How Are We to Vote?

This is a brief outline of the sermon that my Associate Pastor preached tonight. I feel it is appropriate since we'll be voting in a couple of days.

It has been said that politics and religion don't mix but at it's origin, religion and politics have the same source, God.

Romans 13:1, "Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God."

1 Peter 2:13, "Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every authority instituted among men: whether to the king, as the supreme authority, or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right."

Governmental authorities were to be obeyed not because they are always right or because it will be easier for us but because God "appointed" them. He put them in place and gave them power. So obeying them was obeying God's will.

Our votes do make a difference and we who are Christians should honor this sacred privilege and vote at every opportunity.

Our vote should not be determined by our party affiliation or what is best for me financially but should be determined by what the Scripture says is important about a candidate.

Character

• Everything begins with character.
• Proverbs 29:2, "When the righteous thrive, the people rejoice; when the wicked rule the people groan.
• Christians should take a political candidate's private conduct seriously.
• Character can be defined as "who you are when no one's looking." People have said that that who you are in private does not really affect who you are in public office, that is absolutely not true. Who you are in private IS who you are.

Conviction

• Proverbs 28:1 says, "The wicked man flees though no one pursues, but the righteous are as bold as a lion."
• We need to elect Lions and Lionesses in this day - people who are not politicians, but people who are statesmen, people who are leaders. People with conviction and that conviction must be based upon God's Word.
• For instance the "Gay Agenda" is one are where society is moving away from Scriptural teaching.
• God tells us there is only one context where sex should be enjoyed, practiced and celebrated - marriage between a man and a woman.
• The Bible also tells us that during the end time what is right will be viewed as wrong and what is wrong will be viewed as right.
• What about civil rights? The homosexual movement is not a race issue. Let me ask you a question. Have you known or heard of a homosexual who is no longer a homosexual? Sure you have. But I have never known a former African American or Hispanic, have you?

Courage

• Does the candidate display courage? Can you look at this candidate's life and say that he or she was courageous.
• Proverbs 11:3, "The integrity of the upright guides them, but the unfaithful are destroyed by duplicity."
• Courage is the God-given ability to stand, conviction is belief. Courage is behavior.
• Most today want to drift to the middle of the stream, relativism which says this: "what is right for you is true for you and what's true for you is right for you."
• That was the philosophy of those who said it was right to fly an airplane into the side of a skyscraper and kill hundreds and hundreds of people.

Compassion

• Proverbs 31:8-9, "Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy."
• Proverbs 24:11, "Rescue those being led away to death; hold back those staggering toward slaughter."
• Abortion is an issue where political candidates must show compassion.
• We are taking the lives of 3,200 babies a day, taking the lives of developing babies. Don't you find it interesting that you will get thrown in prison and pay an astronomical fine if you disturb the eggs of developing sea turtles. What's right is wrong and what's wrong is right!

Constituency

• Examining who supports and opposes the candidates can often help us determine who to support.
• 1 Corinthians 15:33, "Do not be misled: bad company corrupts good character."
• 11 Corinthians 6:17, "Therefore come out from them and be separate, says the Lord, touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you."
• I can meet your friends, without even meeting you, and tell what kind of person you are.

I feel strongly that those of us who are of the family of faith should lead the way by voting and voting the right way.