SWORD OF THE SPIRIT                                                                                               1305

“Election Year”

Choose this day whom you will serve… But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.” – Joshua 24:15

Yes, it is that time again. Lawn signs and placards grow like weeds, TV, and social media ads assault us and our mailboxes are stuffed with ‘Vote for Me’ bulk mailings.

As citizens we are faced with choices: 1) Whom do I vote for? and 2) Do I bother to vote at all?

As Christians we have dual citizenships: The Kingdom of Heaven, and that of our earthly country. Our obligation is threefold.

1 – Our first duty is to live and act in obedience to God and the Truth of His Word.

2 – Likewise, we are to glorify God in doing good while in this world.

3 – We participate in the election process and vote for the glory of God and for the good of others.

A threefold cord is not quickly broken. – Ecclesiastes 4:12

Granted, our election process has been fraught with fraud and corruption, and we are tempted to ‘throw in the towel’, give up, and abstain from voting. But, hey – Newsflash: We live in a fallen world. Are you looking for perfection in a sinful world? You won’t find it this side of Heaven and our dual citizenship obligation is to be a sanctifying influence in this dark world. God says that you, individually, and collectively can make a difference.

You are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God – Ephesians 2:19

You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet.

You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. – Matthew 5:13-16

You are … a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. …

Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to… keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that … they may see your good deeds and glorify God …

Be subject for the Lord’s sake to every human institution… For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people.

Live as people who are free … as servants of God. Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor. – 1 Peter 2:9-17

Many ask, ‘What do I do when the choices are both evil – do I vote for the lesser of two evils?’

Again, keep in mind that we do live in a fallen world, and we will be faced with the choice between two evils often.

Our first consideration should be to base our vote on the issues and platform presented rather than voting for the most charismatic candidate.

But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.” – 1 Samuel 16:7

I do not advocate abstaining from our Christian and civic duty of voting. When faced with both evil candidates and platform values that violate God’s Word and Biblical Christian values, I would exercise my freedom to write in a candidate that I believe should be elected and whose values are aligned with the Word of God. In doing so, I may not have influenced the election results, but I have honored my dual-citizenship obligation and at a minimum, I have a testimony to share that holds God’s light high and may influence my fellow man for Christ.

Ultimately, we need to pray for all candidates. God can change and direct the hearts of the most hardened and secular of them all.

Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven; The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord; he turns it wherever he will. – Proverbs 21:1; Matthew 6:10

In exercising our dual citizenship voting obligation we should seek guidance from the Holy Spirit and vote in accordance with the Truth of His Word. Our vote can be the one that decides between life and death for those that an evil society considers a burden: the unborn, elderly, homeless and infirm.

I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore, choose life, that you and your offspring may live – Deuteronomy 30:19

Who is the man who fears the LORD? Him will he instruct in the way that he should choose. – Psalms 25:12

Let us choose what is right; let us know among ourselves what is good. – Job 34:4