Why Vote for Christians?

For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.
—Romans 8:14

Why should we prefer to vote for Christians over non-Christians for our nation’s elected offices?

First, a Christian leader is more likely to enact godly principles than a non-Christian. I believe a non-Christian can embrace biblical values such as the sanctity of life, but a person who embraces biblical principles is much more likely to stick with those principles if those beliefs are rooted in a deep fear of the Lord. Proverbs 1:7 says, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge.”

Second, Christians have the advantage of experiencing God’s leadership in making crucial decisions. Romans 8:14 says, “For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.” If you are truly a believer, the Holy Spirit will lead you. That’s important for any office, especially for the presidency. Just imagine it is three o’clock in the morning. The telephone rings in the White House. The president picks up the phone and has to make an immediate choice whether to launch a nuclear attack against another nation. Now, you would want somebody who is competent as president at that moment. You would want somebody who understood world situations and defense. But wouldn’t it give you comfort to know that the leader of your country was a committed Christian who turned to God for leadership in making that decision?

Third, Christian leaders are more likely to demonstrate integrity of character. There are exceptions to that rule—Christians who disgraced their office by misbehavior. Nevertheless, I believe Christians are more likely to demonstrate the integrity of character that voters desire. Their core beliefs serve as a restraint against immorality, corruption, and dereliction of duty. Some people say that a politician’s personal life has no effect on his behavior or his governing ability. What a foolish thing to say. When Ross Perot was running for president in 1992 he remarked that he would never hire somebody who was an adulterer because he figured if a man would lie to his own wife, surely he would lie to his employer. He said the same thing applies to the presidency. If a man will lie to his own wife about his behavior, what would keep him from lying to his country? Character does matter. I’m not saying you can’t have character apart from being a Christian, but I believe that Christians, with some exceptions, are more likely to demonstrate the integrity of character that voters desire.

Finally, Christian leaders who uphold godly principles enjoy the unique favor of God upon their life. And God’s favor or disfavor spills over to the citizens who live under those rulers as well. Proverbs 29:2 says, “When the righteous increase, the people rejoice, but when a wicked man rules, people groan.” The character of the leader we select affects us in every way. We ought to choose somebody who is both a competent leader and somebody who is a committed believer. Scripture tells us the consideration of a candidate’s faith is not only permissible but essential.

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Today’s devotion is excerpted from “How a Christian Should Vote ” by Dr. Robert Jeffress, 2011.

Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1960,1962,1963,1968,1971,1972,1973,1975,1977,1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.