Question: 

Should my faith influence the way I choose to vote?

Answer: 

Proverbs 14:34 declares, “Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people.”

In some countries, the people have very little influence in governmental affairs. For example, at the time the New Testament was written, many Christians were forced to live under the rule of evil emperors such as Nero and Domitian. The only hope these Christians had was that their prayers would be answered and that God would one day rectify the situation (1 Timothy 2:1-2; Revelation 6:9-10).

Yet, in our country, we are blessed with a tremendous liberty. It is our right to vote or not to vote. The very fact we have such a right indicates we have a limited amount of influence over those who govern and legislate in our country. In other words, the righteous have a say in whether or not this country will be led by fair, moral and just individuals. It is sensible to allow our faith to influence our vote if we want to avoid reproach.

In fact, it is extremely important not to exclude faith from your decision. Colossians 3:17 says, “...whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord.” We must make sure our decisions bring glory to God. Thus, faith is a part of our entire life—how we dress, who we marry, how we talk, where we go, what career we choose and yes, how we vote.

Like any part of our faith, we should not allow tradition, popularity or selfishness to influence our decisions. Instead, one positive question to ask yourself may very well be, “Which of these candidates will be best suited to lead this country in a more godly direction?”

The Bible declares that the main job of government is to avenge the evildoer and protect the innocent (Romans 13:1-6). Please be careful not to vote for those who would support legislation that approves of sinful deeds. Such lawmakers will not make it easier on Christians, but harder. If your faith does not influence your vote, then it will only be a matter of time before lawmakers try to influence your faith!

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