Marching Orders For Christians On Election Day
by
For Christians, faith in God’s providence does not excuse political inaction.
While taking a break from our daily three-mile walk through a local park, my wife and I sat on a park bench and watched some of the other walkers stroll by. One young woman passed us wearing a plain white T-shirt that read, in large letters, simply:
“AND WE KNOW THAT”
Underneath those words, in a much smaller font, was the explanation of this enigmatic inscription:
“Romans 8:28”
The full Scripture verse is incredibly powerful and should spring to mind every time situations in our personal lives—and even in the life of our nation—go kerflooey:
“And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God and are called according to his purpose.”
The midterm elections, already in progress across America, popped into my head when I saw this T-shirt. Christians and true patriots alike are deeply concerned when we hear polls that tout the advancement of the Democrat Party in key races across the nation. The result is that some are stimulated to work harder, but others appear to throw up their hands and give the final results over to fate—or, fatalistically, “Providence.” After all, if “all things work together for good,” even if the Democrats regain power and go scorched earth on our country, well, that will be God’s will and things will eventually work out “for good,” yes?
That attitude of “sitting this one out” can be justified in this and many other ways by otherwise well-meaning Christians. “If God wants America to survive, the country will survive; if He wants her to go under, it will go under. I will just pray. I don’t get involved in politics.”
The idea that good Christians should not get involved in politics because “Thy will be done,” or, as Doris Day sang, “Whatever will be, will be,” is like that doctor joke about predestination: