How should a Christian vote?

The topic I want to share tonight is a very controversial subject. And since we are two weeks away from the elections, obviously I have felt in my heart the concern to be able to share with you something about it. It is not that I am going to have an overly elaborate sermon, I just have a few points that I would like to share with you.

And I would like to start with a question that I know happens to many believers, and whenever election time comes around, the question is, who am I going to vote for? How many have asked that question? Many of you approach us, the pastors, and tell us, pastor, who do you think I should vote for? And I'm sorry to tell you, but it's not up to us to tell you who to vote for. What's more, I think that this question is an equivocal question.

We, as Christians, as sons and daughters of God, as God's people, the question we must ask ourselves is how should we vote? No, for whom but how should we vote? And I would like, first of all, to base myself on a text of Scripture, I would like you to look with me Timothy, chapter 2, verses 1 to 4. There are several things that I would like to read here. And I hope, once again, that this meditation serves as an inspiration, perhaps, even to our brothers who may be watching us on the internet, and I want to make a disclaimer, as they say, from now on.

When I talk about this topic, my brothers, I am not saying that we as a church stand behind any particular party, God forbid us from doing that. Our party is the party of God and God does not stand under any color, under any party, under any institution. On the contrary, God aligns himself with those who seek him and humble themselves before him. And I want to make that very clear. So with what I'm going to say, my brothers, I'm not saying, vote Democrat, vote Republican, vote Libertarian, or abstain from voting. No, I just want to urge something in your hearts.

First Timothy, chapter 2, verse 1 says:

“…I urge first of all that requests, prayers, petitions and thanksgiving be made for all men – obviously it is a call for us to intercede, for us to exercise that role as a church of being in constant intercession for all the people around us. Not just people here at the church level, at the local context level, not just at the level of our family, but beyond. Our prayers, our intercession have to be directed outside the four walls of this place. – for all men, for kings and for all those who are in eminence… − look how he says – so that we may live quietly and peacefully in all piety and honesty because this is good and pleasing before God, our savior, who wants May all men be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth…”

This text lays as a foundation, my brothers, what I want to share with you. Because when we think about how a Christian should vote, I think the first thing we have to recognize is this, that God is not a partisan God. God is never going to champion under a political party, never. No political party can contain what God is.

But I do believe that God has a system of government, through his Kingdom that he establishes through the church. And God adjusts to his system of government. His system of government is what makes him a sovereign God, that although in our eyes it seems that things are getting out of control, but in the eyes of God, things are turning out perfectly well before him, because he is the one who is in control of all things.

To our eyes it may seem like the devil is getting out of his way, the devil is moving, breaking up society, and we can see that and God sees it too, but God in his sovereignty says, leave him, I'm going to take care of him right now. And everything he is doing is going to work for my purposes to be carried out.

As? That is part of the mystery of God, my brothers. Don't ask me, that's part of the mystery of God. But what is it up to us to do as a church? What is it up to us to do as sons and daughters of God in a time like this? You are going to tell me, yes, pastor, we have to pray. Sure, pray, that's what the text says, we have to pray. We as a church have a call to pray for those who rule over this nation, whatever their perspectives, their ideologies, their philosophies, God calls us to pray for each one of them. Whether at the local level, in our city, at the state level, or at the level of the entire nation, God calls us to pray.

And I wonder, how many of us intentionally in our alone time pray about it? Don't answer me. But I wonder how many of us intentionally have the rulers of my city, state and nation on our prayer lists? I tell them, I don't do it all the time, I have to get my act together regarding this. I make that confession.

If I want to be faithful to the word of God I have to get my act together regarding this. And it's not just praying when election time comes. That's one of the things I want to say. The call of the church to be in action is not only when the elections come. The church's call to be in action is 365 days a year. The church is called to be in action.

Now, my brothers, when we want to answer this question of how one should vote, how a Christian should vote, we have to think with a mentality of the Kingdom of God above all things and not with a mentality of society in which we live. Because obviously when facing the two candidates that we have right now, which is like saying, choose the lesser of the two evils, as if to say, so to speak, because neither of the two candidates fully encapsulates the principles of the Kingdom of God. .

Perhaps some reach more than the other, but neither of them can enclose the perfection of what is the values of the Kingdom of God. That's why I say that one has to shoot now for the lesser of both evils, so to speak, the lesser of both evils.

But yes, my brothers, we have to think, proceed in our decision with a mentality of the Kingdom of God. I explain? Always when we are proceeding in these deals, obviously we begin to measure, who is the one who can best work for the economy of the nation? Who is it that can truly provide good health insurance, because we all need health insurance, we all need some health coverage. Who is the one who can provide the best amount of work, so that when a young man graduates from university he can be sure that he will get a job. Who is the best that has a security policy nationally and internationally. Who is the best that can work or provide better market services with the foreign import, export. Who is the best to bring all these things? We think in terms of the human.

And I think we have to think like that, without a doubt. But you know what, my brothers? If I was told to follow what the word says, as Christians, as sons and daughters of God, as men and women who have been marked by the spirit of God, we have to think more about our decision through the principles of the Kingdom of God. And of course, if I follow this line, my brethren, obviously one of these parties has intentionally taken God completely out of their picture and put a totally devil-inspired agenda, so to speak, as part of their platform. And what it's doing through this, my brethren, is that it's seeking more and more to put the church, the body of Christ, against a rock and a hard place, into a corner to keep quiet, and tell the people of Christ, you are going to have to do things as we say.

Is there a biblical character that reminds you of this? By chance Sadrac, Mesac and Abednego were not in the same situation? At the sound of the trumpets, the cymbals, the drums, you have to kneel before this idol that I have made, otherwise you will go to the fiery furnace. It can be said that history, in some way or another, is now repeating itself in these times.

The enemy is looking for how to silence the church, my brothers. He is looking for the church to stick its tongue in the case and not be able to speak. He's looking to intimidate the church. But we can't let the enemy do that. Today more than ever, as we were praying a few minutes ago, the church has to stand firm, it has to stand firm in the principles of the word of God, declare its truth and denounce injustices.

As it says in Ephesians, chapter 5, the manifold wisdom of God has been given to the church to communicate it to the principles and powers of this time in which we live. Today more than ever, the church cannot remain silent. And I believe, my brothers, that when we get to that cubicle where we get into, and close the plastic behind us and you have your ballot in front of you, when you go to make your decision, I encourage you to think this way, don't just think, this character is going to give me a better medical plan benefit. God, you know the ailments that I have, those pains that I have in my joints, it hurts, Lord, and this person is looking very promising.

Maybe you are going to be in that cubicle and you are going to be thinking, Sir, my immigration papers, this character can cause a law to be passed that I can already feel safe in this nation, that I do not have to be running with that ghost behind me, and this character can do something so that I can be safe in this nation.

Maybe you are going to be in that little cardboard box with your ballot about to mark your X and you are going to be saying, Sir, it is so difficult my bank account is always almost scratching zero, Sir, and I have my hope that This character can at least let me not reach, not go below 100.

Listen to me, if you think like that, you are putting your hope in the wrong place, because no man, no system is going to be able to provide for our lives like God does. Remember that as you are part of the people of God, part of being a holy nation, remember that you are as a pilgrim and a foreigner on this earth in which God has placed us, that our true citizenship is up in heaven and not necessarily here. on earth, my brothers.

So I want to encourage you tonight, maybe I could expand on many other topics, but I want to be faithful over time, my brothers, I think you are understanding the line of where I am going. It is clear that I am not saying, vote for this or vote for that one. I am urging you that when you reach that moment of making a decision, that you decide according to what God is demanding of your church today. The church cannot rest on its laurels and depending on who ends up in power, this process of silencing the church can either be extended a little more or it can be reduced.

I believe that God is about to do something. And you know that part of our teaching here in this church, in the León de Judá congregation, on behalf of us pastors, is that we understand that many times for us to see the blessing of God working in our lives, working in our midst, there is times when things have to turn the color of a red, wild ant, so that then things break and God's blessing can flow. It may sound ironic because nobody wants to find themselves in a situation that is too pressing, too tight, or too scary, but for some reason or another, God in his mysteries always works that way, or most of the time, let me not say always. But most of the time God works that way.

There are times when God is waiting for us to be there hanging on the last string of the rope, when we feel that we are already falling, and that is when God comes and intervenes in some way or another. Thus, church, I believe that with this message, with this very brief reflection, my desire is rather to encourage you throughout these next two weeks, in the conversations that you have with colleagues at work, at school, in college, on the train, at your table at home with your spouse or kids, whatever it is, think about it this way.

Whoever is elected on Tuesday the 6th, we have a call to pray for them, as a church, whoever they are. But I believe that today more than ever the church of Christ, the genuine church of Christ, the body of Christ, has the ability to make a mark and let its voice be heard. Maybe not verbally, but through a mark on a ballot.

So, brothers, I encourage you, I exhort you, let us think in light of the principles and values of the Kingdom of God, what God demands of you and me as his son, as his daughter in a decision like this. As it is said in English, there is a lot of things at stake, and perhaps we in our finite mind cannot calculate the magnitude of all those things, but we can kind of see a glimpse of how things can be if we continue in the train we are on and we need God to intervene in some way or another.

Well, God is going to intervene, sooner or later, my brothers, rest assured that God is going to intervene and the church has to be prepared for when that happens. That is going to require that in some way or another we as a church prepare ourselves, my brothers.

I close with this, as a church we have to prepare and I am not saying it to scare us, I am saying it to encourage us. We cannot be a church that only prays and stirs up the dust when we are here praying glory to God, Hallelujah! We have to be an understanding church, my brothers, we have to be a church that sits down from time to time to read a couple of books that help us understand in greater depth the things that are happening in our society, to be able to see a report in the Boston Globe and what we are reading we can go to Scripture, Lord, what do you say about this situation in your word? How your word encourages me, exhorts me?

The word of God can help someone on an individual level. The word of God can inspire a family. The word of God can direct a church. But also concerning matters of our culture, of our society, of the politics in which we are moving, this also has a lot to say.

There were many prophets who influenced kings and their stories are here. I believe that this is the time that many prophets will begin to rise up and influence the rulers of this nation. That has to be our prayer, my brothers, so again, I encourage you, I urge you, let's keep this in our minds, in our hearts, again, I want to close with this, my intention is not to tell you, vote Democrat, vote Republican. But it is important for us as a church to let you know where we are.

If you consider this your church, you have to be very clear about what we think and believe, and this is where we are going. We have to defend the principles of the Kingdom of God. That is the call that God has for us, the legacy that our children are going to have, I tell them, I look at my children, I look at their boys who are sitting there on their lap, I look at them and I say to myself, wow, what will become of them, how will things be when it is their turn to be here in the place where we are? What difficulties you are going to have to face, what you are going to have to denounce, and much of how they can deal with it, will depend on how we now take action.

So my brothers, we are going to stand up, we are going to pray, we are going to close this time and ask the Lord for his full direction, his full revelation, not just about us but about the whole church throughout this nation, from coast to coast. On the coast, from the Dakotas to Mississippi we will pray.

Dear God, I understand that this is a very delicate subject, Lord, to be able to address and there are times when time does not give, and there is so much material to tell on this subject, Lord, and so many perspectives to try to reconcile. But, Lord, the intention of tonight is rather for us to be able to align ourselves with the principles of your word, Lord, and that in every decision that we can make, especially concerning, Lord, our civil responsibilities, I ask you that now more may the principles of your word never truly illuminate our minds, our hearts, our reasoning capacity, our ability to decide, Lord, and may we not necessarily let ourselves be carried away by the pressures or the current in which this society is going, the direction in which which this society goes, Lord. Help us to remain firm in you, Lord, and to be able to defend those things that you defend, defend those things for which you cry, for which you are moved, for which you overflow.

Help us to be the church that you want us to be in these times, Lord. Take away all fear from us, Jesus, even in conversations that we may have, Lord, with work colleagues, in the office, Lord, there are times when these are the types of conversations that we try to avoid, but somehow or other they arise , and with these conversations issues arise that can be very conflicting. Lord, my prayer is that to each one of my brothers and sisters, including myself, that you give us wisdom, give us sagacity, meekness, discernment, Lord, and courage, Jesus, to be able to denounce and declare those things that are and speak of your truth and your justice.

Prepare us as a church, Lord, for the things that may be to come, whether good or bad, Lord, prepare us. For us to be able to move in tune with you, Lord, and at your pace, at your tempo, Lord, to be able to follow behind you. Help us to be the light in the midst of darkness, Jesus, that you call us to be, and teach us, Father, teach us. Open our minds, open our understanding, Jesus, that we are not closed but that we can be open to your voice, to your direction, to your teaching, Lord, over our lives.

We ask you for all these things, Father. We want to be a faithful church, Lord, in these times, we want to be faithful to you. Help us to persevere in your truth, Lord, in these moments, now more than ever. And again, this is not a prayer of weakness or doubt, Lord, it is a cry that we raise before you, Lord, because we know that the pressure of the enemy out there is going to continue to grow, Jesus, and now more than ever your you are calling for a church that does not give up but can put its hand to the plow without looking back and continue on that course that you have for us.

But once again we declare ourselves in victory confident in you, Lord. Be with each one of my brothers and sisters tonight, Father, take us safely to our homes, take us with your peace, take us with your protection, Jesus, grant us a deep, restful rest tonight and Father, if you do so You allow it tomorrow when we get up, that we can get up with new strength, new energy, new encouragement, new joy, Lord Jesus, new hope, a strengthened faith in you, Lord, to face everything that tomorrow may bring, you We ask this in the name of Jesus, to whom we give all the glory and all the honor, amen and amen. Thank my Lord. Brothers and sisters, greet one another with the peace of the Lord. May God bless you, may God keep you, we will see those who come to discipleship on Friday, but not until Sunday. Blessings.