Dear Friends,
In recent weeks many Christ-Followers have asked me this question:
As a Christian would it be wrong to vote for Governor Romney for President since he is a Mormon?
I have answered this question in the following way. Please feel free to share this response if you feel inclined!
First: We are not selecting a pastor of a church that would be giving us Biblical direction, oversight and insight about living the Christian life.
Second: It would be ideal to have a true Follower of Christ in the White House who would legislate and lead our country within our form of a republic based on a Biblical perspective. In most elections, this is not a choice.
As an aside:
Our form of government is a republic not a theocracy. A theocracy is a government led by God through a Christian leader, or in Moses’ case, a Covenant-Keeper, who adheres to and implements the commands of Scripture throughout the country. In actuality, this is the form of Government that is lead by the clerics of Islam.
Third: According to the last statement of Article VI of the Constitution, religion is not the ultimate criteria in which we select individuals for office. A portion of Article VI is quoted below:
Article VI – Debts, Supremacy, Oaths
The Senators and Representatives before mentioned, and the Members of the several State Legislatures, and all executive and judicial Officers, both of the United States and of the several States, shall be bound by Oath or Affirmation, to support this Constitution; but no religious Test shall ever be required as a Qualification to any Office or public Trust under the United States. (Bolded is mine for emphasis)
Even now in our present Congress we have Christians, Mormons, Catholics, and Muslims that our serving our country.
Fourth: Mormonism clearly proclaims a “different gospel” (Galatians 1:6 NIV) than what the Bible describes and what we believe. I have had discussions with wonderful Mormon people about their view of Scripture and who they believe Jesus Christ was and is. Mormonism simply does not square with Scripture and it is not Biblical Christianity. However, I do not believe that this negates either other Christians nor me from voting for someone of another faith, even if that faith is not based upon Biblical Christianity.
Some Christ-Followers are concerned that many people will be influenced to become Mormon if Romney is elected. I believe in the sovereign election of God, in which the God the Holy Spirit draws those that are His to belief in the true Christ.
Look at John 6:44 “… No one can come to me (Christ) unless the Father who sent me draws him,…”
Also, Acts 13:48 “… and all who were appointed for eternal life believed.”
Fifth: “But select capable men from all the people—men who fear God, trustworthy men who hate dishonest gain—and appoint them as officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens.” (Exodus 18:21)
We must vote for people who will exercise their power to make decisions that are the closest to Biblical values. Some of these values are: being skillful (capable), having the fear of God, integrity, trustworthiness, and honesty.
Here are some of the other issues that we should look at through the lens of Scripture:
We ought to be electing individuals that grasp and implement biblical fiscal principles for a nation, (about borrowing, Deuteronomy 28:12; about inheritance Ezekiel 46:18); and for individuals and families: the ability to work for yourself (1 Thessalonians 4:10-12), the work ethic (2 Thessalonians 3:6-13), and family fiscal responsibility (1 Timothy 5:8). There ought to be a Biblical caring for the legitimately poor (Deuteronomy 15:11), righteous moral values in regard to: marriage (Genesis 2:22), absolutes (Isaiah 5:20), deviant lifestyles (Romans 1:26,27), insatiable striving for wealth and consumption (Isaiah 5:8-10) and many more.
The primary role of government is to deter evil and provide security and safely for its members (Genesis 9:6,7; Leviticus 24:17; Romans 13:1-6; and Acts 25:11). In view of the sacred Scripture, our government ought to take a Biblical perspective and role in our foreign policy especially in regard to the nation of Israel (Genesis 12:3; Joel 3:1,2), the rights of the unborn (Psalm 139:13-16), and a moral based education system based on the principles and practices found in the Bible (Deuteronomy 6:1-10).
Sixth: Whatever we do in regard to voting we must not throw away our vote by not voting because a candidate does not meet all of our expectations. It is not choosing between the lesser of two evils as some say; it is making an informed decision based on as much information about each candidate and how they will vote and whether they will they come close to Biblical principles and application.
If the statistics are true, approximately 25 million evangelical Christians will NOT vote in the coming election. That is enough to influence any election, especially if they DO vote and vote as close as possible to what the Bible teaches.
Here are two additional questions I am asked.
WE KNOW GOD IS IN CONTROL AND HOW IT WILL END SO WHY SHOULD WE BE INVOLVED IN THE PROCESS?
God is ultimately in control but He has temporarily put us in charge (Luke 19:11- 26, Matthew 25:14-30). By the way, I love what the KJV says in Luke 19:13, “occupy until I come.”
If our families were under persecution and starvation right now, very few of us would not do everything possible to remove the hardship! We make the fairly naive statement above about God’s sovereignty because we are presently safe and we have had a history of security and protection. I am attempting to be obedient so that our grandchildren will have safety, a semblance of economic stability and the freedoms to worship and work as they please without government interference.
IF JESUS WERE A CITIZEN OF THE UNITED STATES, WOULD HE VOTE?
Yes. He was under a totalitarian regime and could not vote. He paid taxes (Mt. 17:24). Surely He would have exercised His freedom if He had it.
In Christ,
Dale
dale@daleebel.org