You may be expecting this article to endorse a specific candidate...
it won’t. Some may think, “You don’t have any convictions if you don’t
publicly endorse a candidate!” ... but I do. Why then not “name names”
about whom to vote for? One very good reason is found in Romans 13:1 where
Paul recorded, “let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there
is no power but of God....” Some may not realize it, but the Internal Revenue
Service Coda specifically forbids non-profit organizations, which includes
churches, from intervening in political campaigns, including issuing statements
in support of or in opposition to any candidate. This law is a result of
a 1954 amendment introduced by Lyndon Johnson, not as a result of the constitution
as some believe. Cases are currently on appeal before the federal appeals
court in which churches have had their non-profit status revoked for such
public endorsement. Maybe the law will one day be overturned or revoked,
but the fact is that at the present time if I am to abide by the Word of
God I cannot in representing the church make such an endorsement. Some
may say “I don’t like that law! I will do what I want!” Are we ready, as
the Lord’s church, to promote anarchy? I certainly hope not. While some
may not like the law there is nothing within it that violates the Word
of God, thus we have no right to disobey such (cf Acts 5:29). Don’t get
me wrong, I am not advocating that we as Christians “roll over and play
dead” in regard to the political process. There is in fact much that can
be done.
• Individual Christians have the right to speak privately and publicly
in regard to politicians and voting. The individual can speak out, send
letters to the editor, talk to co-workers...
• Individual Christians have the right to themselves hold public
office if they so desire.
• Individual Christians have the right to publicly oppose specific
candidates if they so desire.
The individual is not affected by the IRS regulations. Use your
liberty to make a difference.
But what of the church as a whole? Do we have our hands tied? No!
Every Christian who publicly speaks and writes can do a great deal. When
we proclaim the tenets of Christianity we are in fact being “politically
active.” We must encourage all who vote to remember that Christianity is
not a “part” of one’s life, but life itself. As such when a Christian enters
the voting booth his or her consideration will not be merely about economics,
nor will it center on one pet moral topic. The consideration one should
have in voting is the same one ought to have in every act of life, such
things as:
• Will this act to glorify God (1 Corinthians 10:31)?
• Will this act show that I am seeking first the kingdom of God
(Matthew 6:33)?
• Will this act show I am seeking the things above (Colossians 3:1)?
On and on the list could go... simply look to God’s Word. We are
not “playing dead” when we proclaim that the Word of God is all sufficient
to guide me in making decisions (2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:3) — even
in politics I don’t have to “name names” regarding politicians in order
to do that. In fact if I love God and keep His commandments I will not
do such in a public way as a representative of the church as long as the
current laws are on the books. But I will continue to proclaim long and
loud that each Christian should in a sense ask the question as they vote,
“What would Jesus do?” He already told us — “seek ye first the kingdom
of God and His righteousness.” That is how any christian must vote.
Jack H. Williams