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Have you ever considered the thought that not voting in an election for the leaders of your city, state and/or nation might be disobedience to God, that not voting might be sin?
Consider the following:
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Proverbs 29:2 tells the when the righteous rule the people rejoice but when the wicked rule the people groan. Therefore, if the church doesn’t intentionally disciple righteous men and women whom God can then use to put into places of civic leadership, who will develop the righteous men and women fit to serve? And, if the church does not show up to vote righteous men and women into office, who will do so? How many righteous men and women has God raised up for offices in which they never served because the church didn’t show up to vote them in?
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Proverbs 14:34 tells us righteousness exalts a nation (emphasis mine) and sin is a reproach to any people (aka nation). Again, if we don’t put in righteous leaders, what do we get?
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In Matthew 5:13-16, Jesus tells us to be salt and light. In Revelation 3:15 he tells us to be therapeutic and refreshing. How can we be those if we don’t show up? Read the verses. Jesus’ rebuke is harsh.
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Philippians 1:27 tells us to live lives worthy of the gospel of Jesus Christ. The Greek language there allows for two additional translations. One is to “behave as citizens.” Another, using classical Greek, allows us to say, “do politics.” How can we do politics – the effective manner of governing – if we don’t show up? How can we behave as citizens if we don’t show up? Answer: We can’t.
Voting is an act of worship.
Now, consider this: Voting is an act of worship. “Now, just you hold on!” you say?
Let’s use logic.
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Worship is not just about the songs we sing and the prayers we pray. Worship is a lifestyle of obedience to God. Therefore, every act we do is a reflection of our worship of Him. To disobey is to sin. Not to do the right thing is sin (see James 1:17). Our lives, marked by the occasional sins of commission and omission, are walking, living, breathing billboards of our worship of God.
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God put us in America. He created this nation and put the responsibility for stewarding it upon us. We are citizens of heaven (Philippians 3:20) called to be ambassadors to earth (2 Corinthians 5:20). What kind of ambassador are we, what kind of citizen are we, if we don’t help lead our culture? Part of leading is putting into office godly leaders. That means we show up. We vote. We do not worship America when we vote. It is an act of worshipping God.
Show up and vote!
Do you enjoy living in freedom? Thank God He put you here. Then show up and vote. You can be sure that those who hate God and want to take your freedom away are voting.
One final thought to those of the “God’s in control” crowd. Do you really think this is a legitimate reason not to vote?
Consider this: God has a sovereign will and a moral will. That means, ultimately He is in charge but He is not in control. He didn’t create robots. In other words, while His sovereign will can never be broken, His moral will often is. If we have been given the responsibility to steward our nation and we do not do so, we have broken God’s moral will. That is sin.
So, do your biblical citizenship duty. Be a good steward of what God has freely given you. Thank God you were born in America or naturalized here. He could have put you in North Korea, China, Somalia, France, Russia, or Iran. Instead, He put you here.
Show your worshipful gratitude. Vote for those whose positions best reflect biblical morality. Don’t abdicate any longer. We have a co-mission with God.
Show up and vote!
We have a nation to save.
Dale
Rev. Dale A. Witherington, Chief Steward
Restore Minnesota / Restore Minnesota ACTION
Dale@RestoreMN.org
www.RestoreMN.org |
