Why Christians Should Vote

Brothers and sisters, the time is short and the stakes are high. As we approach another election cycle, some of you have been tempted to stay home. You say politics is messy, the candidates are imperfect, or you just want to preach the gospel and leave the rest alone. I get it. But I am telling you right now that silence and withdrawal are not the biblical path. God has called us to be salt and light, to love our neighbors, and to seek the welfare of the city, state, and nation where He has placed us. That includes the ballot box.

Those who insist Christians should stay out of politics and not vote are pushing a form of Christian separatism and withdrawal from the world. That spirit is not new. It is a type of Gnostic heresy that treats the material world, including government and public life, as inherently evil or irrelevant to the spiritual life. The apostles confronted this error directly in the New Testament. Paul warned against those who say “Do not handle, do not taste, do not touch” and promote a self-made religion of withdrawal (Colossians 2:20-23). John wrote against those who denied that Jesus came in the flesh and those who separated the spiritual from the physical (1 John 4:1-3). Jesus Himself prayed not that the Father would take His people out of the world, but that He would keep them from the evil one while they remained in it (John 17:15). The early church fathers, including Irenaeus and Tertullian, fought the same Gnostic tendency to abandon engagement with the created order and public responsibility. Withdrawal sounds spiritual, but it is a false teaching that leaves the battlefield to darkness.

Jesus said His followers are the salt of the earth and the light of the world (Matthew 5:13-16). The purpose of salt is to hold back decay and preserve what is good. If the salt loses its saltiness, Jesus asked, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out. The purpose of light is to pierce the darkness, roll it back, and illuminate the sphere it is in so that people can see. If you hide the light under a basket by withdrawing from the places where decisions are made and laws are shaped, you have rendered yourself useless to Jesus therein. Christians are called to hold back the decay of evil, preserve what is right and true, and push back the darkness in every sphere, including the political one. Voting is one way we do that. When you refuse to vote, you are letting the salt sit in the shaker and the light stay under the bushel while the world continues to rot and darken. Be the salt. Be the light. Vote.

As if that isn't enough to open your eyes to the importance of Christians voting, Frank Turek recently laid out ten biblical reasons Christians cannot ignore politics. I want to walk through those reasons and press them home with Scripture and the reality of the hour. This is not about party loyalty. This is about alignment with truth, protection of the innocent, and preserving the freedom to live and preach the gospel. Choose today.

1. Laws can protect the advance of the gospel or restrict it.

A pastor’s determination to preach does not stop a government from closing the doors of the church or silencing the message. Look at Iran or Saudi Arabia. There is no First Baptist Church of Tehran because the laws do not allow it. Politics affects your ability to preach and live the gospel. If we sit out and let the godless write the rules, we may lose the freedom we have taken for granted. We always fight evil and leave the results to God. Do not surrender your freedoms by negligence.

2. Loving your neighbor includes protecting your neighbor.

Jesus said love your neighbor as yourself. Abortion, education, crime, marriage, and religious liberty all involve real people whose lives are shaped by the laws of the land. By putting laws in place that protect the innocent from evil, we are loving our neighbors. Are you telling me that Christians in the 1800s should have stayed out of politics and left slavery in place? Welcome to politics. You cannot avoid it. If you have the chance to influence laws that protect or harm your neighbor and you do nothing, you have failed the command of Christ.

3. Government can make or break a civilization.

Would you rather live in North Korea or the United States? Iran or America? Government either protects innocent people by punishing wrongdoers or it fails to do so and the damage falls on the people. Genesis 9 and Romans 13 establish the purpose of government: to protect the innocent and restrain evil. When the righteous thrive the people rejoice, but when the wicked rule the people groan (Proverbs 29:2). Jeremiah 29:7 tells us to seek the welfare of the city, state, and nation where God has placed us, for in its welfare we will find our own. Vote for the policies that best restrain evil and promote good.

4. Jesus confronted leaders who neglected justice.

In Matthew 23 Jesus rebuked the Pharisees, the political and religious leaders of His day, for majoring in the minors while neglecting justice, mercy, and faithfulness. The test for politics is to major in the majors. The right to life is the first right. Protecting children from mutilation and indoctrination is not a minor issue. Jesus did not stay silent when leaders failed to do justice. Neither should we.

5. The prophets and apostles held rulers accountable.

Moses stood before Pharaoh. The prophets rebuked kings. Paul reasoned with Felix about righteousness, self-control, and the coming judgment. They were involved. They did not tiptoe around the truth to keep political leaders comfortable. Truth, not silence, is what saves. Rulers are not beyond the Word of God. When government abandons its God-given role or moorings, the Church must speak.

6. Jesus did not dilute truth to keep a crowd.

In John 6 Jesus delivered hard teaching and many disciples walked away. He did not water down the message. Our job is to preach the truth and leave the results to God. Churches that orient everything around not offending non-believers end up with a building full of non-believers. Stand for the truth even when it costs attendance or approval.

7. Laws teach people what to accept and reject.

Laws shape what a culture considers respectable and just. They affect the plausibility of the gospel. When Christian convictions are branded as bigotry by the law itself, people approach the message with walls already up. We cannot give up on the law. Guard what enters the gates of society through legislation, just as you guard the gates of your own soul.

8. Shared moral convictions can open a door to faith.

Speaking on abortion or justice can attract people who have never darkened the door of a church. Conservative politics, when they align with what is right, good, and true, can be an on-ramp to Christianity rather than an off-ramp as liberal tends to be. Once someone sees that justice has a source, they can be led back to that Source—Jesus Christ.

9. Christian withdrawal leaves others to wield power.

Government continues whether you participate or not. If the godly do not get involved, the godless will. Rights come from God, not from governments. Governments are supposed to protect those rights. Christians have to be engaged. Atheists, Muslims, and socialists are voting. Why not you?

10. The differences between political choices have consequences.

The parties are far apart on abortion, religious liberty, education, immigration, judicial appointments, and gender policies. It matters who you support. You will not find perfect candidates or perfect platforms. But there are better laws and more biblical policies than others. One side has aligned more closely with protecting the unborn, preserving the family, and defending religious freedom. The other has not. Choose accordingly. Even if you do not understand every position, you can see the overall alignment with truth and goodness.

Those points are all true. Furthermore, Romans 13 tells us that governing authorities are God’s servants to punish the wrongdoer and praise the good. In a republic the people help choose those servants. Jeremiah 29:7 calls us to seek the welfare of the city, state, and nation. Proverbs 14:34 says righteousness exalts a nation. Matthew 5 tells Jesus' followers to be salt and light. No passage in Scripture excuse us from the ballot box when we have the opportunity to influence outcomes for good.

This does not mean every political issue is equal or that one party is perfect. But the battle between good and evil has unentered the political arena, and sides have en revealed. One side is aligning closely with Satan and the other side is aligning more closely with God. Many have been deceived into disengaging in the battle on the political front. It is time to wake up, renew your mind to the truth, and align with good. The greatest Truth is Jesus Christ. Surrender more of your life to Him. Let the Holy Spirit guide you as you research candidates, pray, and vote.

Pray for the election. Pray for electoral integrity. Pray that the schemes of darkness will be exposed and defeated. Pray for leaders who will protect the innocent and preserve the freedom to preach the gospel. Then get up and vote. Your prayers are powerful. Your actions are also powerful. Be bold and courageous. Let your light shine before all men. The Lord is at hand.

May this equip you to live with fresh wisdom, understanding, and alignment with God in the days ahead. Vote.