Ramblings from Retirement: How should a Christian vote?

Ramblings from Retirement: How should a Christian vote?
By Lee Hemen (Retired Pastor)
October 21, 2020

I have always found it kind of humorous when people get all excited about voting as a Christian simply because your definition of what makes a “Christian” might be quite different form another’s definition. If we can’t agree on who to vote for what makes you think we will agree on what the definition of Christian is? So like any good editor, writer, or researcher we must define what being a “Christian” is and there is no better place to begin than the Scriptures. (Bible for those of you who think that any mystical writing is “Scripture” and it is not.)

The very first place where we find the word “Christian” being used is in Acts 11:25-26 where Paul is describing a man named Barnabas who was a godly man that helped Paul with new churches: “Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. So for a whole year Barnabas and Saul met with the church and taught great numbers of people. The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch. (NIV)” The term literally means “little Christs” and some think it was meant to be derisive but it became an honor to be called one. However why were they called this? Good question that deserves to be answered.

The early church members were called “Christians” or ‘little Christs” because they exhibited certain characteristics to the community around them. Namely they displayed Christlike actions and attitudes. First and foremost that they believed in Jesus as the Christ, “anointed one” who would bring salvation to his world and interestingly God through the Prophet Isaiah related several hundred years before Jesus that “You will leave your name to my chosen ones as a curse; the Sovereign LORD will put you to death, but to his servants he will give another name. (Isaiah 65:15 NIV)” I believe the meaning is that there would be those who would see the name as a “curse” and they would die in their sins but to “his servants” he would “give another name” which would be an eternal blessing.

Often those in the world think that being a Christian is being nice, kind, and accepting of everyone and anything. This simply isn’t true. Jesus told Nicodemus, a rather knowledgeable man, that he was mistaken in his thinking concerning Jesus. He was trying to place his own prejudices onto who Jesus was just like many do today. Jesus then related to him, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son. This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God. (John 3:16-21 NIV)” Being a “Christian” is not just living nicely; it is placing your faith and trust in Jesus who will change you to live a holy life.

So, how are we to vote as Christians when those we vote for probably are not Christians? I am reminded of what Jesus taught about paying one’s taxes. He was asked by a bunch of scheming pinheads who were trying to entrap him, “Tell us then, what is your opinion? Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not?” They hoped Jesus would give an answer that would cause the authorities to come and imprison him. Matthew writes: “But Jesus, knowing their evil intent, said, ‘You hypocrites, why are you trying to trap me? Show me the coin used for paying the tax.’ They brought him a denarius, and he asked them, ‘Whose portrait is this? And whose inscription?’ ‘Caesar’s,’ they replied. Then he said to them, ‘Give to Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God what is God's.’ (Matthew 22:18-21 NIV)” Jesus understood his followers were to live in this sin-fallen world but they were not to be actively involved in promoting its evil. Therefore Christians should vote but we should vote the best we can. We are to look for those who would best encourage and support our Christian faith and values. To not vote as a believer is to tacitly standby and allow evil to gain the upper hand when we could have done something good by voting to stop it.

I know that the people I vote for probably are not Christians but I look at what they support or have done politically to support a godlier world. This is why I cannot vote for someone who as a politician is corrupt, used their position to enrich themselves or their family, or who supports and has voted for ungodly things like abortion, ungodly lifestyles, or enslaving others by creating dependence on the government instead of self-reliance. It is from the Bible that the writers of our Constitution got the ideals of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness and that certain “rights” were God-given. As Christians and as Americans we have the biblical responsibility to vote our faith.
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This article is copyrighted © 2020 by Lee Hemen and is the sole property of Lee Hemen, and may not be used unless you quote the entire article and have my permission.