no longer stand before their enemies.[vii]
When Israel sinned against God, the people were defeated and disgraced. As Christians, we must use the right to vote God has given us to select leaders that exhibit righteousness. Those that hate God, will devise deceitful words against those who are quiet to dismay the people and to inhibit the god-fearing from action.[viii] If Christians do nothing, evil will triumph.
The Psalmist says to us:
God takes His stand in His own congregation;
He judges in the midst of the rulers.
How long will you judge unjustly
And show partiality to the wicked? Selah.
Vindicate the weak and fatherless;
Do justice to the afflicted and destitute.
Rescue the weak and needy;
Deliver them out of the hand of the wicked.[ix]
God judges rulers that judge unjustly, show partiality to the wicked, and prey on the afflicted, destitute, weak, and needy. Likewise, Lemuel tells us:
Open your mouth for the mute,
For the rights of all the unfortunate.
Open your mouth, judge righteously,
And defend the rights of the afflicted and needy.[x]
Will God hold the Church guiltless, if we fail to exercise the power He has given us to select god-fearing leaders that will judge righteously and will defend the unfortunate? If Christians do nothing, evil will triumph.
So, what happens when Christians fail to show up to vote – or even worse, show up and vote for candidates who oppose Biblical principles of governance? This is what we have seen in our nation or could see more of in the future….
· Over 60 million abortions since 1973 and more coming
· Religious liberties and free speech being attacked
· Government debt exploding affecting the prosperity of future generations
· People being forced to participate in gay marriage ceremonies against their convictions
· Schools promoting secular worldviews and demeaning Biblical Christianity
· Churches being closed, while casinos and liquor stores remain open
· Government spying on newscasters and politicians who oppose them
· Government agencies targeting religious groups for adverse treatment
· Biological men competing against women in athletic competitions - making women’s sports obsolete
· Men invading women’s locker rooms and bathrooms while Americans are more concerned about “political correctness” than the safety of women and children
So, the question remains: Why should a Christian vote?
If Christians do nothing, evil will triumph.
This is the heart of the matter.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. www.lockman.org
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