Should Christians Vote?

I was at a local pastor meeting today and was handed a packet on registering voters in the church. This...on the heels of the "civil forum" with the two Presidential candidates at Saddleback this weekend....and only a couple of weeks since I read a book which states that evangelicals have a reputation for being too political. So...the question, "Should Christians vote?"

Without digging too deeply into the issue, let's first ask, "What would Jesus do?" Well, He certainly would not vote since voting is frowned upon in an Imperial form of government such as the Roman Empire in the first century. The Scripture does say that all governments and leaders are appointed to their posts by God to fulfill a purpose that He has (1 Peter 2:13-15). So...it seems that it would be wrong to not vote...since the system of government is (at a minimum) affirmed...and arguably endorsed in Scripture. So...let's find an analogy that might help us better apply the principle in Scripture.

If the question were, "Should Christians feed the hungry, shelter the homeless, help those in need, or encourage the distraught"...we would say----certainly! Even if the end result was not necessarily to evangelize the recipient...the effort would certainly be seen as being a positive influence on our community (Matthew 5:13-16). Why should we view being a positive influence on the political process any differently.

Some might say that by being political, we fulfill the stereotype that some have of evangelicals...that they (we) are political activists furthering a "far-right agenda." Well, so what. It is not as if by not voting we are going to change the perspective. Let me offer this as a consideration.

As Christians, we should engage in the political process but not be defined by it. We are defined by something higher...our relationship with Jesus Christ. We should not be defined as anti-gay marriage, but as pro-marriage. Not as anti "choice," but as pro-life for every human...regardless of age, race, physical condition, or any other consideration such as the circumstances of conception.

Granted, whenever we stand FOR something, we are by default standing AGAINST something else. So be it. If Christians are misunderstood...so was their leader. We should be careful to be kind in how we communicate, but not eliminate the content of our communication...since our influence in the world is one of our greatest contributions.

For those who attend the church where I serve...this feels like the start of a good series....

I am interested in your thoughts.