I’m writing from my own context in the United States, where we have a presidential election coming up in just a matter of days. Many argue that it is the most consequential national election of our lifetime. I am not sure just how ultimately important this election will be (time will tell), but I agree that it is an important and consequential election. As such, I would encourage every disciple of Jesus in America to vote. And you should vote, first and foremost, in a way that honors King Jesus.
I can sympathize with the argument of some young adults and pacifists I know, that, “No matter who is President, Jesus is my King.” That is a true, noble, and great statement and vision. Yet some who advocate for this posture make it a rationale for being neutral about voting or for choosing not to vote at all. While I respect Christians who make this choice to stay neutral, I disagree with it.
I have three reasons why I advocate that we should all vote and encourage other disciples of Jesus to vote with us. But first, did you know that in the last U.S. presidential election, around 30 million Bible-believing Christians didn’t vote? That election was decided by 42,000 votes. Those numbers help us see how disciples of Jesus could make a huge impact on the policies and laws of the land. We do not want to shirk back and let non-believers guide the direction of our country away from what’s good and true—when we have the ability to speak up for the values of King Jesus by how we vote.
1. Citizens in a constitutional republic are supposed to vote
Our system was established as a form of government that relies on citizens to do their part in voting. In a constitutional republic, the elected leaders are representatives of the people. We elect the representatives of the people. So, when you look at a true organizational chart of the United States of America, those who are at the top of the nation are citizens like you and me. In its best sense, we live in a nation that is to be led by “we, the people.”
Os Guinness puts it this way: “We are not under Roman rule. We are citizens of a Republic, and every citizen is responsible for the health and vitality of the Republic.” As such, please do your part, vote, and help lead this nation.
“In its best sense, we live in a nation that is to be led by ‘we, the people.'”
2. Disciples of Jesus are supposed to champion the ways of Jesus
Two passages are poignant in their description of what God wants for our government. First Timothy 2:1-4 tell us how to pray for our government, and in this context, we see what government’s role ought to be with relation to the church:
“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.” (1 Timothy 2:1-4, NIV)
This passage tells us that God wants our government to operate so that 1) Christians can live peaceful and quiet lives (not worried about threats and persecution), and 2) Christians can live in all godliness and holiness (i.e., that the government and its policies would leave us free to live godly and holy lives). I am praying with the apostle Paul for these things in our land, and I am going to vote for these things too.
“…that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness…”
Second, Romans 13:1-7 teaches us the proper relationship we are to have to government.
“Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. . . . For the one in authority is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason…” (Romans 13:1, 4a, NIV)
This passage teaches us that God sovereignly has established government, and it has his authority behind it (and hence he has authority to judge governments which abuse their authority, as we see in Amos 1-2).[1] God has established the government for our good. If that is the case, then as we are able, we ought to do our part to help the government to do good, to have policies that function for people’s good. We need to vote with those ends in mind.
Don’t let anyone intimidate you from advocating for what you know is right. Vote for godliness and goodness, even as you remain realistic about the great many things government cannot do. Martin Luther King Jr. once said: “It may be true that the law cannot make a man love me, but it can stop him from lynching me, and I think that’s pretty important.”
“God sovereignly has established government, and it has his authority behind it.”
3. Disagreement is inevitable because democracies permit it and worldviews produce it
The idea that we must not offend non-Christians by our voting choices does not make sense. The country will always be led by people who lead with values that many others do not embrace; that is our system. Do not be intimidated by that reality. Democracies permit disagreement, and any two people with different worldviews will disagree in significant ways. That’s just the reality.
Speaking of worldviews, the strategy of secular progressivism in our culture has been to take moral issues and give them religious overtones, but reframe them as political issues, and then accuse any pastor and devout Christian who addresses them of “getting political.”
Yet the church isn’t getting more political; rather politics are getting more religious.
It’s not uncommon for progressive politicians to legislate relatively new approaches to morality. Many times, the government moves past developing a military for self-defense, building roads, and issuing driver’s licenses, to new horizons such as redefining marriage, making gender more fluid, rebranding abortion as “reproductive justice,” and indoctrinating kids into believing those things. When governments do such things, it is imposing a secular, progressive “religion” of sorts on us.
“It’s not uncommon for progressive politicians to legislate relatively new approaches to morality.”
When churches address these changes, we need to remember that the church didn’t move; it’s the politics that have changed. Many political stances have become an explicit religious challenge for followers of Jesus. This shouldn’t be surprising, as it is historically the nature of power to want to expand beyond its borders.
We cannot let secular progressivism box in our mission as disciples of Jesus. As John Whittaker and Daniel McCoy point out in Following Jesus in a Politically Divided World, it is our heritage as disciples of Jesus to champion values which, when absent, impoverish society. For example,
Truth
Humanity’s dignity and worth
Care for the poor, lowly, and marginalized
Marriage and sexuality
Generosity
Justice
Forgiveness
Hope
Love
Dallas-area pastor Josh Howerton states it well: “People often object to Christians advocating for abortion restrictions, ‘You’re imposing your morality on the mother!’ And that’s true. But when abortion is legalized, the mother is (lethally) imposing her morality on the baby. The question isn’t whether someone’s morality gets imposed on other people. The question is whose morality gets imposed.”
Also, the same people saying, “You can’t impose your morality on other people” are often the ones imposing an LGBTQ agenda on society, even though it is contrary to Scripture and it breaks God’s heart.
“When churches address these changes, we need to remember that the church didn’t move; it’s the politics that have changed.”
Progressives easily say to Christians that we can’t advocate for our beliefs in the public square while they can advocate for theirs. But again, voting and advocating for their beliefs is what everyone in a democracy does. Yet Christians are increasingly the main group in society who are supposed to feel ashamed for doing so. Don’t fall for it.
Decide how to vote according to the values and virtues of Jesus . . . and vote!
Conclusion
In summary, I believe that church leaders need to educate their people on the biblical principles that are at stake, which include both policies and personalities. What does Jesus say about these things and how should we act on them?
I know that not everyone in the RENEW.org Network will agree with how I handled this topic in my home church, but I made a presentation on the issues at stake in the election. The first part was just published, and you can check it out here:
Watch the podcast episode “Doing our Best to Vote Like Jesus,” in Scripture in Black and White. You can also listen to it here
If you’re a church leader, how should you handle these issues with your congregation? That’s between you and God and other trustworthy leaders in your church. As for me, my goal, as a spiritual leader, even with my faults, is to do my best to shepherd and guide the people in the church where I am an elder/overseer. What this looked like for me was that I tried to do my best to bring biblical perspective on the issues at hand. And then I encouraged everyone to evaluate my guidance, based upon Scripture, and make their own decision. Then, I reiterated with the congregation how important it is that we vote. It may be that you have done or will do something similar with your congregation, or you might have a different approach.
Either way, let’s use this election as an opportunity to bow the knee to King Jesus and recommit to learning and walking in his Kingdom values.
I think it’s important to vote those values, and I hope you’ll join me.
Bobby Harrington
From Renew.org, used with permission
Bobby is the point-leader of RENEW.org and Discipleship.org, both collaborative, disciple making organizations. He is the founding and lead pastor of Harpeth Christian Church (by the Harpeth River, just outside of Nashville, TN). He has an M.A.R. and an M.Div. from Harding School of Theology and a Doctor of Ministry degree from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. He is the author of more than 12 books on discipleship, including Discipleshift (with Jim Putman and Robert Coleman), The Disciple Maker’s Handbook (with Josh Patrick) and Becoming a Disciple Maker: The Pursuit of Level 5 Disciple Making (with Greg Weins). He lives in the greater Nashville area with his wife and near his children and grandchildren.
[1] It is important to contrast the ideal we read about in Romans 13 with evil governments which fall way short of the ideal, like the one described in Revelation 13, which is established by Satan, even though it is ultimately under God’s sovereignty and he will judge it eventually.