Do you think we will have to answer to God for whom we vote in the next election? Do you believe God even cares about the election? These are some questions I’ve been hearing often lately.
It doesn’t take much time or investigation into the God’s Word to find the answers:
But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Matthew 6:33
This one verse sums up so very much. God’s Word commands us to seek FIRST the righteousness of God. Therefore, in choosing for whom to vote, we are commanded to seek a righteous candidate.
What does righteous mean? God’s people are righteous when they are in a right relation with Him, when they enjoy His salvation; when they humbly admit their dependence upon God. They are considered by God as the Judge of the world as righteous when they are being and doing what he requires in His Word.
That is when inspecting fruit comes in–there is a difference between condemning, judging, and inspecting the fruit of ones life. We must research and study the life of a candidate to see what types of fruit they have produced for God’s kingdom.
We should also pray and ask The Lord for help in choosing a candidate. Many will tickle the ears of the people and say whatever they want to get elected.
Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. Matthew 7:15
For these reasons, it is not easy to choose a candidate. We shouldn’t just jump on the popular candidate bandwagon. We must do our homework, pray, and seek God’s direction.
What if there are no worthy candidates? Well, that’s when even more prayer is needed. We must ask God specifically to lead us to the right candidate and to let us know if we should even vote at all.
Please, don’t fuss at me–I’ve been scolded by so many for this attitude, but at the end of the day I will answer to God for my vote. Many people believe if they don’t vote for the “lesser of the evils” then that gives more votes to the “evil” one. Not so. I believe God’s Word. He said if we seek Him first, He’ll take care of the rest. He said it, I believe it, enough said! Now, let us live what we believe!
So as we approach the 2016 election, please think and pray fervently. Don’t settle. Don’t give your vote to an unworthy candidate, especially one who does not bear the fruit of the Spirit.
We want to be able to stand before God and hear Him say he approves of our decision.