Are You Voting?

Yes?  No?  Maybe?

In the church that I was brought up in, members did not vote for government officials nor serve in any gov't positions.  If that stand is your very own personal conviction, than take that stand, but do not force it on other people.  It is not a church issue.  It is also not a sin to vote and that thought became exceptionally very clear to us after we watched "The Truth Project" years ago.  Dr. Tackett explains the different God ordained "social spheres".  They include: the Trinity, God & Man, family, church, community, labor and the state.  (Check it out Here) Scriptures speak about each of these spheres, the responsibility and authority that is within each one.  We have injected each one with our own "convictions" and have put on our muddy boots and tracked dirt that belonged in the state sphere into the family spheres.  We took the smear from the church sphere and made tracks into the family sphere.   Presently we have federal gov't with it's filthy feet in all spheres, we have the state over-riding the authority of the fathers, the elders of the church have become dictators into the family sphere and so on.  This is not what God had so beautifully intended.   He created each sphere, works in each one and they are not to be muddled together. 

Conservative Christians have readily excepted the responsibilities in some of the spheres, but will stumble over the church and state spheres.  Husbands and fathers will be the head of their homes, will decide which occupation he will labor at and determine where the family will live.  However, they will permit the church to dictate what their family will wear, what color vehicle their family will drive, what places they can visit and sometimes where their children attend school.  They allow the church to inappropriately step into their family territory. In the church sphere, the state has now tiptoed into the sanctuary and is sitting in the pews - out of place.  God has ordained elders who are to act as shepherds, not dictators, to lead their flocks.  They also are required to stay in their sphere and not cross over into the God & man or the labor spheres.  If God has ordained each sphere and is present in each one, why do some folks believe that we should avoid the "state"?   If God has ordained the state, he has also created some people to serve in it.  If Christians are allowed to live in the "God & Man", "family", "church", "community" and "labor" spheres, and serve in them, why is the state taboo?  If you are not permitted to vote for the leaders of this country, and expect "others" to vote for them, prayer is all you will do, then why is voting for your church leaders excepted?  Why not let "others" vote them in, or wait until prayer puts in who God wants in ? (I totally believe that prayer is the first thing we must do in any voting, however, the shoe leather needs to hit the road sometime.)

God may not have called you to run for the Senate nor township superviser, but He cares tremendously who is in those positions.  He also cares that we care.  Depending on the person voted into those positions, along with many other gov't leadership positions, it will effect our freedoms to worship, labor and lead our families according to how God meant it to be in that sphere. We are responsible to elect in those positions people who will honor God and lead the people according to God's principles.  We practice that in a our church sphere, don't we?  We need to fall on our knees and ask God to restore this country, raise up men who will be leaders that glorify Him and continue to allow the freedoms we enjoy each day.   Let us remove our muddy boots, lace up those clean, work boots and march into the workforce that lies ahead of us.   It is our responsibility!  Especially in the fast approaching presidential election.  It's critical!  This is the last week that you can register if you intend to vote in November.

 Bad officials are elected by good citizens who do not vote. 

I cannot explain this topic as deeply as Dave can, but he didn't have time to write.  He has spent much time studying the ideas of voting vs. not voting, being involved in gov't vs. not, and non-resistance.  He would be happy to discuss what we have learned.  You may have to make an appointment with him, however. :-)

Blessings to you, as you seek to serve HIM in each sphere of your life.

Until next time........