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If Fraud Exists, What's the Point of Voting?
If we have heard it once, we have heard it a thousand times. It is time to address this mentality among Christians.
Government is God’s construct, not man’s. The just purposes of human government include the commendation of good, the punishment of evil, the maintenance of peace, and the protection of the oppressed.
In the United States, we have been blessed with the unique opportunity to influence our government. Our Constitution established a federal democratic republic. It is the system of the Federal Government; it is democratic because the people govern themselves, and it is a republic because the Government’s power is derived from its people. The purpose of our Federal Government, as found in the Preamble of the Constitution, is to: "establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our posterity."
The Founding Fathers established three main principles on which our Government is based:
- Inherent rights, or rights that anyone living in America has
- Self-government, or Government by the people
- Separation of powers, or branches of Government with separate powers
We were designed as “the land of the free and home of the brave” and we were a nation that honored Him first. But FREEDOM, BRAVERY, and living as ONE NATION UNDER GOD have been waning in the past few decades in our nation. The cost is becoming quite evident. How has this happened?
We have an enemy that is alive and well, streaming through the airwaves, walking the halls of government, and invading our homes and our churches. His authority has grown through our own passivity. We have gone from a “because the Bible says so” society, tethered to the absolute Truth, to a “there’s no absolute truth so I don’t care what you think” society where rebellion abounds and is called normal. This is precisely what happens when God’s Word is no longer used in guidance and instruction, honored with the authority it must have for a society to thrive in peace and unity.
Pastors in the new nation of America led the narrative of morality across the land, from their pulpit- boldly, without compromise. The church was the focal point of the community and its greatest influence.
But as time has passed, false interpretations of separation of church and state have taken hold. The separation of church and state was never intended to exclude men from seeking God in and through our government. It was meant to exclude the government from dictating the church’s actions and vice versa. In a paradox, the narrative of separation of church and state is now being perverted to create the very thing it was intending to halt- the government dictating to the church what it can and cannot do.
What are we to do?
We are to be obedient to God. That is all. We are to be obedient even when it makes no sense to us (Genesis 6:14 Noah is told to build a massive ark). We are obedient even though it looks like our efforts would be futile in the face of the expanse of evil before us (1 Samuel 17 David and Goliath; 2 Kings 6:15-17 Elisha and his servant are surrounded). We are to be obedient even though the immediate result is not what we would desire. We trust God with His larger vision. (Luke 22:42 Jesus in Gethsemane).
We are to be obedient because it is through our obedience that God blesses - us, our families, our communities, our state, our nation, the world.
-Did God give us armor just for us to do nothing? Ephesians 6:13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day and having done all, to stand firm.
-Did God tell us not to bother to do what is right because evil men prevail? Galatians 5:1 For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.
-Did God tell us to passively accept defeat? Galatians 6:9 And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up
God Requires Obedience Regardless of the Outcome
Throughout scripture, God links two things together- repeatedly. Those are obedience and blessing. When you see the two, the former always precedes the latter. Consider the following:
Isaiah 1:19 If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land
Exodus 23:22 But if you carefully obey his voice and do all that I say, then I will be an enemy to your enemies and an adversary to your adversaries.
Jeremiah 7:23 But this command I gave them: ‘Obey My voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be my people. And walk in all the way that I command you, that it may be well with you.’
Romans 5:19 For as by the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man's obedience the many will be made righteous.
Nowhere in scripture can I find a place where God says, “Yes, I see the enemy is large and surrounding you. Just sit back and do nothing, refuse to do as I have asked, and it will be ok.”
To Be Obedient, We Must Act
We encourage you, therefore, to carefully consider the answer to your question. We may never know exactly how God uses our obedience. We may believe the system is corrupt. We may not like the outcome of an election or the direction our leadership is taking us. We may not understand what God is doing and why He is allowing things to happen the way they do. We see through the glass dimly. (1Cor 13:12)
But we can be certain of this. When we are obedient to “going without knowing” or when we are incapable of understanding why things unfold as they do, our obedience remains immensely valuable. God will use it in His way, in His time and we are to trust Him. Yes, trust and obey. There is no other way.
In the face of evil, we must persist for good. It is not when we see the evil that we back down. It is exactly when we move forward, press onward, doing the right things as God instructs. Then we trust Him with the outcome. Regardless of what evil men do, we are called to obey God, trust God, and move forward though we may not always understand the details.
The question isn’t whether Christians should engage politically, but whether we will do it well. It is through our obedience that God makes a way.
Pray. Do good. Go vote. Act. Stand for God in the public square.
Proverbs 3:5-6: Trust in the Lord with all your heart. Lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your path. (This is another example of obedience followed by blessing.)
For an insightful discussion as to why we are to be engaged in government, one of God’s designed institutions, please watch our video with Pastor Jack Hibbs.
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My Faith Votes—is a nonpartisan movement that motivates, equips and activates Christians in America to vote in every election, transforming our communities and influencing our nation with biblical truth. By partnering with national faith leaders, My Faith Votes provides resources to help Christians Pray, Think, and Act to create an America where God is honored in the public square.
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