Even without television in my home, I have not been able to escape the shroud of evil that we have cast over the current election. Sadly, it seems that we could not have come up with two more unqualified candidates for POTUS if we had sat down and plotted a course with that as our end goal. However, it seems to me that this fact is not our biggest problem concerning the election. It appears that the candidates reflect reasonably well the character and nature of the voters. We have selected candidates in our own image. We have no one to blame but ourselves. God has given us a rare privilege. Few in the history of mankind have had, to the extent that we have, the right to select our own rulers. In times past this was a blessing, but at this moment, because of our pettiness, our immorality, our covetousness, our idolatry, etc. it appears to be something less than a blessing. It seems that God has given us over to our own desires.
Our citizenship is in heaven (Philippians 3:20) but for now we are foreigners in a strange land. Surely the words of the Lord through Jeremiah have import for us today, “Seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf; for in its welfare you will have welfare.” (Jeremiah 29:7 NASU) I have prayed for the welfare of the land that I sojourn in but I must confess not nearly enough. However, I have set aside significant time in the morning worship service on the Sunday just prior to the upcoming election to corporately seek the Lord. Surely we as Christians can pray and vote the Lord’s convictions. Following that we will simply have to acknowledge that God is sovereign, meaning that nothing happens that did not either pass through His divine, perfect will or at least His permissive will.
Personally, I need frequent reminders concerning God’s commands regarding authority He has placed over me. Romans 13:1-2 states, “Every person is to be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God. Therefore whoever resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God; and they who have opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves.” (NASU) Jesus told us in Matthew 22 (Mark 12, Luke 20) to give what is due to Caesar and what is due to God respectively. Romans 13 speaks to that as well. The Bible also gives us a complementary principle. When Peter and John were arrested for healing and preaching in the name of Jesus, the religious authorities ordered them not to teach anymore in the name of Jesus. Peter and the apostles replied, “We must obey God rather than men.” (Acts 5:29-30 NASU) Surely it is permissible to disobey the governing authorities when they are in conflict with God. However, nowhere does God promise that this will be safe and comfortable for us.
Christians in the United States have long avoided (the civil rights and pro-life movements excepted) the struggles of civil disobedience. It is painfully obvious that this situation is very quickly changing. It has already changed for some and will soon change for many more. Seventy-five years ago, who would have thought that the wrath of Caesar would have fallen on honest, God-fearing, law-abiding bakers, florists, wedding chapel operators, pharmacists, doctors, nurses, etc. but fall it has. I strongly urge you to mine the Scriptures for the heart and mind of God regarding His principles for civil disobedience. I think you will need these principles sooner rather than later.