Pastor, Who Are You Voting For?

Word from the Center
Written By LCRL Staff

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One of my junior catechumens asked that last week. Politics, and political advertising, are wall-to-wall and around-the-clock here in Iowa these days. By “these days,” I mean most of the 10 years since I was called to Iowa. . . . The answer to that question is never short. Instead, I point our members to two basic Scriptures about the relationship of the Christian to government and politics.

First, Romans 13: “Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.”

Next, to Acts 4 and 5, where Peter and the other apostles say: “We must obey God rather than men.” . . .

We also have great liberty to speak to elected officials and to hold them accountable for what is allowed on their watch. Those who bear the name of Christ must pray for these officials, encourage them in their vocation, and lovingly communicate the beautiful worldview the Lord holds out in Scripture (and not necessarily with a direct reference to the Bible).

With the murder of the unborn and the perversion of marriage heralded as normal and preferable, now is no time for the church in America to be silent. We dare not sit this one out.

Though we despair of the available candidates, grieve decisions of the courts and mourn the fruits of elections, we still act, remembering that God says: “the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will and sets over it the lowliest of men” (Daniel 4:17).

The Rev. Kevin Roop is pastor of Peace Lutheran Church, Marcus, Iowa. This article was originally published in and is reprinted with the permission of The Lutheran Witness and can be found here.

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See Also
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What do these things have in common and why does it matter for us this election? The “Sinicization movement” in China towards religion, the Bishop Johanna Pohjola trial in Finland, and the so-called “Respect for Marriage Act” law in America? All these are examples of a growing, secular statism growing abroad and now—here. When people ask me, “For whom or for what should I vote this election?” Amidst all the rhetoric and rancor, my main advice is that you vote for the platform that limits government’s coercive power, and the platform that more clearly defines a more limited role of government in the lives of ALL Americans.

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Is it alright for Christians to be involved with politics?

The Bible contains no specific command that either requires or forbids Christian involvement with politics. However, through the prophet Jeremiah, God teaches His people that they should, “Seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf” (Jer. 29:57). In other places, God teaches that Christians should obey and pray for those in positions of civil authority (Matt. 22:21; Rom. 13:17; Titus 3:1; 1 Pet. 2:13).

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In his letter to the church in Rome, the Apostle Paul writes, “Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God” (Rom. 13:1-2).

With that statement, Paul defines the relationship between Christians and government. Throughout the Book of Acts, Paul invokes his Roman citizenship to make a passionate defense of the Gospel. Instead of shying away from engagement with the governing authorities, he engages them by proclaiming truth. However, he also puts his trust in God’s sovereignty because he knows that the ultimate authority and judge is the Lord, who has allowed those to be in authority so God’s purposes can be accomplished.

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Pastor, Who Are You Voting For?

One of my junior catechumens asked that last week. Politics, and political advertising, are wall-to-wall and around-the-clock here in Iowa these days. By “these days,” I mean most of the 10 years since I was called to Iowa. . . . The answer to that question is never short. Instead, I point our members to two basic Scriptures about the relationship of the Christian to government and politics

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LCRL Staff
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