In a couple of days we will have an election. While every election contains a fair amount of polarization, this one feels like it’s a bit more pronounced. It’s like an extra muggy day in July—you expect the heat but perhaps not to this degree. So here we are, looking ahead, and what will life be like in a few days? More to the point, how should the Christian’s respond?
One of the many privileges we have as believers is the clarity of his Word. We can look ahead to Wednesday morning (and every day after) and know how we are to live as Christians—whatever happens at the ballot box. I simply have four words that must characterize our lives.
However, before looking at these words, I want to push on a concept that too often gets overlooked. I am talking about the sovereignty of God. People who affirm the Bible affirm God’s sovereignty. But it’s tricky. At the same time we can be affirming sovereignty we can be acting like he’s not. On paper we affirm God’s Word, but on the ground we heed Chicken Little’s words. We must not forget that whatever the Lord pleases he does, and whatever the Lord does he pleases (Ps. 115:3, 135:6). He declares the end from the beginning and his counsel will indeed stand (Isa. 46:10). His decree therefore is unable to be thwarted. Every day is served up by means of his Fatherly providence as he works everything for his glory and according to the counsel of his will (Eph. 1:11).
We may want to stay up late and watch the election results and look at the polls, but I assure you, God is not on the edge of his throne waiting for CNN to call the election for one of the candidates. He is sovereign. And he is sovereign every single day.
Now in light of God’s sovereignty, let’s think together about four biblical words that should depict our lives as followers of Jesus.
Honor
The Bible is clear, we are to honor those in authority over us. In 1 Peter we read that we are to be subject to and show honor to the emperor (2:13, 17). The idea here is that Christians are to esteem and respect those in authority over them. Let’s not forget the context of Peter’s letter. The Roman emperor was no friend of Christianity. In fact, it is highly probably that Peter is referring to Nero who, according to tradition, was the one who executed the apostle.
How could Peter talk like this? Because he knew that God is sovereign. This is nothing new. God raised up Pharaoh and the Egyptians, the Babylonians, the Persians, the Assyrians, the Romans, and yes, the Americans. Under the rubric of his sovereignty they are all in fact his servants. Many Christians should spend some time in a book like 1 Peter and consider if they are in fact showing honor to our elected officials. What often gets pass around by professing Christians on social media or casual conversation looks like a far cry from honor, even as our leaders lag behind Nero in expressions of depravity. Because God is sovereign we can in fact show honor to those in authority over us, regardless of their political, religious, and even moral views, because we know that by honoring the emperor we are honoring God.
Contentment
The Bible teaches us that we are to be content in any and every circumstance. Why? In short, because every circumstance we encounter comes from the providential hand of God. Consider Paul and Barnabas in Acts 16. They were locked in a Roman dungeon, freshly afflicted, and without much prospect for release. But what are they doing? They are leading a prayer meeting and hymn sing in the prison! It doesn’t matter if we are at the banquet table or in the stocks, when God is sovereign we can be content in any and every circumstance. Paul learned the secret of this contentment (Phil. 4). His contentment came through Christ (v.13). Everything that we need and everything that we lack is to be found in Jesus. And no matter what happens Tuesday (or any day thereafter) no one can take Jesus away from the Christian! You must see how this realization drove Paul’s daily living: to live is Christ to die is gain (Phil. 1:20-21).
One sure sign of discontent is grumbling and complaining. Think of the nation of Israel in the wilderness. But who are they complaining about? Is it not God? If we believe in God’s sovereignty and providence then to grumble and complain about politicians is bristling against sovereignty. There is no text in the Bible that tells you to grumble and complain. But there are passages that tell you not to. And there are plenty that tell you to be content. When you wake up Wednesday morning, will you be content in him?
Prayer
The first place we as Christians should turn is prayer when we consider the functioning of our government and its relationship to the church. This is modeled by the apostle Paul in 1 Timothy. Giving instruction to Timothy he says that we as believers must pray for all people, “for kings and all who are in high positions…” (1 Tim. 2.2).
This seems pretty straightforward and simple until we consider the context. John Stott observes,
“when Paul told Timothy to pray for kings, the reigning emperor was Nero, whose vanity, cruelty and hostility to the Christian faith were widely known. The persecution of the church, spasmodic at first, was soon to become systematic, and Christians were understandably apprehensive. Yet they had recourse to prayer. Indeed, prayer for pagan countries and their leaders already had a precedent in the Old Testament. For Jeremiah told the exiles to pray for Babylon’s peace and prosperity, and the edict of Cyrus, which ordered the rebuilding of the Jerusalem temple, included a request to the Jews to ‘pray for the well-being of the king and his sons.’”
The government was far from sympathetic to Christianity, yet Paul (like Peter 1 Pet. 2.17) urges submission and honor to and prayer for the government.
I understand that the skid marks from the moral revolution are fresh. That car is racing ahead with little regard for Christ and his church. America and the rest of the world are changing quickly. However, let’s not think for a second that Paul is living in the midst of the nice little Bible Belt of the Roman Empire. It was progressive, pagan, and decidedly anti-Christian. The decades that followed Paul’s writing to Timothy were dark. In other words, if the priority then was prayer then it most certainly is today.
But notice what to pray for. Paul goes on:
“First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way.” (1 Tim. 2:1–2,)
Pray for the leaders. Pray for the good ones and the bad. Pray for the Republicans, the Democrats, and the Independents.
Why? So that we (Christians) may lead a peaceful, quiet life, godly and dignified in every way.
We as Christians desire to live peaceable and quiet lives. This just means that we pray for our government to prevent and deter war and fighting between citizens. Luther said,
“In time of war there is no peace. One cannot go in or out. Not a hair of one’s head is safe. In this case no one considers that these outstanding benefits are preserved by a good civil authority which ought to be keeping watch so that peace might endure. It is a great gift to live in peace and quiet.”
I wonder if we have forgotten this truth. It has become a custom of our day to take to social media to vent our concerns and attack politicians. How much quieter would Facebook and Twitter be if Christians were truly praying for and personally pursuing peaceable and quiet lives?
Work
What do we want after all? We have a desire for a godly and dignified life. Stott says,
“The ultimate object of our prayers for national leaders, then, is that in the context of the peace they preserve, religion and morality can flourish, and evangelism go forward without interruption.”
I don’t doubt that this election is important. Relatively speaking they all are. However, I’m suggesting that we align our expectations with how the Bible teaches us to pray. We have been greatly blessed in the United States for many, many years. Evangelicals have enjoyed tremendous influence in society. Now, however, things appear to be changing. Is this a cause for concern? Sure. But is it a cause for panic? No. In fact, we’re providentially backing into the parking stall of 1 Timothy 2. We have our prayers and our pursuits recalibrated by the Scriptures. Even if our guy doesn’t get elected (or even if we don’t have “a guy”) we can still pray and rejoice in God’s kindness to us.
It is easy to get stirred up from the news stations, but it is hard to pray and be content in God. When we wake up Wednesday morning (and every day after), remember what we as Christians are to be marked by. Honor those in authority, be content in God, pray, and get to work. Do all of this while resting in God’s sovereignty and rejoicing in God’s kindness to you. And remember, this is not your home, you are marching ever closer to Immanuel’s Land!
