These questions were asked of Tim Moore, a Christian member of the Kentucky State Legislature, on this coming weekend's episode of Christ in Prophecy. Tim is also a Colonel in the US Air Force Reserves and a commercial pilot. In his spare time he serves as an Assistant Evangelist for Lamb & Lion Ministries, going out on weekends to speak about Bible prophecy at churches and conferences.
The following is Tim Moore's response on whether Christians should get involved with politics and vote.
The Call to Engage
I actually believe that Christians have the responsibility to be salt and light by standing for righteousness in every sphere of human endeavor, whether it be the business community, academia, in the church, and obviously in politics. Politics is another realm that holds a great influence as leaders make major decisions for our society. Politics is a critical area where Christians should be salt and light for Jesus Christ.
Christians today are very frustrated about the direction our society and culture are going. But, some Christians are not willing to engage in the mechanisms of influencing that culture.
I absolutely reject that Christians should leave the law-making to the pagans. Go back to our nation's own founding documents. People say we should unquestioningly obey the law and the governing authorities, and even Jesus Himself through Paul's writing in Romans 13 makes it very clear that we should be in subject to governing authorities. But, our own Constitution begins with the first three words: "We the People." The Founding Fathers established our government based on the authority given to them by God and the people. The government today continues based on the authority given to it by "we the people." So, as part of this nation and part of its citizenry, Christians also have the responsibility to be an influence because we have the perspective of God's truth.
I believe that when a person gets into any kind of political position, Satan moves them up on his hit list. He goes after them because he is determined to control all governing bodies. He comes after politicians with bribes, embroils them in corruption, and leads them into all kinds of carnal temptations. Therefore, we should be praying for those who are in positions of responsibility in the spiritual realm, both ministers and politicians, as well as other folk who hold great responsibility. We should be lifting them up in prayer because they also rise on Satan's hit list.
A Guide to Voting
When it comes to what guides a Christian when it comes to voting, there is a responsibility that we as Christians have to be informed. This covers not only about the matters before us in an election time-frame, but ongoing about what is happening in our culture and how we can impact it for Christ. So, first and foremost, we should be informed about biblical truths, and then we should apply those not only in our lives but in every other sphere of influence where we can have an impact.
There is guidance in the Scriptures about how Christians should consider how to vote, and that is found in Exodus 18:21. In that passage it says that Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, came to Moses and said: "Moreover you shall select from all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place such over them to be rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens." In other words, the people we appoint to govern should be men who will first of all fear God, second of all should know truth, and third of all should never pursue dishonest gain.
So, the very first key point when we are determining who to vote for is someone who fears God. They should be someone who respects the Ultimate Authority, and not themselves being about the vote or even some kind of man-made law. They inherently know that they are eternally accountable to God Almighty.
Secondly, our public servants should be absolutely committed to pursuing the truth. Jesus Himself stood before Pilate and Pilate asked Him, "Who are you? And for what reason are you here?" Jesus replied, "I came into the world that I might testify to truth." Pilate was speaking with Him who is all truth, and yet Pilate scoffed and asked, "What is truth?"
Sadly, like Pilate, too many people today don't believe in the ultimate truth as revealed in Scripture. Therefore, we Christians need to make sure that as we consider who to vote for and what issues to support that we are pursuing God's truth.
I'll give you an example from some of the important issues happening today. Anyone who doesn't understand that the destruction of innocent unborn children is ungodly, unholy, unrighteous, and evil is not conversant with truth. God abhors the murder of innocent millions in our nation. And, anybody who doesn't understand that marriage is a covenant relationship union between one man and one woman and that marriage is created by God and so should be defended and supported does not have the truth in them. They are not conversant with the truth as revealed in Scripture.
Christians should uphold the dignity of human life, the sanctity of marriage as a relationship between one man and one woman, and the right of religious liberty in this nation. Those are three truths that come straight out of the pages of Scripture and can be a clear and easy guide for us as we determine who to vote for and how to interact in the political life.
When No Candidate is a Christian
When no candidate on the ballot is a Christian, Christians can still vote. I would hope that Christians would be motivated in a circumstance like that to conclude, "Alright, we didn't have a good choice in this particular election, but next time I am going to become more engaged in supporting someone who will bring forth the right kind of values and will represent biblical truth."
I hope that more Christians would be inspired to step into the realm of public service and serve, not because they have a desire to pursue dishonest gain that sometimes comes with corruption, but because they are convicted that if there is no one else then, "Here am I, Lord, send me." If necessary, serve God in the public realm as you would see fit.
I know a number of folks who have stepped into the political realm and will advise that exact thing. I myself was not inspired to enter Kentucky's politics because I wanted to, but I felt convicted that the Lord had called me to impact even more for Him in the political realm. So, if you don't like the candidate, run yourself!
We should be guided not by party affiliation, union membership, race or gender when voting, but by the Holy Spirit. Sure, it is easy to say that is how you will vote, for it is difficult to really hear the Holy Spirit unless you are grounded in the Word of God. In the Scripture God has given Christians clear direction morally in how to vote.
From what I just read in Exodus about God's wise council through Jethro, follow Jethro's advice when it comes to choosing the people who will be able to lead and rule over the people, just like with ancient Israel. The same principles apply today. Again, first choose those who are committed foremost in fearing God, then in honoring the truth as revealed in Scripture, and finally to not pursuing dishonest gain. Those three qualifications alone will rule out a number of people who seek public office in our land today.
If Christians aren't involved in confronting the social tragedies of today, who will? How will these issues ever be advocated in a truthful and godly manner? Now, there is a right and godly way to go about advocating and demonstrating. Obviously, our first inclination should be to pray. Pray not only for the victims for instance of abortion, but for even the perpetrators of that heinous crime in murdering these innocent children.
When I first ran for Kentucky legislature, I had been very avidly pro-life all of my life. But, I came to realize that in addition to advocating for the changing of laws and policies in this nation, we also do need to recognize that some people who are involved in an industry which makes huge amounts of money are themselves caught up in the lie that has been perpetrated by our culture. And so, we need to pray for them.
There are a number of young folks, both men and women, who have chosen very poorly, to have an abortion. They regret it for the rest of their lives. They are victims in another sense. And so, we need to share the very Good News that Jesus Christ forgives, restores and heals. I'm so grateful that in Kentucky we have wonderful organizations that get the word out that there is healing and restoration possible through the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Frustrated With Politics
As Christians we can get so frustrated when trying to get something passed through the political system. I remind myself that I do not serve a particular end in a political system. I serve the Lord. And so, the ultimate goal is not to achieve an end, even though we fight very hard to do so, but to bring glory and honor to Christ. The results we leave up to the Lord. For the Christian, the advocacy and the hard work that goes into it is alone what we are called to do.
We also get very disappointed in the political system when politicians sell out for things that you would be shocked if you knew how minor they were. Yes, it's very disappointing to have politicians who claim during an election cycle that they are Pro-Life, or pro-traditional Christian values, and yet once they get to the Capital they fail to live up to the position they had just claimed to have held. It happens in my capital all of the time. There are politicians who claim that they are Pro-Life, for example, in every campaign who once in office fail on that issue time and time again. They don't have that healthy enough fear of God and in what the eternal ramifications of their hypocrisy will bring about. So, I pray for them as well.
Christians are also dismayed by the disturbing trends in America today. Christians see the direction our society is moving, and we see that we are leaving our Christian heritage and embracing paganism. That bothers Christians to the core, and it should.
And yet, that's not probably what disturbs me the most. Scripture is very clear that as the end times draw near the world will turn away from godly principles. Society will abandon the ethics that have made us so great as a nation. In doing so, the world is going to become more and more ungodly as we approach the time of Christ's return. This happening is no surprise to those of us who understand Bible prophecy.
What is even more disappointing is how more and more Christians are either apathetic or unwilling to be engaged with society. I've heard people say, "You can't expect anything more out of politicians, for they all lie, so I don't even consider lying a foul in that regard." We should never give into the lie that there is a line that we should accept in anything but honesty and truthfulness.
Nor should we remove ourselves from the social arena. If Christians are not willing to be salt and light, then how can we possibly be surprised when our culture, our laws, and our national system of government moves in such a tremendously wrong direction? It is because Christians are not engaged, and yet, we are called by Christ to be engaged.
I very much agree with Abraham Kuyper, who was a Prime Minister in Europe and also a very committed Christian. He said, "There is not one square inch in the whole domain of our human existence over which Christ who is sovereign over all does not declare, 'Mine!'" In other words, Kuyper meant that Christians have to be salt and light. And, we also have to make sure that we represent the King of kings.
Many Christians today think politics has no business in the Christian faith, and yet over and over again in the Holy Word of God He sent prophets to who? To the kings. Prophets interpreted the dreams of kings and those dreams which dealt with kingdoms and with the nature of international politics. The same God who cares enough about each of us to count the hairs on our head also has in His sway the fate of the nations. God very much cares about national policies and where nations are headed, because over and over again He reached out and sent the prophets to correct the rulers in the past.
I believe God is still doing so today through His Christian children.
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