Gospel-Centered Joy

Gospel Joy For the Election

What would happen if Christians approached the majority of our political discussions and debates as opportunities to share the Gospel? How would that impact the political and even cultural climate of our nation? How would that impact us individually? I wonder. 

The next time someone tells me they’re concerned about gaining or losing control in Congress, I wonder what would happen if I said:

“Those are valid concerns. We all know the difference it makes when our political rivals hold the seat of power. The good news is they literally have no power of their own. All power and authority belongs to God and no one can govern outside of His providence (Romans 13:1; Psalm 62:11, 1 Chronicles 29:11-12; Jeremiah 27:5-8). No matter who sits on the proverbial “throne,” we can be sure that God put them there for His purposes.  All souls belong to Him, even if they don’t acknowledge Him. 

God warned us against putting our trust in man’s strength (Psalm 146:3-5). Even His chosen nation, Israel, rejected Him in favor of a human king (1 Samuel 8). Unfortunately, we often do the same thing in our elections. We rally behind untrustworthy candidates in order to gain a political advantage because our faith and hope is in maintaining or gaining control instead of in the God who’s never lost control. (Isaiah 26:4, 2 Chronicles 20:6) In that way, we sin just like Israel. We are idolatrous, unbelieving, and rebellious in our reliance on political power; and, for that we deserve the wrath of God. The wages of our sin is death and eternal separation from Him.

But God being rich in mercy, because of the impossible love that He lavishes on us, even though He knew that we’d reject Him time and time again and place our hope in electoral power, He sent Jesus to save us from ourselves. Jesus came, lived sinlessly, and never once rebelled against the Father in favor of temporary power, even when it was handed to Him on a silver platter (Matthew 4:8-11, John 6:15). Without one sin to atone for Himself, He died for the sins of all who believe on the cross. Even our idolatrous, faithless, rebellious love of political power has been put to death on the cross and cannot be master over us. Just as God raised Jesus from the dead, those of us who put our trust in Him have also been raised into new life.

Along with Jesus, we have everything we need to live holy. By His grace, we no longer have to cast our votes in fear of the “wrong” party gaining control. We can stand firm on the knowledge that God is always in control; and, we can obediently submit to whoever wins, even if we didn’t vote for them. We submit because it is ultimately God who gives them authority and we are surrendering our will to His. We submit because we are citizens of heaven and our treasure isn’t here. We submit because we know eventually every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus is Lord. We have the hope of eternal life under His perfect rule in front of us (1 John 3:1-3, Romans 8:18-24).

So vote. Vote freely and without fear and with a clear conscious. The God who can bring the entire world to its knees with a word is Lord and He alone reigns.”

I don’t know what would happen if I said anything close to that while in conversation. I might make the person I’m talking to furious. I might encourage them and give them hope. It could go either way really. But I do know this, just thinking through it encouraged my own soul. I hope reading through it did the same for you. If the Lord allows, feel free to use it to be ready in season and out of season to give an answer for the hope that is in you (2 Timothy 4:2, 1 Peter 3:15). 

Be blessed. Thanks for reading!