5 Good Reasons Why Christians Should Vote

We may not have made the headlines yet, but yes, Pennsylvania will have elections! Dates are April 22 for the primary election and November 4 for the general election.

You'll get to vote for president of the United States, and you'll also get to vote on offices closer to home: your state representative and state senator and your U.S. representative in Congress.

Read the news on any given day, and you'll find that often local officials make decisions that directly affect you, your family, your business, your church and your neighbors.

How are your elected officials doing at representing your values? You can become part of the answer only if you're first registered to vote by March 24 and if you get out and vote on election day.

Here are five good reasons why Christians should vote, according to Jeffrey L. Myers, Ph.D., author of the book Vital Truth: Christian Citizenship.

1. God has granted us authority.

All authority belongs to God, but He has put human beings on the earth as caretakers.  Jesus said in Matthew 28:18-20, we are to go out and make disciples of all nations, teaching them to obey God in every area of life. We should disciple people to make godly decisions about government and promote the efforts of those who are already doing so.

2. We need to stand against evil.

St. Augustine said those who are citizens of God's kingdom are best equipped to be citizens of the kingdom of man.  The alternative is unthinkable.

In the 20th century, atheistic and secular humanistic leaders gained control of nations across Europe, Asia, and Africa.  What was the result? According to historian R.J. Rummel, almost 170 million men, women, and children have been brutally murdered by these governments, all in the name of human progress.

These facts led historian John Hallowell to note, "Only through a return to faith in God, as God revealed Himself to man in Jesus Christ, can modern man and his society find redemption from the tyranny of evil."

Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. had these words to say," "He who accepts evil without protesting against it is really cooperating with it."

3. Christian values contribute positively to society.

The Bible's solutions make sense. It is Christian involvement in government and culture through the ages that gave us hospitals, civil liberties, abolition of slavery, modern science, regard for human life, great works of art and literature, a workable system of justice, education for common people, the free-enterprise system and much more.

4. Obedience to authority demands good citizenship.

The Apostle Paul in Romans 13 clearly states that we must obey governmental leaders because all authority comes from God. Here's the catch: In America, the people are the leaders! We can express our obedience to God in this area by excercising our rights and privileges as citizens. That includes voting.

5. Good citizenship sets an example for generations to come.

Those who apply God's principles to government pave the way for generations of blessings.

In 1768 a Christian minister named John Witherspoon became president of the College of New Jersey, now Princeton. While there he taught biblical principles of government to his students. Witherspoon exerted an enormous influence on the direction of American government by educating future leaders of our government and society.

We may not be college professors or have the skills of Witherspoon, but nevertheless we have opportunities to teach and model good citizenship for our children, fellow church members and others in our sphere of influence.

Pass this article on to friends and family, and encourage them to vote in every election!

~Thomas J. Shaheen, vice president for policy of the Pennsylvania Family Institute~