A
Reminder
This
Election
Season
From Lee Epstein
Co-Directional Leader
Let me take a minute to share with you about our election season. Consider this a pastoral encouragement.
Why should we vote? Simply put, because God loves people, and the rulers and issues that we vote for impact people - people made in His image, people that He loves. But we don’t only vote, we pray. We pray for those who are in authority - that means every school board member, district leader, congress member, senator, governor and yes, president.
1st Timothy 2:2 (NIV)
Pray for kings and authorities…so that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.
The only way we can live a peaceful and quiet life is if we have entrusted all the authorities around us to the Ultimate Authority. Can I get an amen? If we’ve entrusted them to God, you and I can sleep at night knowing that they’re ultimately under His control and not ours.
Now, do we pray that they will make godly decisions and policies, you bet, but that’s not really the point. The point is that God would change us… regardless of the policies.
Let’s get real. We live in a culture where we say, “Yeah Lee, but I didn’t vote for that person,” like somehow this passage gives us a qualifier. As if it says, “Pray only for kings and authorities who you voted for and who are making decisions that you like.”
That’s not what it says. It says pray for kings and all those in authority… period. We don’t get to pray for only the ones we prefer.
Who was the king, the emperor, whom Paul told Timothy to pray for? His name was Nero. Nero most likely started a fire that burned down a large part of Rome in AD 64 in order to build a new palace. He blamed the fire on Christians, and many were arrested and killed at his command. Tradition tells us that Nero would kill both Peter and Paul a few years later.
So, by way of perspective, while we might be tempted to say, “I’m not praying for that person because they have bad policies,” in Paul’s day they might say, “I’m not praying for that guy, that guy just tortured and killed my wife.” Yet Paul says we are to pray for kings and all those in authority, even for an emperor who just had your neighbor burned alive, who just crucified your uncle, and is now knocking on your door.
Can I make a pastoral caution? There’s patriotism and then there’s nationalism.
Let me make a distinction: I’m a patriot. I love my country. I fly the colors. I stand for the anthem and I say the pledge. I’m too old now, but if there was a draft for old guys to go and defend our country I would gladly sign up. I love my country. It has not always lived up to its ideal, but I still love the hope that is this country.
There’s a difference between that and nationalism. Nationalism says, not only do I love my country, but I worship my country as if it were God. I’ve heard people say, “Well, you know the U.S. is a Christian nation.” It is not a Christian nation. Christianity has no nation. Jesus is Savior of the whole world; he is Kings of Kings and Lord of Lords of the entire universe.
Beloved, our citizenship is not of this world. Our citizenship is in heaven. We must be careful because it’s easy for patriotic Christians to slip over into the camp of nationalism and all of a sudden, they’re worshipping both God and country equally or maybe even worshipping country a little more than God. Please be careful. We are Christians above all other identities, and our Christianity, our study of God’s Word, should inform our view of country, race, politics, our Christianity should inform our view of everything.
When we get caught up fighting on social media for our rights, I’m nervous that we’re forgetting about those people that Christ died for. Amid trying to be right we end up alienating the very people we are called to love sacrificially. I want you to really understand this: Our primary focus needs to be the Gospel
Christianity is not a political movement. Ephesians 6 puts it this way.
Ephesians 6:12 (NIV)
For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
There is no doubt these are difficult times, so that’s why we should pray for kings and authorities to rule fairly and allow us to live peaceful and quiet lives as 1 Tim 2:2 says. Pray that we can live lives that allow us to share the gospel, as Paul goes on to say.
1 Tim 2:3-4 (NIV)
This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.
The point is that our peace and quiet isn’t about expanding our comfort zone or our economic opportunities. The petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving aren’t about what benefits us, it’s about people! It’s about the gospel! God desires all people to be saved, including those who rule over us, even those who may harm us, and even our enemies.
So, before you get out and vote, pray. As you read God’s Word and pray, ask Him to guide you in the decisions you make in the ballot box. Pray that God would direct the outcome and trust Him in it. Pray that God will make you salt and light in the world, the fragrance of the love of Jesus to everyone around you. Then, “Pray for kings and authorities…so that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.”
Lee Epstein for the Elders
For another pastor’s encouragement on how to think about this election season, including things to think about on both sides of the aisle, check out this video by pastor J.D. Greer that many of our staff found helpful and encouraging.
https://youtu.be/ev21r9h9iR0?si=CSCnw0JbEpqPza64