Our Faith, Our Voice, Our Responsibility

With Election Day being tomorrow, I want to take a moment to encourage you to prayerfully consider the responsibility and privilege we have as American citizens to participate in the voting process. I understand the concern of feeling as if your vote does not matter or that you don't care for either candidate, but I want to show you why it is important for Christians to get out and vote.

First, we, as followers of Jesus, are called to be salt and light in this world (Matthew 5:13-16). Our faith should influence every area of our lives, including how we engage with the culture and community around us.
 
Second, we have a responsibility to be faithful stewards of the opportunities God has given us here on earth. Voting is one of those opportunities. As Americans, we are blessed to live in a nation where we have a voice in choosing who leads and makes decisions that affect our families, churches, schools, and communities. This is a privilege and an opportunity that we should not take lightly.

I was always taught that politics has no business in the church. I agree, but as time has gone on, politics has become more spiritual. The church has not moved; politics has. When the government moved into redefining marriage, destroying gender as God designed it, and calling abortion "reproductive rights" - that is when the Bible started sounding political. These are Bible issues, and Christians must engage with its culture as culture seeks to change what the Bible says.
 
So, how do we vote? This is a tough question. We must remember that Jesus is not on the ballot, and until He is, every candidate you vote for is flawed! With that commonality in mind, I want to give you some thoughts on how Christians should vote:

1. Pray before you vote - Ask God for wisdom and discernment as you go to the polls. Prayerfully evaluate each candidate. Pray as you vote, and as the results come in. Inevitably, some candidates you did not vote for will win, but our responsibility to pray does not change. Scripture calls us to pray for our nation, its leaders, and those running for public office. Bathe the election, those running, and the winners in prayer.
2. Let Scripture shape your ballot - Because every candidate is flawed; you cannot vote for an individual, you must vote for ideology and policy. Wayne Grudem, the theologian, makes the case that "a candidate's policies matter more than their personal flaws because public policy impacts the entire nation." That is true. I may disagree with or dislike a person's personality or character, but that doesn't impact my everyday life - the policies that they pass do. This is why allowing Scripture to shape your ballot matters. Our beliefs should be rooted in God's Word rather than simply following the opinions of the culture around us. Prayerfully consider how your selections reflect your Biblical convictions. Vote for life. Vote for traditional marriage. Vote for two distinct genders the way God designed it. Vote for protection of religious liberty (in churches and in our Christian schools). Vote what you believe from Scripture! 
3. Remember that your hope is not who is elected; your hope is in Who is on the throne - Elections matter, leadership matters, and the direction of our nation matters, but our ultimate hope is not in our nation; it is in Jesus Christ. Our hope is not in a political party, a candidate, or government - our hope is in Jesus. Steward your vote well, but don't place your hope in your vote. Whatever happens with the results of election day tomorrow, we have hope and joy, because our hope and joy are in Jesus who is sitting on the throne!

I firmly believe that the leaders elected to govern our nation carry real moral weight and responsibility, but I also believe that the people who choose those leaders carry responsibility as well. Steward that responsibility and weight well.
 
With that responsibility in mind, I want to encourage you to not sit this one out. If you have not voted, go to your polling place tomorrow and cast your vote. A lot is at stake in this election cycle, and I want to encourage you to steward that responsibility well. Evaluate candidates through a Biblical lens, and above all, keep your allegiance where it belongs - to King Jesus, not a political candidate or party.

May we be a people who stand firmly on God's Word, engage our culture with love and truth, and faithfully represent Jesus in all that we do.
 
You are loved,
Pastor Josh