1 week Ago By By Dr. David Ley Faith
As a pastor, I have often been asked, “what role do we as citizens of heaven have in national elections?” As a follower of Jesus, I rest in the biblical fact that God grants authority to all human rulers and is sovereign over who rules the nations. Though some might question this, the prophet Daniel and the Apostle Paul seem to place God sovereignly over those who gain authority over nations or people groups. Daniel in response to the pagan King Nebuchadnezzar who was very angry that Daniel and his three friends were not willing to follow the King’s imposed diet, spoke these words of God’s control over rulers, Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, to whom belong wisdom and might.
He changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings; he gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding; he reveals deep and hidden things; he knows what is in the darkness, and the light dwells with him. –Daniel 2:21-22 Paul echoed the same thought when encouraging people of faith to respect political leaders as a way to honor the Lord and live rightly in this world, Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.
Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. –Romans 13:1-2 Some people of faith have thought that because God is sovereign over all human authority and who gets it, they should not vote in case they “vote out of God’s will.” Unfortunately this perspective ignores the clear teaching of scripture that as believers we have responsibility to be “salt and light” in this world (Matthew 5:13-16).
God is sovereign over everything, but His sovereignty includes our image bearing decisions right or wrong as they may be. I often say that God never says, “Oops, I didn’t plan on that happening!” However, God has entrusted humanity to make right decisions and experience the horrible consequences when making wrong decisions. His plan includes the consequences of not engaging in our culture and not speaking the truth in love in all arenas of life.
God often sovereignly allows events that He does not desire in order to accomplish the good sovereign purposes of His plan. The words of Joseph ring loud this truth. When responding to the wicked decisions of his jealous brothers that landed him in the bondage of slavery and a 13-year prison sentence, Joseph said, “You intended it for evil, but God intended it for good! (Genesis 50:20) Other people of faith have argued that since candidates running for office are not people of integrity or faith, they are going not going to vote or they will write the name of a candidate in that has no chance of being elected.
While my deepest desire and prayer as a citizen of heaven and the United States is that we would be able to elect a man or woman of God to lead this nation, I also understand that being salt and light might necessitate choosing an electable candidate that more aligns with my Christian values over the others. Certainly there is a mystery in how the sovereignty of God operates with the God-created will of humanity. Though we may not be able to fully understand these two parallel truths of scripture, we need to remember that engaging in our fallen culture is not an option.
We are called to shine as lights in a dark world. Like the exiled nation of Israel, we are called to engage in our national politics and seek to make them flourish for the sake of the gospel and the good of all. Is that not what Jeremiah the prophet guided by the Holy Spirit wrote? "Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, to all the exiles whom I have sent into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: Build houses and live in them; plant gardens and eat their produce.
Take wives and have sons and daughters; take wives for your sons, and give your daughters in marriage, that they may bear sons and daughters; multiply there, and do not decrease. But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the LORD on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare (Jeremiah 29:4-7, emphasis mine) Dr. David Ley is the President of Alaska Bible College and Pastor of Family Care, ChangePoint Mat-Su.
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