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What Kind of Christian Citizen Are You?
Recently I heard comments from a couple of people that trouble me deeply. I believe it mirrors the attitude of too many believers. In a day when dishonesty is so evident in the lives of many public officials, when infanticide is accepted and promoted by our government, when patriotism is a forgotten virtue, when open debauchery is rewarded by another term in office, and when graft, bribery, and payoffs are the way of life by many elected men and women, we must not remain silent. We dare not just tune out. We cannot absent ourselves from the political process. It is now time to speak out in a way that will be heard loud and clear. Enough is enough! God’s people must be heard!
One person has said that all politicians are alike, so he has decided to stay home and not vote. Another has said that we cannot put our hopes in government and we should not worry about being involved, because the answer is not in government. Romans 13:1-7 is clear about the reason and role of government when it says, "…the powers that be are ordained of God." It also talks in that passage about rendering "tribute," "custom," "fear," and "honour." From those verses we must realize we are responsible to interact with government. We look today upon voting as our right. It is our right, but it is also our responsibility. We are never to abandon the scriptural mandate to serve Christ, to win souls, and to worship and honor Him. However, the Lord has given us another mandate…and that is to "…Render therefore unto Caesar the things which be Caesar’s…" (Luke 20:25). It stands to reason that God is interested in government. After all, He called it into existence.
Patriarchs of old were involved in the affairs of state. Joseph became second in command in Egypt only to Pharaoh, because he was faithful to God’s calling upon his life (Gen.41:40-44). Daniel, by virtue of his spotless testimony, became the "…ruler over the whole province of Babylon, and chief of the governors over all the wise men of Bablyon" (Dan. 2.48). Scripture cites record after record of how God’s anointed men (and women) interacted with government to enact change, relief, and advantage for believers. Why should we do less? Why should we withdraw ourselves from the process? Is the battle too rough? Are we soldiers of the cross, or are we just chocolate soldiers who melt in the heat of battle?
Janet and Craig Parshall have written a book entitled, The Light in the City, which is a stinging challenge about why Christians must advance and not retreat. In Chapter Five she discusses the myth that, "Politics is a dirty business." She quotes Pastor Tony Evans as he aptly answers that myth by saying,
‘‘There are believers out there who should be running for office. Politics is only as dirty as the people involved. The way to clean up politics is to put righteous people in office. This society needs people who feel God’s call on their lives to serve him in politics. Then, we will have leaders like the ones Jethro told Moses to choose: ‘able men who fear God, men of truth, those who hate dishonest gain.’ (Ex. 18:21)"
We would all agree that we must evangelize the lost and then teach them to evangelize the lost. But to do that alone and not engage today’s "…culture and do battle for truth in the public arena…" is just doing half the job. (Parshall, p.56) Our churches function in a system of government that was founded upon God’s Word. To deny that is to deny the existence of America itself. It was to these shores that the teeming millions have come seeking freedom of religion…not freedom from religion. They came seeking the happiness and joy that can only be found in a free society. But something terribly wrong is happening. Politics has become dirty. Our government has become grossly infected with the open condoning of homosexuality as an alternate lifestyle. It allows its people to kill unwanted babies. It squelches the work ethic with an ever-increasing tax burden. It no longer swiftly prosecutes pornography, but seems to tacitly approve it. Welfare has become the way of life for too many who have lost their will to work. God has been expelled from the public school classroom and the Ten Commandments have become something to shun rather than something to obey. Fewer and fewer missionaries leave our shores each year for the foreign field of service. Our churches are virtually powerless. Our opportunity to evangelize is swiftly disappearing!
If we are to have a base from which to evangelize, we must wake from our self-imposed state of inactivity in the public sector. What good is our Christian testimony if a lost and dying world cannot hear it? How can we continue to win the lost in a country that is all too quickly becoming intolerant of the Christian witness? How dare we sit idly by and watch our freedom and the very foundation of our country crumble before our eyes?
We must not! We must take action! We must be involved! Let the testimony of God’s people ring out again with clarity, fervor, and intensity. "Let the redeemed of the Lord say so…"(Psalms 107:2).
What shall we do! What shall our course of action be? In the county, in the city, in the state, and in Washington, DC, we must let our presence and our position be known. We must run for public office. We must support good men and women who run for office. We must work for them and we must give to their campaigns. And we MUST vote!
The best candidate may not always take exactly the position we would take, but we must find the candidate whose position most nearly matches ours. We cannot expect the best candidate to do everything just like we would have it done, but we can vote for the candidate whose actions exemplify a Biblical worldview. At the same time, we must be realistic. In our two party system it is obvious that one of the two major party candidates is going to be the winner of any national or statewide election. We may be tempted to "vote our conscience" and vote for one of the smaller party candidates, just because he sounds good. That means you are casting a vote against the better of the two major party candidates.
Our presidential election is only about 50 days away. Time is short. There is not time for you to run for a local office. There is only time to work for and give to a candidate who is already running. Then there is still time to get registered, as long as that is done at least 30 days before the election. You can also talk to other people. Make sure they are registered. Make sure they vote on November 7, and make sure they vote for the candidate who best exemplifies a Biblical worldview.
Don’t be a dropout Christian in this election. Be involved and vote! It is your right and your responsibility.
Rev. Reece Yandle
Executive Director, SCACS
South Carolina Association of Christian Schools
September 19, 2000