Why Christians should vote

Politics, for better or for worse, is something every single person will have some kind of interaction with in their lifetime. Many Christians bemoan this fact, seeing anything to do with politics as unnecessarily divisive, and choose to abstain from any political processes, including voting. But is this the right approach to take, or should Christians exercise their right to vote in the United States? 

Some Christians today view all governments as evil and demonic and choose not to participate in the political process, but theologian Wayne Grudem sees this as the wrong way to view government. In his book “Politics – According to the Bible,” Grudem points out that Romans 13 teaches all governing authority in this world comes from God and God alone. We are therefore subject to that authority and should seek to give “honor to whom honor is owed” as the passage teaches. 

It is firmly established that Christians are to obey and honor the government, but what about politics? Should Christians be involved in the political process? Should Christians vote in seemingly divisive elections? 

Politics, at its core, is nothing more than how human beings interact with one another in order to shape society. Whether you realize it or not, you participate in localized politics with many of the actions you take in your day-to-day life, whether it be eating at certain restaurants, participating in local gatherings or interacting with your neighbors. Politics should not be viewed as something to fear or avoid, but as an everyday part of life. 

Since politics is unavoidable, it follows then that we as Christians should have some say or influence in political decisions through voting. Voting is a right we are given as citizens of the United States, and it is one we should take seriously. We should view this right in three main ways: as an act of loving our neighbor, as an act of stewardship and as a way of pursuing justice. 

All men and women are made in the image of God, so it naturally follows that all political decisions which affect people should be issues we care about. Jesus tells us in Matthew 22 that one of the two great commandments is to “love your neighbor as yourself.” One way to love our neighbor is to vote for candidates and policies that will uphold and respect our dignity and natural rights as image bearers. 

Voting should also be seen as an act of stewardship. By virtue of living in the United States, God has blessed us with the ability and right to vote for candidates who will uphold policies that make our country better and glorify God. The parable of the talents in Matthew 25 warns against us wasting the gifts that God has given us, so we should be diligent not only to use our right to vote but to use it in an educated manner. 

Lastly, for the Christian, voting can be a useful method of upholding the command to seek justice found in Micah 6:8. This is done by voting for candidates who promote equal treatment under the law for all people in the nation and who will appoint and confirm judges and justices who will respect and uphold the Constitution.

Voting may seem like a hassle to many Christians, but it is absolutely necessary to take part in this important political action. Our own rights and those of our neighbors are determined by our voting for the right candidates to uphold our liberty and human dignity. 

Hughes is an opinion writer for the Liberty Champion. Follow him on Twitter