SHOULD A
CHRISTIAN
VO
TE
?
By Gabriel Da Silva & David Zic
In the middle of the most controversial presidential election that
we can remember, which many are
calling a choice between the lesser of two evils, Christians face yet
another critical decision. When
even Facebook reminds us to get
out and vote, Christians are pressured to participate in the election
by all possible means, from various
social media to advertising provided by government agencies. Political parties and the politicians that
compose them tug at our hearts,
appealing to our Christian principles in their attempt to lure us to
their side.
But what we often overlook is
that a true follower of Christ is neither a Democrat, nor a Republican,
nor a Libertarian, nor of any political party. The true Christian has no
02
say in the party politics of our time
because a vote for the lesser evil is
still a vote for evil.
Christ makes our duty to the
state crystal clear. In Matthew 22,
He tells the apostles to faithfully
pay their taxes. Paul gives the same
message in Romans 13, admonishing us to be obedient to the laws of
the land and respectful to the rulers, who have been placed there by
God Himself. In Thessalonians 3,
we are also told of the biblical principle of working to support ourselves and in this way contribute
to the operation of the society we
live in. Beyond this, our civic duty
is to the help the suffering, comfort
the oppressed and encourage those
who popular society has cast aside.
In the time of Christ the government was corrupt and oppressive.