A BIBILICAL GUIDE TO VOTING
We are facing a monumental event for us as Christians. It is as important an event for us to establish the testimony of Christ as we will see in years. What is that event? Is it the upcoming Fall Festival? Is it the opening of Upward basketball?
I am talking about the election on November 4, 2008. At that time you will make a spiritual choice: you will step up to the booth and vote as salt and light in our society, you will vote for sin, or you will sin by not voting. That is as clear as I know how to put it.
This morning I am going to preach from the Word of God regarding a number of biblical issues that are a part of the upcoming election. But notice that I said very plainly that I am going to preach. I am not a politician, I am a preacher. Just because an issue shows up in an election does not make it politics. It usually shows up that way because politicians have overstepped their bounds, not preachers! Too many Christians are afraid of speaking out forcefully about biblical issues in our culture today, but I do not have a choice. In II Timothy 4:2, Paul commands Timothy as a preacher and all of us by extension to “Preach the Word! Be ready in season and out of season.”
Let me explain briefly how I believe the Bible commands to me to evaluate spiritual versus political matters. I am not here to endorse any candidate or even a political party. I am here to address what the Bible says about spiritual matters. There are three basic spiritual matters on which I will focus: the definition of life; the definition of marriage and family; and, matters pertaining to our responsibility as Christians to impact our culture as salt and light. God’s word is clear as to these matters and I will show you from scripture what God has to say about these matters. I have a lot of opinions about other matters and I will be glad to sit down at lunch with anyone who would like to discuss politics and give you all of my opinions. This morning, however, we are in church and I am a preacher. The Bible is clear about these issues and it is our responsibility to be salt and light on these biblical matters.
Unfortunately in our society Christians have forgotten our role. We are to speak out and live out biblical values. We are to be salt and light in a fallen world. Our purpose is the Great Commission and nothing else. We have power when we do so. Consider this incontrovertible fact: Prior to the Republican National Convention, there was not a strong anti-abortion, pro-life candidate with a career long consistency in supporting life for Christians even to consider. Governor Sarah Palin was chosen for one reason: a provable pro-life political, religious, and personal stance, a stance lived out in real life circumstances with a baby with the condition known as Downs Syndrome and an unwed, pregnant daughter. It is undeniable that she was chosen, despite obvious questions of experience in professional politics, for the sole reason of attracting the pro-life segment of society made up largely of evangelicals and Catholics. I am not endorsing her as a candidate, but merely stating the fact that Christians clinging to a pro-life stance had a profound impact on the national debate. We had a profound impact on the choice of a running mate in a close and hotly contested presidential race. We can impact our culture if we choose to do so. So let me give you biblical principles to use in praying for and voting in the upcoming election.
Principle No 1: God is involved in government so we should we.
First, the Bible says that God establishes and even controls earthly governments. God is deeply involved in government and therefore so should we. Read the following scriptures: Romans 13:1 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.
See also: Proverbs 21:1; Proverbs 31:1-9; I Timothy 2:1-3; Daniel 2:21; John 19:11
The Bible makes it abundantly clear through these, and many other scriptures as well, that God is intimately involved in government. He established the purposes of government and even controls the earthly governments as they rise and fall. Romans 13 clearly states that as Christians we are bound to honor our government and be in subjection to it. The form of government on the United States as established by our Constitution is based upon the franchise. The legitimacy of our government comes from the consent of the governed, which means we vote our convictions and the government follows the will of the people as established by those we put into office, the legislative matters that we vote on directly in referendums, and on constitutional amendments such as those on which we will vote here in Arkansas.
You cannot be in subject to our government in accordance with God’s commands if you do not vote. I believe this principle is clear and basic. As a Christian, you are obliged to vote. It is your duty as a Christians as well as an American. It is our duty to vote on such matters as the amendment related to establishing the sinful practice of a state lottery.
Moreover it is our job to speak as salt and light to matters that are spiritual in nature or affect our ability to speak out. If we do not speak out, then we will lose our right to do so. As a matter of fact, it is our responsibility to live out the teachings of scripture and to speak boldly the name of Jesus regardless of the political nature or structure of our nation. In China and other countries, pastors are boldly speaking out despite a risk to their very lives. It is an absurdity to claim Christians are meddling in politics to speak out against such matters as abortion or the Fist Amendment of the Constitution.
Principle No 2: We are to have a biblical worldview.
Read Matthew 5:13-16. Jesus makes it clear that “We are the light of the world.” He also makes it clear that light is not to be hidden from the world because they need to see it. That is the specific reason God has invested His light in us – for the world to see it shine.
This means that as Christians we are to have a biblical worldview and live it out. Everything we approach must be through the view of scripture. We are then to shine the teaching of scripture out of our speech and choices. There is no distinction in scripture between spiritual and political – how could there be in light of the scripture already read?
Here is what we believe the Bible teaches as our worldview:
God created the heavens and the earth. Therefore, He makes the rules and He has specifically defined right and wrong. People are responsible for their own choices of right and wrong and the consequences. God is the author of life and death and determines its beginning and end, not man. The purpose of government is to make laws to protect from evil and wrongdoing. Government should not do or sanction evil. Marriage was created and ordained by God and therefore defined by Him. It is a picture of salvation according to a specific pattern and not to be altered.
We are to reflect this worldview in all of our choices. They should shape how we make decisions. When we live them out and speak them out to a lost world, the world is at least pointed to Jesus. They may choose to accept or reject, but we are to point them to Jesus through biblical example and speech.
Principle No 3: We are to vote for a biblical worldview from our Christian command from Jesus to be salt and light.
Read Matthew 7:17-20; 12:33-37. Next read II Timothy 3:1-5 which warns of times that will be dominated by a non-biblical worldview. We are in such times now.
There is a major political philosophy in our nation that has grown to epidemic proportions. It has overtaken one major political party and deeply infected the other. Neither is immune. This philosophy is very consistent and presents a coherent thought process.
God is not the creator and therefore there is not a God to make any permanent rules. Because of this fact, man is the only judge and is free from any absolute standard but his own expedience. This produces certain clear and consistent philosophies.
Government is the most important provider.
Everyone is free to do what is right in their own eyes and the only vice is to judge something wrong.
Government is also a force for social engineering without absolute boundaries.
Government is there to provide instead of protect.
Fairness as “we” see it is the goal since there is no such thing as an absolute standard of right and wrong.
Abortion is therefore acceptable.
Homosexuality is therefore acceptable.
Taxing and harming the poor in society is acceptable because it fosters the “greater good”, i.e. the growth of government.
Speaking to, paying homage to, or acknowledging God is wrong because He does not exist and to admit His existence would be to admit the need to submit to His standards as the Creator.
Those who believe in God are radical and intolerant because they have standards.
This political philosophy goes by many names, but is clearly evident in how liberals approach most issues. All liberal politicians validate most or all of these positions, thus proving it is a clearly defined philosophy and worldview. They are in absolute agreement on certain values which to them form core of beliefs: no absolute truth, abortion, homosexual rights. It is interesting that to a person they also believe in restricting the rights of Christians to speak while claiming the 1st amendment is so broad in its protection of free speech that pornography, which is killing our society, cannot be restricted while Christians cannot pray in public. Again, even a cursory review of their positions – positions they hold universally- reveal they have a consistent and clear worldview in opposition to scripture. Consider that liberals believe in lockstep in the following tenets: allowing homosexuals to marry; the destruction of over 1 million innocent babies each year; no restrictions of pornography or smut, but restriction of religious speech regarding Jesus; liberal and activist court judges because such a judicial philosophy is necessary to undo the principles of our heritage and create an aggressive culture of social engineering; and regressive taxes such as lotteries. Liberals universally agree on these issues. It is a specific worldview and is decidedly anti-biblical.
It is therefore our responsibility to combat this worldview in the public arena of ideas. Paul did this repeatedly in his ministry. Prophets in the Old Testament spoke out against anti-biblical injustice by kings and governors. The Bible clearly commands and models through examples of the role of believers to proclaim both scripture and a biblical worldview in order to advance a belief in scripture.
Principle No 4: Evaluate individual issues by scripture.
Therefore, our method of involvement as believers should be to participate in the public discourse in our society in such a way as to advance a biblical worldview. We are to vote on issues which relate to our biblical worldview. We are not to vote on candidates, but on biblical worldview issues.
For example, we will vote in Arkansas on the amendment to permit state run gambling in the form initially of a lottery. This is an immoral and terrible plan which knowingly is hurtful to the poor of our society and therefore in violation of scripture. Consider this verse: Proverbs 29:7 “The righteous care about justice for the poor, but the wicked have no such concern.” See also Proverbs 31: 1-9 – it is the role of Godly kings to “plead the cause of the poor and needy.”
There are a number of studies on the effects of lotteries in states with years of experience with them. These studies show consistent results. They prove consistently that we know who will buy these tickets: the poor. We also know for a fact that it will not increase the number of underprivileged kids going to college at all. We also know for a fact that the lottery does not produce any appreciable increase in funding for colleges because it has not in any state in which it has been tried. Any claim to the contrary, such as those made here in our state in favor of the lottery are false and knowingly dishonest.
This is a regressive tax of the worse kind. The Bible tells us that Godly leaders plead the cause of the poor and needy, not tax them to increase the role and size of government. Liberals favor such regressive taxes because they believe government itself is the greater good. Not people.
Moreover, we must consider the fact that this regressive tax plan comes from the liberal, non-biblical worldview. You must take note of the fact that this comes from the same politicians who support abortion and gay marriage. This fact is without dispute. This is because it is the result of the same worldview and belief system. The sides are not mixed on these issues. To the contrary, they are in lock step together because they came from the same philosophy and therefore have the same goal.
Let me give you another example. The Bible clearly teaches that God is the author of life, God plans our lives from before we are born, and He numbers our days. Read Psalm 139:13-16. Therefore, the destruction of a human life in the manner referred to as abortion is a horrible and sinful practice against God’s laws. We may differ on whether a war should be fought or not, but war is not always outlawed by God’s word. We may differ on an economic plan, but that is not outlawed by God’s word. The murder of an innocent, unborn life is just that – murder. It is sin for a Christian to knowingly vote for a politician who is pro abortion.
Let me give you another example: Homsexual rights. Read Romans 1:18-32. In our state, we will have a referendum which squarely addresses the right to be a foster parent and adopt a child. This proposal addresses prohibiting people who are co-habiting together. Those who are fighting for such a position are also those in favor of the lottery, abortion, etc. One of the main issues relates to cohabitating homosexual couples, since they are currently unable to obtain a marriage license. This is not about heterosexual cohabitating couples nearly so much as homosexuals. They may hide under other innocuous sounding arguments, but it is solely about homosexual rights. It is prohibited by scripture and therefore as Christians we are to vote against any granting of rights or validation of this aberrant sexual behavior.
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Principle No 5: Evaluate individual candidates by their worldview.
Let me remind you of these scriptures: Matthew 7:17-20; 12:33-37; Romans 1:18-32.
Now I am not going to endorse any candidate. Do not come up after the service and even ask me who I am going to vote for because I am talking about HOW and not WHO. Not every candidate is going to be a Christian. It is unfortunate, but we live in a post-modern, unchurched world. We are going to be forced more and more to choose among candidates with whom we have little or nothing in common. Therefore we must learn how to approach elections in our culture. Choose the candidate based upon how their view of biblical issues reveals their worldview.
It is impossible to determine this by their party affiliation, personality, or even a claim to be a Christian. There are many who claim to be Christians but do not in anyway shape or form live anything remotely recognizable as the life of a Christian. In Arkansas, we have seen that time and time again. It is as if an ungodly, adulterer, abortion supporting, gay rights supporting politician assumes we are so stupid we will vote for him or her simply because they sing in the choir occasionally or quoted a scripture in some speech.
In fact, many of our federal officials and state elected officials vote in lock-step for the non-biblical worldview. They claim some conservative roots, or even Christianity, because they are reaching out for Arkansas voters who are for the most part conservative folks. They claim conservative roots and then go to Washington or Little Rock and support issues such as liberal judges in favor of upholding Roe v. Wade and supporting the regressive and immoral tax on the underprivileged called a lottery.
It is also important to ignore the party affiliation of the candidate. That is simply not an issue for us as believers. I have voted for a pro-life democrat and against a pro-abortion Republican. We are not Republicans or Democrats, but followers of Christ.
Additionally, economics is not a primary issue for us. If it was, we would vote for the lottery so poor folks from the inner city and rural areas would pay for kids from our middle-class neighborhoods to go to college. I understand that these are trying times, but we must remember our calling as salt and light. Economics does not reveal worldview as clearly as pro-life and pro-marriage does.
But you are still asking, “Pastor, what about our economy? It is scary.” Listen to me for just a moment. I have a 401k that is now a 201k just like you. This is the truth for us as believers. We are to be following biblical guidelines as to managing our money. If you have done that, then you are not at risk. Moreover, our hope lies in Jesus and not in Washington or Little Rock! God provides for His children. That is the promise of scripture. Read again Matthew 5-7. If we are obedient to living out a biblical worldview then God will be blessing us in such a way that it will give testimony to our belief in Him. Look to God to provide and vote to hold up scripture!
We must learn how to choose candidates in a biblical fashion so we can participate in a culture that demands that Christians stand up for biblical values. First, choose a candidate that supports as closely as possible our biblical worldview, even if they do not appear to be a Christian. Start with the clearest issues: abortion, the definition of marriage, standing against homosexual rights. Remember that these issues reveal an underlying world view. We will not be able to evaluate the heart of a candidate, but they will reveal themselves and their worldview through such issues.
This also means we may be required to vote against someone who claims to be a Christian. The bible is the bible. It is the standard. All of us as Christians make mistakes and can be misguided. There are liberal theologians that misinterpret and are dismissive of scripture. Certainly, then there can be candidates who make mistakes and follow those same pastors and theology. Again, the issue is a biblical worldview. It is standing firm as closely as we can to guide our society towards biblical behavior.
We should vote for a strong, positive character as often as possible. Vote on what they do and have done, not on what they say. If they favor things like the Lottery or liberal judges and abortion, then we know their character because we know their worldview. You must pay attention to what they do and not what they say. Character is revealed in your actions and not your words. The Bible says, “even a child is known by his doings.” Proverbs 20:11 Also consider their allies and enemies. Who do they stand with and against? If they stand with racists and radicals, abortionists and feminists, those who believe in government instead of God, then we know their worldview.
Let me close with this: I am deeply concerned about the next election, but I am not afraid. Again, God is in control and this next President will not be elected without God having a plan. I preach the gospel every week. Some are saved and some are not. God is always at work. He is not panicked or defeated because some folks reject Him. Neither is He in the case of political elections either. Whatever happens I know God will be in control because the Bible says so, and after all it is all about the truth of scripture in the end.
