As a follower of Christ, I am happy to say I will not vote in this election, nor in any other one, for I am submissive to a higher government.
And I'm not going to give you any Christian Apologetics about how capitalism thrives on sin, or about how the Constitution pressures the heart into idolatrous, or about how every politician is a slave to the system that Christians should run from. Or about how sinful they all are, or about how voting inside of a system that tempts people away from their allegiance to God is wrong. Or how voting for someone somehow alleviates my duty as a Christian to be the light of the world, because I am asking them to do it for me...
No. Ignore all those things. Instead, let me just embolden your to lay your mind upon verses from the Bible itself. Let me start with Jesus Christ, and His idea of being a part of the political system:
"The devil led him up to a high place and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. And he said to him, “I will give you all their authority and splendor, for it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to. So if you worship me, it will all be yours.” Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.” (Luke 4:5-8)
And I will follow Christ, and He will be my perfect example of how I should live. Not in the system, but, outside of it. And I am not entertaining any election, except that of my own soul, nor do I want any power of my own in this world.
“You know that the rulers of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and the great ones exercise authority over them. Thus will it not be among you. But whoever wishes to become great among you, he will be your servant; and whoever wishes to be first among you, he will be your slave even as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.” (Matthew 20:25-28)
So, no matter who wins this election, it does not matter to me, a Christian. For I am commanded by Paul and Peter to love and to serve and to submit.
"Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with grief, for this would be unprofitable for you."(Hebrews 13:17)
And
"Be in subjection to every human institution for the sake of the Lord, whether to the king as being supreme, or to governors as being sent by him for vengeance to evildoers and praise to well doers, because the will of God is this: doing good, to put to silence the ignorance of foolish men, as free, and not having the freedom as a cover-up for evil, but as servants of God.
Honor everyone: love the brotherhood, fear God, Honor the king. Servants, be subject to masters with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the unreasonable. For this is acceptable, if for sake of conscience toward God, anyone endures griefs, suffering unjustly. For what kind of credit is it, if sinning and being struck, you shall endure? But if you shall endure doing good and suffering, this is commendable before God." (I Peter 2:13-20)
Again,
"Let every soul be subject to the authorities being above him. For there is no authority except by God; but those existing are having been instituted by God. Therefore the one rebelling against the authority has resisted the ordinance of God, and those having resisted will bring judgment upon themselves. For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Now do you desire not to fear the authority? Do the good, and you will have praise from him. For he is God’s servant to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For He is God’s servant, an avenger for wrath to the one doing evil.
Therefore it is necessary to be subject, not only on account of wrath, but also on account of the conscience. For because of this, you also pay taxes; for they are servants of God, attending continually upon this very thing. Render to all their dues: tax to whom tax, revenue to whom revenue, respect to whom respect, honor to whom honor.
Owe nothing to anyone, except to love one another; for the one loving the other has fulfilled the Law. For, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not covet,”a and if there is any other commandment, it is summed up in this word, in, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”b Love does not do evil to its neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the Law." (Romans 13:1-10)
And did you forget that Jesus Christ Himself said the same thing about obeying authorities?
""Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's." (Mark 12:17, Matthew 22:21, Luke 20:25)
And one final thought, as you mull over these passages... If you ever have to choose between doing things God's way or Man's way, you should always choose God. When pressed for an answer, at the firing line, when the guillotine is about to drop... You should remember the words of Peter: "But Peter and the apostles answered, "We must obey God rather than men."
This article was mostly plagiarized.
