Pro 29:2 When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn.
1Ti 2:1 I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men;
1Ti 2:2 For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.
Rom 13:1 Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.
Rom 13:2 Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation.
Rom 13:3 For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same:
Rom 13:4 For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil.
Rom 13:5 Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake.
Rom 13:6 For for this cause pay ye tribute also: for they are God's ministers, attending continually upon this very thing.
Rom 13:7 Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour.
A while back I had a friend ask me, “How do I know who to vote for as a Christian? The vast majority of the candidates are not people I would worship with, so on how much can we disagree without violating my conscience by voting for them?”
Let me begin by saying we have an extremely unique opportunity in America. The ability to have a say in who it is that will be making the laws that will affect you and your children for generations to come, is a privilege rarely enjoyed - not only in today’s world - but in the history of the world! With that in mind, the decision not to vote is not merely a mockery of the lives that were given to obtain that right, but an abdication of your Christian duty to procure a safe and moral country for yourself and your posterity. Should a day come when every candidate in a political race does not meet my most basic qualifications, I would still exercise my right to write in the name of someone I did feel was qualified. For I believe I will give an answer to God one day, for the people I made an attempt to put in authority with my vote! That being said, let me attempt to give some biblical and common sense qualifications that we should look for in a candidate.
The first thing we must understand in answering this question is that as Christians our first allegiance is to God and his laws, not America and her laws. Therefore, in voting for a candidate for public office, our first qualifications are not economic, national security or social welfare questions; but how does this candidate feel about God’s laws and how far are they willing to go to uphold them. Regardless of how much we may agree with a candidate on their social issues, if they are opposed to God’s laws, I cannot vote for them and still claim that my highest allegiance lies with God. The candidate that promotes or ignores the infanticide raging in this nation can never have my vote, for God has commanded us not to murder. The candidate that promotes fornication by promoting government sex-ed funding, likewise will not have my vote. Homosexual rights, militant government invasion on a parent’s authority over their children, racism, euthanasia of any sort and the force-feeding of evolution are a few other moral issues that would disable me from voting for a candidate whose platform included one or any combination of them.
All that being said, a candidate’s personal life will not keep me from voting for them, unless it is an area that would obviously change their legislative actions. I.e. I would vote for a divorced candidate, although I believe divorce is a sin in most situations. I would vote for a Catholic, although I would disagree with most of his doctrine. I would not vote for someone who was homosexual, because obviously they would have a personal motivation to legislate that particular immorality. I would not vote for an atheist, because he believes there are no moral absolutes.
Another important point in choosing a candidate is that a Christian should never stoop to voting for “the lesser of two evils”. To vote for a candidate that will legislate immorality, in an attempt to keep someone out that you think will legislate greater immorality, is twisted logic and not in any way biblical. As Bob Jones once said, “It’s never right to do wrong to get a chance to do right.”
The role of a government authority is to execute judgment on evil-doers and reward the righteous with a peaceful life. I encourage you to step up and perform your duty to put those in authority that will properly implement those standards. You will be judged both by future generations, and more importantly God, on either the way you voted or your apathy and abdication of duty in not voting at all. I encourage you therefore, to do your due diligence in finding the most qualified candidates, based on God’s qualifications, and vote both in the June 1 primaries and the November general elections.
