If the Church doesn’t disciple people the world will.

Does God call us to vote?

Genesis 1:27-28

So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.28 And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”

Slide – The governed and those governing are sinners. If we are going to have any hope of experiencing God’s good desire for government we are in desperate need of His grace.

Romans 13:1-7

Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. 2 Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. 3 For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, 4 for he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer. 5 Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God’s wrath but also for the sake of conscience. 6 For because of this you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing. 7 Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed.

1 Peter 2:13-17

Be subject for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, 14 or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good. 15 For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people. 16 Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God. 17 Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor.

1. The government is God’s ordained institution for the purpose of promoting good and restraining evil .

2. Followers of Jesus should be subject to the government while keeping ultimate allegiance with God.

Mark 12:29-31

Jesus answered, “The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30 And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ 31 The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”

CONSTITUTIONAL REPUBLIC = Government OF the people,  BY the people, and FOR the people.

Governed and Governing.

Reflect God’s just governance by working to promote good, punish evil, and protect all people from harm. (see Genesis 1:27-28, 9:1-7, Psalm 8:5-8)

Subject ourselves to and support the government for the flourishing of all people. (see Romans 13:1-7, 1 Peter 2:13-17)

Do justice– that which is right for all people as exemplified in the character of God expressed in the word of God. (see Jeremiah 22:3, Micah 6:8)

Pray and work for the welfare of the nation and which we live. (see Jeremiah 29:7)

Love God, and love our neighbor as ourselves (see Matthew 23:37-40)

Steward any responsibility we have in governance for the good of all people affected by our government. (see Romans 13:1-7, 1 Peter 2:13-17, Daniel 4:27)

What is a vote? A unique privilege and responsibility that God has entrusted to us by his grace.

Does God call us to vote?

YES! He calls us to use every means of grace to love him above all and love our neighbor as ourselves. Voting is one of those means.

FAMILY, CHURCH, GOVERNMENT

Proverbs 29:2

When the righteous increase, the people rejoice, but when the wicked rule, the people groan.

30,000,000 & 42,000

If Godly people won’t lead their nation, through voting, Godless people will.

Who has your heart?

Mark 12:17

Jesus said to them, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” And they marveled at him.

No worldly leader is worthy of your heart.

Psalm 146:3

Put not your trust in princes, in a son of man, in whom there is no salvation

Does Jesus have your heart?