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Sunday, October 30, 2016

Hard Questions: Is It Your Christian Duty to Vote?



Is It Your Christian Duty to Vote?


Micah 6:8 He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?


This was an article that I wasn't sure I wanted to write this year.  There has been so much said by so many that I hesitated to add my thoughts as it seemed like there was too much already.  The thing that made me reconsider is all the drama I've seen and heard about how it is American Christians' duty before God to vote.  The misuse of scripture in some instances has bothered me.  Added to this is the overwhelming pressure that various Christian people and groups are putting on others to try to force them to vote for the person they deem to be "the right one".  In the hopes of helping a few people get a little peace about this, I decided to venture forth into a topic that is generally odious to me.  So, here we go.

8 comments:

  1. Thank you for this post. So refreshing and honest. Blessings

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    1. You're welcome. Thanks for stopping by and commenting. :-)

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  2. I'm in wholehearted agreement with your thoughts here. I've been grieved by the manipulative tactics Christians - including highly respected Christian leaders - are using on each other during this election cycle. I'll be voting for a third party candidate for the first time in my life, and I'm thankful to God for leading me to a means through which I can steward my vote well. Thank you for sharing with us at Grace & Truth!

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    1. Thanks for reading and commenting. I'm glad you were encouraged. It has been a very troubling election cycle.
      Thank you for hosting the link up! :-)

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  3. I agree with you that the end result will be Gods. However, I've never felt that meant that I should do nothing. In other words, I pray and I depend on God but I also do the best to educate my child, I pray and depend on God but I do my best to get work to support my family, and because this country gives me a chance to vote I pray and I depend on God for the best there is right now for our country. I've never believed that all I'm to do my whole life is to sit down and pray Jesus Jesus and not to do my part. God never said he does everything for you and all you have to do is sit down do nothing and wait for God to do everything for you.

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    1. modest Christian, I hesitated to post this comment because, honestly, the tone and the things you say make it appear that you did not read my whole article.

      I wrote, "Voting is neither commanded nor forbidden in the New Testament. It is a choice that each one makes in their own conscience before God." "If you vote, vote, but don't mistake it for an act of Christian duty that will count for eternity; and don't condemn other Christians who choose to refrain." The Bible says in Romans 14:12-13, "So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God. Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother's way." You don't appear to have seen any of these things in my article. If you wish to vote, that is your choice. Do so. But, on behalf of those of us who choose not to, I do not accept your condemnation and apparent efforts to make us guilty and ashamed for not doing something that *you* choose to do, something which is not clearly commanded (nor forbidden) in scripture.

      Your comment seems to me to have a lot to say about you and how you do things rather than referring me to scripture and the example of Jesus Christ. As for the apparent accusation that I pray and expect God to do everything for me, I only would say this: Faith in God for salvation is trusting fully and completely in Jesus without works on my part. But, faith to live the daily Christian life is faith with its shoes on and carrying a daily cross. Luke 9:23 And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.
      Philippians 3:13-14 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

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  4. Maybe it's being older. Saved in 1977 and at 54 years of age, I am less (by the grace of God and clinging to His Word) affected by this world than ever. That said, the fervor of 'panic' set by this election did affect me. I gave up the computer for a time as it was impossible for me to stay off all of the DRAMA articles.

    I'd like to address Modest Christian: it is not the call of every single Christian to do what another Christian is called to do. It is the call of every single Christian to press in to God and wait on Him as to what He would have that Christian do. As Mary stated...you have not read her entire article. If so, please do that again, this time with a time allotted to take your time.

    There are a few blogs out there by Christian women sounding an alarm for us Christians to vote. And whom to vote for, as according to them...isn't it obvious?

    There is fear in these bloggers. For true love casts out fear and then their posts would have a sense of peace. Their posts would have 'pray and seek what God would have you to do' and not a fleshly persuasive tone.

    Thank you for this, Mary. I am in the exact place of praying about if God even wants for me to vote. Because He's that personal.

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    1. Thank you for your comment, Mrs. K. It is a good reminder that "perfect love casteth out fear", and the next phrase is so important too -- "because fear hath torment." We can see that so graphically in the drama and high emotions surrounding this election, can't we? Good for you for taking a break from the computer in order to get peace!

      I'm glad you were encouraged by this article and trust God to lead about your own personal decision regarding voting.

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