Biblical Voting – What it looks like
With all of the hugabaloo going on around the election
this year, I thought it necessary to drop a few thoughts about what I am seeing
and HEARING (understanding) on social media and the mainstream news. I am not so much concerned with what I hear
in the mainstream media; my concern resides in what people in the “church” are
saying about voting, especially when they throw in a scripture to “support”
their statements. Some of these
statements are right on spot, while others could use a little twisting back
into proper context. That is the point
of this post … it is a little Bible study so we can know who to, and how NOT TO
use scripture to support a thought, belief, or statement.
Here are a few thoughts to consider when applying
scripture:
1. Know the
HISTORICAL context
2. Know the
DOCTRINAL context/meaning
3. Know the
DEVOTIONLAL or INSPIRATIONAL context/meaning
There is a whole lot of learning/understanding that
goes into those three statements, but I will try to do my best with the scripture
presented. The scripture presented is:
Exo 18:21 Moreover thou shalt
provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating
covetousness; and place such
over them, to be rulers of
thousands, and rulers of
hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens:
This verse was used to say that we are to vote for
Godly people in America if we are to think Biblically. The idea is that if a person does not vote
for a Godly person then they are not thinking Biblically. However, is that what the Bible is really
telling us? I will lay out my thoughts
on this and let you be the judge.
There is are two passages I’d like to provide at this
juncture that will help us THINK through this principle:
2Ti 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a
workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
2Pe 3:16 As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are
some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and
unstable wrest, as they do
also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.
The words unlearned and
unstable do not mean someone does not have an education, it means that don’t
UNDERSTAND properly what it is they are reading. In short … because they do not understand
they are applying it improperly … hence … wrestling
(wrestling out of proper meaning/context).
So ... back to Exodus
18:21. This passage is HISTORICALLY
talking about Israel (the wife of God) when Moses needed help making decisions on
a little bigger than small matters for the people. His father in law suggested he select godly
men from among the people in order to help with the little bigger than small
matters that would come up when dealing with millions of people wondering in the
wilderness for 40 years.
DOCTRINALLY this passage
is also referring to Israel, but it has DEVOTIONAL AND INSPIRATIONAL tentacles
that touch our lives today. The KEY is
UNDERSTANDING how this passage in the OT that deals with the nation of Israel
touches our lives today. We can’t just
make it say what we want it to say, no matter how “good” our intentions.
The way one applies an OT
passage to the church age in a doctrinal way is to look at it through the
template of the books the Apostle Paul wrote.
This is vital because it was to Paul that the “mysteries” of the church
were given (there are 7 mysteries to which every believer is accountable). In short, when speaking about Israel, it is
important to realize that she (Israel) is a picture of the “church,” and as
such, the applications are devotional and not physical. We don’t want to make the same mistakes that “preachers”
like Joel Osteen make when he takes a physical promise given to Israel (and
only Israel) and applies them physically to the church. That is wresting the context of scripture out
of joint. Let’s not do this with the
Holy word of God. Why … because Jesus IS
THE WORD …
Joh 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word
was with God, and the Word was God.
Joh 1:2 The same was in the beginning with God.
Joh 1:3 All things were made by him; and without him
was not any thing made that was made.
Joh 1:4 In him was life; and the life was the light
of men.
OK … stop and take a breath and we will
continue …
There is SO MUCH MORE I
could say to establish the proper principles of UNDERSTANDING the Bible, but it
would only confuse you if I couldn’t develop it more thoroughly. Hopefully this will whet your appetite to
dig into proper Bible study on your own.
The PROPER APPLICATION of
Exodus 18:21 to today – in the context of the post of voting:
Remember, the author of
the post was stating that to think Biblically one must obey the principle in
Exodus 18:21 to our voting choices. Well
… that is not the proper application. As
Israel is a picture of the church, and it’s principles to be applied
devotionally … we are to put the obligation on the church to select “its”
leaders in the manner prescribed.
The “church” is to select
leaders, not a nation (although that would be an amazing thing if our nation
was in a position to do that), that are godly so that the church can fulfill
its purpose. What is clear as a bell is
that the church has not obeyed this principle over the generations. We have not been faithful to the imperative
of the Great Commission (which is making disciples … not soulwinning)! We have not been producing soldiers of the
cross who can battle with the powers and principalities of the air (demons and
fallen angels), much less overcome the lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, and
the pride of life. If our leaders had
been faithful over the centuries to fulfill the command to make disciples (selecting
godly men), then America would not be in the position she is in today.
My point is that it is
easy to point fingers at HOW people vote, rather than to put the responsibility
on the church for not selecting leaders that would follow the most basic
command given to the church … make disciples of all people groups. Instead of influencing our culture with the
truth, the culture has influenced the church with their way of thinking.
So … to the author I
would say … let’s make disciples and occupy till He comes, and trust people to
make decisions based on a proper understanding of the times and the word of
God.
1Chron 12:32 And of the children of Issachar, which were men that had understanding of the times, to know
what Israel ought to do; the heads of them were two hundred; and all their brethren were at their commandment.
1Chron
12:33 Of Zebulun, such as went forth to battle, expert in war, with all instruments of war, fifty
thousand, which could keep rank:
they were not of double heart.
If the church, over the
years, had been equipped to:
1. Go forth to battle
2. Be expert in war
3. Could use all instruments of war
4. Could keeprank
5. Were not of a double heart
Then we would not be a
post Christian culture today.
Mark Harrell – Habakkuk 2:2
President and Founder of
RU FIT Ministries
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