My response to that query would be, “Who told you God already picked a winner?” God wants all to be saved (2 Peter 3:9) and come to Him through Christ, but many will refuse and end up eternally separated from Him in Hell. So, if He values our free wills so much that He won’t violate it even when our eternal destination is on the line, I can’t believe He would violate it for a general election. So, then what is our responsibility as Christians since we have been given free will regarding these things?
First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men, for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity. This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 1 Tim 2:1-4
We can clearly see, here, God’s will and His paths to attain that will. His will is for us to “lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity.” This will then lead to His will for unbelievers, which is “to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” He then shows us how we accomplish this plan by making “entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings…for kings and all who are in authority.” So, let’s break this down. An entreaty is defined as “an earnest or humble request.” So God is wanting us to come before Him boldly (Hebrews 4:16) and ask for His help for our governmental leaders, specifically.
How does choosing to vote affect our daily lives?
So, why is it important that we lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity? Well, when our county is in peace, without religious oppression or persecution, we are better able to obey God in our daily lives. We can assemble and worship God freely and peaceably without fear of arrest or attack. We can share the Good News of Jesus Christ to those lost and dying around us, without fear of political retribution or penalty.
We have seen a sharp increase in strife and division in our country, and specifically toward Christians, over the past decade that has made sharing the Gospel more challenging in many ways. When some Christians have expressed a Biblical world view of homosexuality or abortion in their businesses and tried to live by those sincerely held religious beliefs, they have been threatened or even put out of business by the very government that was set up in 1787 to protect such beliefs from molestation.
Voting is a privilege some countries don’t have
As Americans, we have the unique privilege and honor to make direct, meaningful impact on our government’s choices by how we vote. To be honest, our country was never set up to be led by a President and Congress, but “of the people, by the people, for the people” as so eloquently described by Abraham Lincoln at Gettysburg. WE are the leaders of this great country, and when we see it going in a direction contrary to the Word of God, we have a Christian responsibility to pray, to petition, to entreat God to move on our leaders’ hearts. And as we are those leaders, we have the responsibility to vote accordingly. If our country goes any way other than God’s way, and we have not done all we can to stand up for His will by voting, we can’t then take the stand that it wasn’t our failure, but God’s. He has gifted us with an amazing opportunity to affect real change next Tuesday, November 8, 2016. Please take this gift seriously and exercise your authority in Christ to pray for peace and a tranquil life for all, and please vote. The salvation of the lost depends on it.
Sharon Fletcher
Author, Teacher, Speaker
Sharon Fletcher is a Texas born woman of God who has a passion for Jesus and sharing His love with everyone who will listen. Sharon also acts as a mentor for ladies who want to grow into their purpose and walk with Christ.