As followers of Jesus Christ, we have dual citizenship. While we may be citizens of the country in which we live, we are also citizens of heaven (Phil. 3:20. Along with citizenship goes responsibilities.
As citizens of heaven, we are to live in submission to the authority of God and His Word. Scripture, not the culture in which we live, needs to be our final authority for faith and practice. We are to keep His commandments (Jn. 14:21), seek first His kingdom (Mt. 6:33) and give Him first place in everything (Col. 1:18). We serve as Christ's "ambassadors" (II Cor. 5:20), acting as His representatives on earth, helping others to be reconciled to God (II Cor. 5:18,19). As citizens of heaven we also have the amazing privilege of access to our Heavenly Father at any time in any place through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ who became our High Priest through His death and resurrection and continues to be our intercessor and advocate (Heb. 7:25; I Jn. 2:1). Through faith in Jesus Christ, we become children of God (Jn. 1:11; I Jn. 3:1,2), have all the privileges of sonship and are "heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ" (Ro. 8:16,17). We have been set free from bondage to the old, sinful flesh and have a whole new life in Jesus Christ (Ro. 6-8; II Cor. 5:17). We are made free by the truth (Jn. 8:32,36) and can experience the "abundant life" that Christ came to provide (Jn. 10:10). We have been "blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ" (Eph. 1:3). We are "blessed by the Best!" We are so privileged, but also have the corresponding responsibility to live for Him, not for self. "He died for all, that they who live should no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf" (II Cor. 5:15).
As citizens of a nation, we are also to submit to those in authority over us, for they are established by God (Ro. 13:1-7; I Pet. 2:13-17). We are to obey the "laws of the land" unless they conflict with a command from God or truth from His Word. For example, when Peter and John were told not to speak anymore about Jesus (Acts 4:18), they said, "Whether it is right in the sight of God to give heed to you rather than to God, you be the judge; for we cannot stop speaking what we have seen and heard" (v. 19). Peter and John continued to preach about Jesus and were brought before the Council where the High priest said: "We gave you strict orders not to continue teaching in this name..." (Acts 5:28). "But Peter and the Apostles answered and said, 'We must obey God rather than men' " (v. 29). When we are saved, we are not taken out of the world (Jn. 17:15,16), but are left as His "ambassadors" (II Cor. 5:20) to be God's representatives to the inhabitants of the nation where He places us. We are not to isolate ourselves but insulate ourselves with the "armor of God" (Eph. 6:10-18) to be "salt and light" (Mt. 5:13-16). We are to be a godly influence as good citizens both of heaven and on earth.
For those of us who live in a free country, we have many privileges but with them, many responsibilities to use those privileges to be Christ's ambassadors to help others be reconciled to God. One way in which we can be "engaged" citizens and influence others for good is to exercise our privilege to run for political office and to vote. It demonstrates that we care about the condition of our nation and its people. We are seeing a great spiritual battle taking place between good and evil, between an anti-Christian worldview and a biblical worldview. It is not just a matchup of personalities from which to choose, but of moral policies and issues. If Christians are not involved in the politics of their nation, decisions will be made by people who think that Christianity is no longer relevant and that absolute truth does not exist. As Edmund Burke once said, "All that is required for evil to prevail is for good men to do nothing." Not voting is a form of voting, as it will influence the outcome. We are not only responsible for our actions, but also for our lack of action. James 1:17 says, "Therefore to the one who knows the right thing to do, and does not do it, to him it is sin." Voting is part of our stewardship to use all the resources we have been given to be an influence for God.
A poll released this month by the "Cultural Resource Center" at Arizona Christian University reported that 51% of those who identify as "people of faith" do not plan to vote. That's 105 million people, 41 million of which are professing Christians! How sobering is that! Granted, politics is not the most important thing, but that doesn't mean that politics isn't part of the larger arena by which God can orchestrate things for His glory. Politics matters because politics creates policies that impact people made in the image of God. Our elected leaders make decisions that will have an incredible impact on us and on our children and our grandchildren.
Rather than argue about the personalities, strengths and weaknesses of those running for office, focus on issues and policies. Check out their party platform and what they stand for and believe:
- Where do they stand on the sanctity of life versus abortion?
- Do they uphold the law and those who enforce it?
- Do they support the Constitution and applying it, or advocate interpreting or changing it to adapt to our culture?
- What is their view of open borders and illegal immigration?
- What do they propose to do about rising crime rates, sex trafficking and the massive use and selling of drugs?
- What is their view of the dangerous teaching of the "Critical Race Theory," about sexual identity, and about the transgender mutilation of children?
- What is their view about homosexuality and marriage?
- Are they advocates of "free speech" or do they squelch the speech of those who disagree with their worldview?
- Are they advocates of big government and high taxes or less government involvement and lower taxes?
These are not just differing political views, but crucial issues, matters between good and evil, that greatly impact each one of us, our culture, our nation, and affect the continuation of the Christian freedoms we have been so blessed with in this great nation.
So, please, please, as Christ's ambassador, Pray for our nation and leaders and the upcoming election (I Tim. 2:1-4), Vote, and then put your Hope in God! It is our great privilege and responsibility.
Forever His,
Pastor Dave
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