Why We Need to Vote Biblically

The Bible says, “Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to the people” (Proverbs 14:34 NKJV).

With the presidential election upon us, I want to urge all believers to get out and vote. Frankly, I don’t think you have any right to be critical or to complain about the state of our country if you do not take the time to vote.

Some might say, “Well, we Christians are not of this world, so maybe I’ll just vote for Jesus!” Please. Jesus does not need your vote; He has already earned a position “far above any ruler or authority or power or leader or anything else—not only in this world but also in the world to come” (Ephesians 1:21 NLT).

Your vote is important.

The Responsibility of Every Christian

I don’t know that I would say it is a sin to not vote, but I believe it is a huge mistake that is perhaps bordering on a sin at the worst, and at the least is completely irresponsible and bad stewardship. Scripture tells us, “To him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin” (James 4:17 NKJV).

It’s often said that we should vote our conscience. I think that is fine, if in fact your conscience is biblically informed. It is my belief that we should vote for the candidates and policies that best reflect the values we find in Scripture.

We are living in a time where it is politically incorrect to have certain views. Biblical views. But every Christian should address issues biblically, regardless of whether it has political ramifications or whether it’s popular.

So I would not only encourage every Christian to vote, but I would challenge Christians to vote from a biblical worldview. This means understanding the moral and ethical issues on which the Bible is clear.

Voting by Biblical Standards

In the Ten Commandments, God gives us very clear standards that should inform the votes we cast.

Take the fifth Commandment, for example: “Honor your father and your mother” (Exodus 20:12). In His law, before a word is spoken about how you treat others, God starts with the family.

It has been said that a family can survive without a nation, but a nation cannot survive without the family. And God set it up bringing a man and a woman together in marriage. That is His order.

Today, there is an attack on the family. There is a movement afoot in our country to redefine marriage and family. From the continuing normalization of homosexuality to the efforts to eradicate the family as we know it, we’re in dangerous territory.

Did you know that they can trace most social ills to the breakdown of the family? Kids that get into drugs. Teens that get pregnant. People that turn to violent crime. In almost every instance they traced it back to the breakdown of the family and specifically to the absence of the father.

We should do everything we can to support marriage and the family in our voting. And to personalize it: We should do everything we can to strengthen our own marriages, so our families are strong.

“You Shall Not Murder”

This brings us to another topic that every Christian to consider, and that is abortion. This not really debatable.

The sixth Commandment is clear: “You shall not murder” (Exodus 20:13 NKJV).

The word murder means to dash in pieces. It is never used to describe the death of an opponent in war, nor the death meted out through capital punishment. Abortion takes an innocent life.

The Bible not does give a mixed message as to when life begins. It’s plain in pointing out that life begins at conception.

Read David’s words in Psalm 139:13–16:

You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body

    and knit me together in my mother’s womb.

Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex!

    Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it.

You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion,

    as I was woven together in the dark of the womb.

You saw me before I was born.

    Every day of my life was recorded in your book.

Every moment was laid out

    before a single day had passed. (NLT)

God has a plan for every baby out there regardless of the circumstances of their conception. There are not illegitimate children. Maybe illegitimate parents. No illegitimate children. Abortion is not the answer.

Thinking Through the Issues

Some people might say, “Don’t talk about these things. You’re getting too political.” Wait a second. I am not going to back away from a topic because it is a political hot button in the moment. These are spiritual issues and moral issues.

Don’t forget slavery was once a political issue too. It was the law of the land. You had the right to own slaves. Was that wrong? Well of course it was. Our own President Abraham Lincoln helped to abolish slavery in his emancipation proclamation.

And a lesser-known person who had a significant impact over in England was William Wilberforce. He was a British parliamentarian who came to faith in Christ and instead of sitting idly by he used his power in the political world to overturn the slave trade in England. There may be times when there is a little bit of a bleed over into the political world, but we must stand for what is true.

We must think and we must act biblically.

After the Votes Are Counted

Let me just say that whoever wins this presidential election will have my prayers. I believe that God is ultimately in control here, and once that man is elected—be it Donald Trump or Joe Biden—he will need our prayerful support, that God will give him wisdom and direction.

Scripture reminds us in Proverbs 21:1 that “The king’s heart is like a stream of water directed by the LORD; he turns it wherever he pleases” (NLT).

At this point in our history, our country has a choice, and I’m not talking about Democrat or Republican. Rather, our options are judgment or revival. The ultimate hope for real and lasting change in America is a spiritual awakening. The future of our country will not be decided by the ballot box, but in the prayer closet.

So let’s pray earnestly and vote biblically. Christian, your vote matters! Go out there and make a difference.

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Learn more about Pastor Greg Laurie.

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