Election day is coming up. Are you tired of the politic ads yet? As election day approaches, I have found myself wrestling through a question…does a follower of Jesus have a spiritual obligation to vote?
Because the Bible doesn’t mention voting specifically, we are left to assume and surmise. However, I think there are good reasons a Christian should vote:
Voting affirms the importance of leadership. Leadership matters to God. The bible is full of examples of both good and bad leaders. As you read those stories, you quickly see the impact that good and Godly leaders can have on a community. Voting allows us the opportunity to select leaders that will lead well. This is an incredible gift in our culture. Like Israel, we don’t always do this well, but nonetheless, the opportunity is present.
Voting can be an expression of love. Because you love your community, you want good for your community. Voting allows us to speak into policies, vote on candidates, and pass referendums that will ultimately serve our communities well. This is an expression of love.
Voting is an expression of our civic rights. Biblically, rights are not the most important thing we have as citizens. There are multiple texts that talk about believers laying down their rights. However, in Acts 22 we see an example of Paul using his civic right as a Roman citizen to save his own life. Civic rights, like voting, are a tool that we have to improve the quality of life for ourselves and our fellow citizens. It is hard to imagine, if Paul had the opportunity, he wouldn’t be first in line to vote.
Voting is an expression of civic duty. As I said earlier, the Bible doesn’t mention voting, but it does mention other civic duties such as paying taxes. Paul will write in Romans 13 that Christians should engage in that civic duty. How different is voting from paying taxes as an obligation?
That being said, I also think that there are legitimate reasons why a Christian may choose not to vote:
There are no good candidates. I’ve heard multiple Christians say this over the years. I don’t feel free to vote for any of the candidates on the ticket. The lesser of two evils is still voting for evil. They humbly abstain.
Unity. I am hearing more and more Christians say that they are taking a step back from politics because of the issue of unity. They see how divisive this has become in culture, but also in the church and they don’t want to participate. Jesus’ high priestly prayer in John was that we would be one (unified) not that we would become a huge voting constituency. Everything has become political, and this does great damage to the cause of Christ.
Do I have a spiritual obligation to vote?
I think voting would fall into a biblical category of disputable matters or matters of freedom. There are reasons a person might feel called to vote and there are reasons a person might feel called to not vote. Pray. Seek God. Engage in great conversations. Decide if voting is right for you.
If you decide to vote…
Exercise your freedom well. Be well informed.
Allow your faith to influence your vote and how you see the issues and candidates.
Don’t allow your vote to become a source of disunity in your church.
Demonstrate great patience in political dialogue.
Love the other side well.
Encourage, Challenge, and Equip 