Consider
some of the practices that government officials currently debate, legalize, or
even finance with our taxes: abortion, gambling, divorce, pornography,
homosexuality, contraceptives for unmarried teens, and "education"
that justifies some or all of these. Should Christians, gospel preachers, and
even churches speak out about such issues, or should we remain silent? If we do
not speak out, how do we fulfill our God-given duty to preach the truth and
rebuke error? See Revelation 3:19; Galatians 6:1,2; James 5:19,20; I
Thessalonians 5:14; Ephesians 5:11; 2 Timothy 4:2-4.
Does
the Bible contain examples of faithful servants of God speaking out when
government officials practiced or encouraged moral or religious evils? The
following passages show that we may and should do so: Matthew 14:1-4; 2 Samuel
12:1-15; 1 Kings 13:1-9; Acts 24:25. In our society individual citizens have
several ways to tell rulers we agree or disagree with their practices. One way
we may speak out is by voting for or against the rulers in elections.
Many
current government decisions will have major impact on our families. Men are
responsible to provide for their families, including protecting them from harm
(1 Timothy 5:8; Ephesians 5:28,29). Parents are responsible to provide a
wholesome upbringing for our children (Ephesians 6:4; Proverbs 22:6). If my
vote can help protect my family from evil government decisions and can help
provide a more wholesome environment in which to raise my children, why should I
refuse to vote?
Daniel
4:32 says the Most High rules in the kingdom of men and gives it to whomever He
chooses. Some have concluded this means Christians should not attempt to
influence who will or will not rule, since we do not know whom God would choose
and we might be working against the choice God has made.
But
note Esther 7:1-10 - A godly woman used her influence to bring down a wicked
ruler. Was she wrong? Should she just have prayed and done nothing, leaving the
matter entirely up to God? The main point of the book is that, instead of doing
nothing, she had the courage and wisdom to act for the good of her people, even
though she did not know what the outcome would be (4:6-17). [This is an Old
Testament example, but so is Daniel 4:32.]
The apostle
Paul often used his rights as a Roman citizen to work for his own protection
from evil and to help further the gospel. See Acts 22:24-29; 23:12-33;
25:10-12; 16:35-40; Esth. 7:1-6. Our government gives citizens the right to
voice their views about who should govern us. If Paul used his rights to
protect himself and help further the gospel, why should we not use the right to
vote given us by our government? Can we not thereby help protect ourselves and
our families from harm, while also helping maintain our freedom to preach and
practice the truth?
1
Timothy 2:1,2 shows that we should pray for rulers. Some say this means we
should just pray and leave it up to God what to do about government issues. Yet
God also tells us to pray for our daily bread (Matthew 6:11). Does this mean we
should just sit back and let God do it all, or should we try to find a job and
let God use us as the means to answer the prayer? Should we avoid looking for a
job because we might take a job other than the one God in His providence wanted
us to take?
3 John
2 shows that we should pray for good health. Some people mistakenly believe
that going to a doctor shows a lack of faith in God's power to answer prayer.
Yet Christians know that the doctor may be the very means God uses to answer
the prayer! We all realize that there may be situations in which God does not
will for us to get better, but that does not prevent us from going to the
doctor. If God has not revealed His will in such specific cases, then we must
do what we believe to be best, while yet being willing to submit to a different
outcome if that is what results.
In 2
Corinthians 12:7-10 Paul prayed three times for God to remove his thorn in the
flesh. Later he learned that God did not will to remove it, but did that mean
Paul did wrong in praying the prayer? Would Paul have sinned if he had gone to
the physician Luke to help remove the thorn before God revealed His will in the
matter?
God
does not impute sin to men when they act with good intention in matters regarding
which God has not revealed His will (Rom. 4:15; 5:13). When God has not
revealed His specific will regarding affairs on earth, we must pray to Him, but
we should also do what we can to bring about the answer to our prayer. We
should act according to what we believe is best, acting in harmony with the
general principles God has revealed. If we do, God will not be displeased with
us, even if He does choose some other outcome of events, because He did not
reveal His will in these matters. Nevertheless, we should pray for His will to
prevail, even if it turns out to differ from our own (Matthew 26:36-46).
Consider Esther 4:13-16.
When
Christians become active in speaking out against evil in government and voting
accordingly, some people claim we should keep our religion out of politics. I
deny the premise on which that view is based, but my main point here is that
such a view is not a proper statement of the issue. Christians are not the ones
who have left our sphere of interest. The problem is that politicians have made
a full-scale invasion into the realm of religion and morals! In that realm
Christians are not only permitted but obligated to act. I believe this includes
the right to vote. But whether or not an individual Christian chooses to vote,
we must all find some means to speak out for decency and Divine truth.
And
regardless of how the government responds to our efforts, we must continue to
live faithfully before God, even if we must suffer at the hands of government
officials.
Church of Christ - Utica, Ohio
