The Proper Theology Of Voting

When a person of faith rejects the civil opportunity, and the moral obligation of casting a vote, they always advance evil in the process.
Always!
This is not a popular thing to say in the midst of today’s chill North American version of Christianity. The type of “Christianity” that pursues an idea that faith is almost entirely a mystery, clouded by allowable doubt. A faith that takes seeming delight at arriving at nebulous conclusions about everything from the existence of hell to the proper interpretation of sexual practice according to Biblical guidelines seems to also validate the idea that optional participation in the matter of voting is some how appearing to be deeper in its expression of “spirituality.”
Let’s cut to the chase–that spirituality is neither Biblical nor Christ-centered.
I was just made aware of a church in North Jersey this week that is considering voluntarily giving up it’s “tax-exempt” status to continue its pursuit of a Biblical gospel.
THAT’S more like it!
But with the election looming I thought a truly Biblical understanding of voting might be a good reminder, given that an election comes this week.
For Biblically oriented Christians it’s this simple: if you don’t vote–you sin.
I made this simple statement to my national audience this past Friday and the phones nearly melted down. “How dare I?” “Who are YOU to say such a thing?” “Why have you adopted such a worldly position?” These were just some of the gripes my callers had for me over the course of that accidental topic on my show.
In reality it boils down to a simple concept. In Mark 12:17 some of the religious leaders of the day wanted to trap Jesus into a supposed hypocrisy. They wanted Jesus to demonstrate an allegiance to civil government above God. So they asked him if it was lawful and required for them to pay taxes to an earthly leader. He asks them the name of the person on the coin. When they reply, “Caesar.” He summarizes his teaching on civil engagement, “Render unto Caesar what is Caesar’s and render unto God, what is God’s.”
While he answers this based on the question of the lawfulness (spiritually) of paying fiscal taxes, the language used actually is far more encompassing. Rendering (all things that are) what is Caesar’s to Caesar goes for beyond the payment of taxes. He is in one sentence of instruction telling us to obey laws (all that do not violate God’s law), participate in civil requirements be they military, jury duty, and yes voting.
Additionally when you consider that “We The People” are the equivalent to Caesar you understand that our instruction is not merely to rule, but to rule justly.