The November midterm election is here! In Texas and many states across the nation, early voting has started. At every election, American citizens have the power to hire or fire their elected officials, but only if they vote!
Sadly, the non-partisan movement, My Faith Votes, reports that more than 25 million Christians don’t vote in Presidential Elections and 65 million Christians don’t vote in local elections.
So the obvious question is, “Why don’t Christians vote?”
Understanding why Christians don’t vote
Unfortunately, the Church has not always taught biblically about how to engage civically as Christian citizens. Many times, the Church has downplayed politics or even shunned it completely, which only further pushes Christians to exit the political sphere. As there are no spiritual vacuums on earth, the enemy has come in like a flood and tried to destroy the very foundation upon which America was built.
The Church must wake up and take back her authority!
Biblical criteria for voting
Our Founding Fathers established our nation as a Constitutional Republic based on biblical truth. Exodus 18:21 says, “Moreover, you shall select from all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place such over them to be rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens.”
In this verse, God even tells us the criteria to vote:
- Vote for leaders who fear God
- Vote for leaders who value truth
- Vote for leaders who hate covetousness
In a fallen world, we understand that we will never have a perfect candidate. Unfortunately, Jesus isn’t running for office! In every case then, we have the duty to vote for the candidate who most closely aligns with these criteria or the “lesser of two evils” made available through our election process.
Given how blessed Americans are to have the power to choose our elected officials and not be ruled by the whims of a king, dictator, or oligarchy, why do so many Christians forgo their right to vote? Essentially, this means that as many as 65 million Christians aren’t represented by their elected leaders. Inaction is action, in that Christians that don’t vote enable unrighteous and wicked leaders to be elected. Proverbs 29:2 says, “When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn.” America is mourning.
We can see that across America our nation has quickly descended into violence, lawlessness, corruption, and moral decay.
Let’s now dispel some of the myths Christians have believed about politics that are keeping them from engaging in the political process.
Voting Myth 1: Politics is worldly and dirty!
FALSE! Jesus says in Matthew chapter 5, “You are the salt of the earth… You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead, they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” Indeed, for salt to have an effect, it must be applied to that which you want to preserve! For light to have its effect, it must shine in the darkness!
Jesus has called us to be the salt and light in every area of society including the political realm. If politics is worldly and dirty, it’s precisely because Christians have exited the scene. What’s the remedy? Christians must get involved, share the Lord’s love and grace in leadership positions, expel corruption, and be the salt and light in this dark place.
Voting Myth 2: Politics has nothing to do with spreading the gospel!
FALSE! The spreading of the gospel is furthered when the laws of our land promote religious liberty. The pilgrims fled intense religious persecution in Europe, making the dangerous voyage to America, to have the freedom to practice their faith. Why? “For the glory of God, and advancement of the Christian faith,” according to the famed Mayflower Compact. The pilgrims founded Plymouth Colony in America, combining themselves together into a ‘civil body politic,’ to spread the gospel!
The pilgrims were right. Religious liberty is the foundation of all our civil liberties. When our government recognizes this and promotes freedom of religion rather than hindering it, the Church and the people can live out their faith freely, evangelize, and flourish.
In 1 Timothy 2:1-4, Paul says, “I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people—for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.”
In a Constitutional Republic, we can not only pray for our government, but we can also VOTE for the leaders who will lead our government. It is imperative Christians get out and vote for righteous men and women who won’t shut down our churches, ban bible studies, or persecute Christians, but will rather, stand up for our freedom to worship!
Voting Myth 3: There’s no point in voting if there’s election fraud!
FALSE! Essentially, this is equivalent to throwing in the towel and going home before the game even starts. You are giving the other side victory without even a fight! While reports of election fraud are extremely discouraging, it doesn’t negate our duty to vote.
The 2020 Presidential Election exposed a lot of corruption in our election process. Since then, many states passed election integrity laws to help elections to be more secure. The American people are now watching each election like never before. Let’s also remember that fraud wasn’t reported in every election. Some specific counties and cities seemed to have been targeted, so it may not have happened at your specific polling place.
Furthermore, our elections are only as honest as the people who run them. So, you can make a difference! Volunteer to be a poll watcher in your local election. Watch the activities at the polling place on Election Day. If an overwhelming number of Christians come out to vote and are involved in the electoral process, we can overcome the other side’s election fraud schemes.
Christians! It’s critically important to vote and engage!
While this isn’t an exhaustive list, we hope we’ve dispelled some of the myths that have prevented Christians from biblically engaging in politics.
If God is stirring your spirit to get more involved in politics and perhaps even run for office, visit our friends at Patriot Academy, which has many resources on what it all means to be a biblical citizen in modern America.
Here are some action items:
- Check your voter registration to make sure it is accurate
- Study the party platforms of the Republican Party and the Democrat Party. This will tell you where each party stands on the issues of our day and how they will vote. Which party platform aligns more with biblical values?
- Look up the candidates on your ballot
- Vote for righteous leaders and biblical values
- Call your friends and family to remind them to vote during early voting or vote on November 8th
- Volunteer in the election process
- Pray for righteous leaders to be elected
Patriot Mobile’s voter guide provides state-by-state resources for making our Christian voices heard this midterm election. Do not sit on the sidelines this fall. Exercise your voice and VOTE!
