Some people proclaim, “I don’t mix my politics with my faith” or “I don’t take my religion into the voting booth”. The problem with a statement like this is: for a true Christian that is not even possible. When a person confesses to be a Christian, then it logically follows that being a follower of Christ should invade every aspect of their life. The true believer cannot separate their Christianity from their politics, their career, their family, their parenting, their education, or any aspect of their lives. To do so is an open denial of the faith which they profess to hold to.

In all of life and certainly politically, Christians are called to declare and defend a biblical worldview. The great calling of a Christian is to make all of their decisions based on their moral conscience as it is informed by scripture, the Holy Spirit, and prayer. This responsibility extends to the voting booth.

There are at least four non-negotiable issues facing Christians today: 1) the sanctity of life in the womb, 2) the meaning and purpose of biblical sexuality, 3) the biblical understanding of marriage, 4) religious free speech. Christian voters bear the responsibility to inform themselves biblically on these issues, check the candidate’s position, and then vote their Christian moral values.

For the record, politically I have always considered myself an independent. Likewise I believe it unwise for a Christian to align oneself so closely with a political party since then it has the danger of informing your voting decisions based on party and people, over and against your Christian values. Suffice it to say that Jesus would have you first be neither a republican nor a democrat, but to be a Christian. Don’t align yourself too closely with any one political party or a particular politician. It is unwise because Christians need to be free to call out all political parties and politicians as pertains to biblical values and principles.

It is odd to me that many Christians don’t even consider biblical values when voting. Some will support a candidate whose positions on moral issues are at actually at odds with their own stated beliefs and values. Bottom line – every candidate has their own set of values and stated positions on important biblical issues. Where a candidate stands on the biblical moral issues is far more important than the party they belong to, or even their plan for the economy. At the end of the day we need to vote for candidates who share our biblical values.

So find out what the candidates stand for, examine their stated positions, and prayerfully consider voting for those whose values best align with a biblical worldview. Defend the life of the unborn, defend human sexuality as being fixed while protecting a God ordained definition of marriage to be one man and one woman for life, and defend religious free speech. These issues are core beliefs for the Christians.

Finally Christ and the scriptures have called us to remember that we are Heavenly Citizens first. Our first allegiance is always to Christ who is King of Kings and Lord or Lords. Therefore politics should not dominate the life of a Christian. Characteristically politics is actually often the god of the non-believer. In the end, Christ is our true and lasting hope not changing people or politics. Our hope is in the unchanging God, who will return to establish his final reign and rule over all people for all of eternity.

In His Name and For His Sake,

-Scott Reeder preaches for the Borden Church of Christ in Borden, IN