In the last article, For Whom Do We Vote?, I declared that we ought not to vote for politicians, but for the Lord Jesus Christ. That may sound unrealistic, but I meant it quite literally.
Evil IS predominant because we have been voting for men instead of God.
“Why should we vote for Jesus Christ?” you ask. “Besides, doesn’t He want us to exercise our ‘God-given right’ to vote? Have not people laid down their lives in wars, fighting for freedom and democracy so that we could each have a say in our governments? Mustn’t we, especially Christians, do our utmost to see that our governments have the best people we can elect if we are to promote and establish godly laws and principles?” “After all,” the thinking goes, “if we forfeit our voting opportunities, we will give way to ungodly voters who will cast godly laws to the wind, and eventually take our freedoms away from us. If we don’t speak up, evil will take over.”
Look at the state of the world. I have a chart survey of world history. Seeing it all laid out before me, the message was suddenly and starkly clear. It is a history fraught with strife, conquest, enmity, disease, destruction, and death. Every one of us could be a millionaire or multimillionaire, living in peace, health, and prosperity if God had His way. The problem is that evil IS predominant, and it is so because we have been voting for men instead of God. The apostle John writes that the whole world lies in wickedness, and is under the power of the evil one (I John 5:19).
Consider that if we all had been voting for the Lord Jesus Christ, this world would be a very different place, a veritable paradise. We have depended on our politicians and on our voting powers to bring the changes we have desired, and we have not realized where the real value and power are. We have set our hopes on man instead of on God. What does the Bible say about that?
“It is better to trust in the LORD than to depend on people. It is better to trust in the LORD than to depend on human leaders” (Psalms 118:8-9).
Does God say to do both? What does He say is better? Why don’t we believe Him? If what He says is true, and the way to go, then why do we insist on anything less?
“Do not trust influential people, mortals who cannot help you” (Psalms 146:3).
No help? Where have we learned that? In voting for men? Or have we learned? What will it take? For example, in the days when Joseph prepared Egypt for a grievous famine (Genesis chapters 41 and 47), he had food stored for seven years while in plenty. When the drought struck, the people came to Joseph for food. He charged them and they paid. When their money was gone, Joseph took their cattle, their lands (though they were allowed to dwell on them), and finally he said to them, “Now you yourselves belong to Pharaoh. Therefore, from now on, a fifth of all that you produce on your lands will be Pharaoh’s.”
A fifth! Because they were now Pharaoh’s servants, bought and paid for, they only got to keep eighty percent of their income. In our terms today, “tax-free day” for them was March 12. That means that all that they earned from January 1 to March 12 belonged to the government. The rest was theirs to keep. Today, when we are presumed to own our own property (which, by the way, is not constitutionally and legally true, neither in the US nor Canada), our tax-free day in Canada is…June 28! That means that we work for six months before anything we earn can be called ours! And the politicians are telling us we are a “free, democratic people?” Liars and thieves! And what do we do? They speak of yet more taxes and we say, “Hmmm, yes, we need to have social services!” Not only are men without integrity, they are without ability:
“When they die, they return to the dust; on that day all their plans come to an end. Happy are those who have the God of Jacob to help them and who depend on the LORD their God…” (Psalms 146:4-5).
Why not vote for God, your Creator, and live life to the full?
Among men, there are many gods, all but One false. There is only One, True God, and that is the “God of Jacob,” the God of the Bible, the Lord Jesus Christ. Those who vote for Him, are “happy!”
“In God have I put my trust: I will not be afraid what man can do to me” (Psalms 56:11).
This means that when we vote for the Lord, we need not fear what evil rulers will do. Not fearing “what man can do to me” also includes not believing, or having respect for man’s promises, and being duped:
“The fear of man brings a snare: but whoso puts his trust in the LORD shall be safe. Many seek the ruler’s favor; but every man’s judgment comes from the LORD” (Proverbs 29:25-26).
Why look to, and vote for, men and sin against God, thus incurring His disfavor, or wrath, as the Bible calls it, and receive high taxes, disease, injustice, lawlessness and all the attendant curses? Why not vote for God, your Creator, as He originally intended, and live life to the full? The judgment either way is from Him, whether for evil, or for good. God rules over all. If He needed our help, He would not be ruling over all.
God is quite clear on this matter: Man cannot be trusted, not for integrity nor for ability. Even if he means well, he cannot perform. But is there a man that means well? God is clear on that point as well:
“As it is written: There is none righteous, no not one; there is none that understands, there is none that seeks after God. They are all gone out of the way, they have together become unprofitable, there is none that does good, no, not one. Their throat is an open grave, with their tongues they have used deceit, the poison of asps is under their lips; whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness; their feet are swift to shed blood; destruction and misery are in their way, and the way of peace they did not know. There is no fear of God before their eyes” (Romans 3:10-18).
Tell me, is that what politicians lead you to believe about themselves or about you when they are campaigning? If not, then they cannot be trusted. As it is written: “Let God be true and every man a liar.” Jesus said, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life…” On the contrary, political leaders are full of promises, flatteries, and self-praises, while the Lord tells us the truth about ourselves. So then, if Jesus Christ is true, and every man a liar, why wouldn’t we vote for Him?
A slight departure from the track here for a moment, but serving the import of this message: Jean Chretien, the former prime minister of Canada, and Paul Martin, the present prime minister, are both professing Catholics. Yet, contrary to the Catholic Church, they have both supported same-sex marriage, citing the Charter of Rights and the ruling of the Supreme Court of Canada. Bishop Henry of Calgary, Alberta, has taken a public stand against their positions as Catholics. Even when these fellows profess some religious affiliation, they cannot be trusted. They do not obey their own spiritual moorings. While they, with lip service, acknowledge the Pope to be the sole vicar of Christ on earth, and the supreme authority over both spiritual and temporal matters, by the very fact that they call themselves Catholics, they, for political purposes, to please the public, attribute more authority and righteousness to the Canadian Charter of Rights and the Supreme Court of Canada than to the “Vicar of Christ.” Who can trust these fellows? Not even their fellow Catholics nor their professed leader, the Pope, can believe them!
The reality is that we cannot vote for both man and God.
We can trust neither votee nor voter. Why do people vote for liars unless they are liars themselves? We deceive ourselves and are deceived when we vote for men. We vote for men because we are deceived.
The reality is that we cannot vote for both man and God, as many believe. It is thought that we would lose all control if we were to withdraw from the political sphere. How contrary to God and Scripture such thinking is! Read again the verses of the Bible just quoted! In such thinking, are we not declaring that we do not trust God to do what is good and needful, that we must do it ourselves? Is that not saying that we trust in our own righteousness (virtue of strength and understanding) and not His? I think so. What does the Scripture say?
“This matter is by the decree of the watchers, and the demand by the word of the holy ones, so that the living may know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever He will, and sets up over it the lowest of men” (Daniel 4:17).
“And all the people of the earth are counted as nothing; and He does according to His will in the army of heaven, and among the people of the earth. And none can strike His hand, or say to Him, What are You doing?” (Daniel 4:35).
How does one argue with these Scriptures? People either do not believe God does do that, or they don’t believe He can do it without our aid. They do not trust Him. They do not believe the Scriptures, His Word.
As God declares, all men are by nature liars, and impotent. Have we not learned the veracity of God’s declarations? If not, we will continue to suffer the fruits of our ignorance and stubbornness. But God is true, wise, almighty and loving. He desires that we put our trust completely in Him. That is WHY we should vote for the Lord Jesus Christ.
In the next issue: HOW do we vote for Him?
Victor Hafichuk