Christian Politics –
Part
1: Does it Matter if/how I Vote?
Pastor Bruce A. Shields
House
of Faith Church | www.PS127.org
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SERMON
INTRODUCTION
Does it matter if / how I vote?
With the upcoming elections (November 3rd, 2020) I feel it is important for us as Christians to examine some very important issues, such as whether or not you should vote, if so how should you vote?
Now, when I make the statement “how should you vote,” I am in no way implying I will tell you who to vote for, or how “I think” you should vote on issues, rather, what the bible says about important issues that face us as a society today.
If we are followers of Christ, then we live by His ways, not ours, and for us to be a light in the world we need to examine and understand His ways so we can rightly represent the Kingdom of God here on earth.
Over the next few
weeks, we will be looking at some of the following issues.
Ø Would Jesus vote is he physically living in the USA today?
Ø What about the matters of life and death? Stem cells, suicide,
healthcare, abortion, euthanasia?
Ø Crime and punishment
Ø War, defense, and national security
Ø Guns and matters of defense
Ø Immigration and matters of national security
Ø Marriage
Ø Education
Ø Economy, budget, trade, campaign finances
Ø Green Values
These are the major issues at hand today, and we
need to remember, we have the choice to defend values during an election for
out nation, and in the immortal words of the rock group RUSH, if you chose not
to decide, you still have made a choice.
If you are more science than rock band, Albert
Einstein said “Evil prevails when good men do nothing.”
So, let us look at our series, Christian Politics
SCRIPTURE READING
Matthew 22:15-22
“Then the Pharisees went out and laid plans to trap him in his words. 16 They sent their disciples to him along with the Herodians. “Teacher,” they said, “we know that you are a man of integrity and that you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. You aren’t swayed by others, because you pay no attention to who they are. 17 Tell us then, what is your opinion? Is it right to pay the imperial tax to Caesar or not?”
18 But Jesus, knowing their evil intent, said, “You hypocrites, why are you trying to trap me? 19 Show me the coin used for paying the tax.” They brought him a denarius, 20 and he asked them, “Whose image is this? And whose inscription?”
21 “Caesar’s,” they replied.
Then he said to them, “So give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.”
22 When they heard this, they were amazed. So they left him and went away.”
I.
SHOULD CHRISTIANS VOTE?
a.
Jehovah’s Witness and their beliefs
on government
i. Some of their teachings are the traditions of men
ii. Some of their teachings are misunderstood scripture
iii. They do
not believe in voting, joining the military, serving in public office, pledging
allegiance to our flag.
b.
Why don’t they vote?
i. Because of John 17:14 where Jesus states that His followers are not of this world,”
ii. Sounds
legit
1.
Not of this world
2.
We belong to the Lord’s Kingdom
3.
We shouldn’t take part in worldly things if we
are not part of the world
iii. However, this is not what Jesus meant.
iv. We are not
“of” this world, but are called to live in it to be a light
c.
We are not to “conform” but be
transformed
i. Romans 12:2 states that we are to be transformed by the renewing of our minds (think like Christ)
ii. Then, by testing we may discern the will of God, what is good and perfec
iii. Once transformed, discerning the will of God, what is good and perfect, we can then be a “light” in this dark world
iv. If Jesus
meant that we, as His followers, were NOT to take place in any government
involvement, then He would not have stated the following in the Bible;
1. “Give unto
Caesar what is his…” Matthew 22:21
2.
“Let everyone be subject to the governing
authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established.
The authorities that exist have been established by God. 2 Consequently,
whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has
instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves.” Romans 13:1-2
3.
“Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles,
to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul. 12 Live such
good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they
may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.
13 Submit
yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human authority: whether to the
emperor, as the supreme authority, 14 or to governors, who are sent by him to
punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. 15 For it is God’s
will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people.
16 Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil;
live as God’s slaves. 17 Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of
believers, fear God, honor the emperor.” 1 Peter 2:11-17
v. Does this
sound like Jesus doesn’t want you to do your part in the government in which
you live?
II.
I BELIEVE WE ARE TO PARTICIPATE IN
OUR CITIZENSHIP
a.
Jesus was very political in His
ministry
i. Not a
“church-state” rather a state that honors God
1.
Roman Catholics had a church-state in England
2.
We left it to start a FREE country not ruled
by Kings who oversaw the operation of the church using it as the Romans did to
control Jews through the Sanhedrin
ii. Jesus
didn’t tell followers who to support
1.
Didn’t form political “parties”
2.
No political programs
3.
No political protests or marches
4.
No steps to influence Caesar, Pilate or Herod
iii. Yet His
whole ministry was political as in His concern with the way human society lived
and operated.
b. Liberty, Freedom and the Sovereignty of God
i. This is
the teaching from the Word of God that led to the foundation of our
Constitution and the American Revolution
c. We can see what God thinks about politics and citizenship in the Word
i. There are
many scriptures, including the reference used today, that gives us insight and
direction in how we are to serve God through our being Good Citizens!
III.
EXAMINE THE WORD ABOUT JESUS AND
POLITICS
a. The political question asked of Jesus
i. Just
before the Crucifixion of Jesus he was examined by the high priests (as was the
custom in that day to examine the sacrifice to ensure it was blemish-free)
though they did not realize they were doing so.
ii. The
Sadducees along with the Herodians set out to trap Jesus
iii. Sadducees
believed they should not pay taxes to a worldly government, and the Herodians
were pro-tax in helping the government
iv. These two
were usually enemies, but united forces to attack Jesus, wanting Him to choose
a side.
b. Jesus saw it was a trap
i. Though
they opened with flattery, “Teacher,” they said, “we know that you are a man
of integrity and that you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth.
You aren’t swayed by others, because you pay no attention to who they are.” Matthew 22:16b
ii. They ask
the question, “Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar?”
iii. Jesus
still answered setting the precedent for not just taxes, but our relationship
with government and political issues.
c. Why put me to the test, you hypocrites?”
i. They were
hypocrites because they didn’t really want an answer, they were trying to trick
Jesus into picking a side, because either side He publicly chose would put Him
in a bind, but Jesus knows that!
ii. Jesus
replies, “Render unto Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs
to God.”
iii. Render,
used here (GRK: Apodidomi) means to pay back or give back
1. Jesus
implies here an obligation or debt, not optional, but required
2. Jesus is
saying this is a legal AND moral obligation
3. Scripture
instructs us to obey the laws of the land
d. Citizens and their moral obligations according to the Word of God
i. According
to Jesus, we as citizens have a divinely ordained obligation to pay taxes to
our government and Tithe to God
ii. Jesus did
not make exemptions or exceptions, He did not say, “as long as the government
is good”
iii. The State
has a divine right to assess taxes and citizens have a divine obligation to pay
them
iv. Paul gives
the universal principle of submission to governing authorities in Romans 13:1
v. According
to Jesus, there is no room for conscientious objections
CONCLUSION – What if
the State requires citizens to do that which is in opposition to the Law of
God?
Daniel was a Godly
man who worked for an evil government. He served as a good citizen respecting
the authorities as we are instructed in scripture.
When the day came
that a law was enacted that no one may serve or worship God, Daniel did not
obey, but quietly continued praying to and worshipping God.
He didn’t for a party
against the government
He didn’t start a
petition
He didn’t gather like
minded individuals to oppose the rule
He didn’t protest,
picket or start riots in the streets
He didn’t even make
public his views or beliefs in opposition to the rule
Why? Because he continued to serve, honor and
respect the authorities to serve God as a Good Citizen as we are instructed in
the Word.
The ONLY reason he
was cast into the lion’s den was because spies caught him praying.
Would Jesus vote if He
were alive and, in the USA, today?
I believe YES because
of the general principle in scripture to submit to government authorities, we
are called to be a light, and Jesus said to render to the government what belongs
to the government and to God what belongs to God.
In the USA
citizenship requires certain responsibilities as listed in the Citizens
Almanac.
Ø Support and defend the constitution of the united states against enemies
both foreign and domestic
Ø Stay informed of issues affecting your community
Ø Participate in the democratic process (vote)
Ø Respect and obey federal, state and local laws
Ø Participate in the local community
Ø Pay income taxes and other taxes honestly, and on time to federal, state,
and local authorities
Ø Serve jury duty when called
Ø Defend the country if the need should arise
In Joshua 5:13-14 when Joshua met the Lord (before He was called Jesus), Jesus states that
He is the commander of His people (followers of the Lord) and the host of
heaven (angels in heaven).
This was His answer when Joshua asked: “who’s side
are you on, theirs or ours?” Jesus answered, “Neither,”
The Lord is not on “your” side or “theirs”, He is
not democrat or republican, either we are on the side of God, or not.
During a speech by Abraham Lincoln during the Civil
War in 1863, someone in the crowd yelled, “The Lord Is on the Union’s side!”
Lincoln responded, “I know the Lord is always on the
side of the right, but it is my constant anxiety and prayer that I and this
nation should be on the Lord’s side.”
We are called to be lights in this world, to renew
our minds, think like Christ, so that we may know His will, and be on His side,
then live this in this world through Good Citizenship!
1 Peter 2:13-17 “Submit yourselves for the
Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether to a king as the one in
authority, 14 or to governors as sent by him for the punishment of evildoers
and the praise of those who do right. 15 For such is the will of God that by
doing right you may silence the ignorance of foolish men. 16 Act as free men,
and do not use your freedom as a covering for evil, but use it as bondslaves of
God. 17 Honor all people, love the brotherhood, fear God, honor the king.”
Romans 13:1-2 “Let everyone
be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that
which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by
God. 2 Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against
what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves.”
Would Jesus vote? Yes
Should Christians vote
according to scripture? Yes
NEXT WEEK: Matters of
Life and Death
Want to learn more about Salvation and Getting
Saved?
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