To Vote or Not To Vote...

that is a question. Usually around election time this topic will show up in the pulpits across America. An even more pointed question is, how should a Christian vote? Someone against voting might quote Philippians 3.20 about our citizenship being in heaven. I think that is an accurate application and it certainly applies to voting. Another good scripture would be 2 Timothy 2.4 about a soldier not getting involved in civilian affairs, but concentrating on pleasing his commanding officer. I would hope that I would have the discipline to abandon considerably more of my worldly attitude than just giving up my right to vote if I lean on these particular passages of scripture to explain my position on not voting.

Paul in Acts 22.25 invokes his rights as a Roman citizen to save himself from a sure flogging at the hands of local authorities. Why does Paul speak up and not just take the beating that he had already endured on other occasions? I think Paul is using his rights as a Roman citizen to further the Kingdom of God. Paul's Roman citizenship is simply a tool in his arsenal provided by God. Many of us are blessed with tools at our disposal to further the Kingdom of God. I believe we will have to give an account of how we used those tools just as the servants in the parable of the talents in Matthew 25 are called to account for themselves.

If I honestly believe that not voting will further the Kingdom of God, I think it would be a sin to vote. If I honestly believe that voting will further the Kingdom of God, I think it would be a sin not to vote. Who I should vote for should fall under this same test. My vote or decision not to vote should be used like all of my other tools that God has blessed each of us with. All things in all ways should be used for the glory of God. Live Godly, speak Godly, and vote Godly. I believe people can be right on both sides of this argument.