Should A Christian Vote?

[CENTER]Should A Christian Vote?
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God had called Abram to physically come out of the country of his birth.

Genesis 12:1 (KJV)
Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee:

Abram or as God later changed his name to Abraham, could not participate in his old country's political system, because he was told by God to get out from his country. He was not their to do so even if he wanted to.

Acts 7:3 (KJV)
And said unto him, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and come into the land which I shall shew thee.

Abraham was not looking to go back or even to another country of this world. Because he not just physically left his home land he also spiritually came out of this world.

Hebrews 11:10 (KJV)
For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.

Hebrews 11:9-10 (KJV)
By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.

They all renounce their rights and privileges of their former country/ancestry and embraced a far better one by faith.

Hebrews 11:14-16 (KJV)
For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country. And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned. But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.

Even Moses gave up all that he had in Egypt for God's sake

Hebrews 11:25-27 (KJV)
Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward. By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible.

The people of God would rather suffer than renounce their new citizenship; they were like a people without a country.

Hebrews 11:37-40 (KJV)
They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented; (Of whom the world was not worthy they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise: God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.

An ambassador is one that represents the country of his birth in another country. An ambassador does not participate in the country's political system where he is representing his country. Hebrews 11:37-40 is not saying that the people of God are to be poor, that is not the point of my argument. In fact scriptures would show that Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and even Job for example were wealthy men. Being a pilgrim or a sojourner does not mean that one has to be poor.

2 Cor. 5:20 (KJV)
Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.

Ephes. 6:20 (KJV)
For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.

Ambassadors: presbeuo,pres-byoo'-o; from the base of Greek (presbuteros); to be a senior, i.e. (by implication) act as a representative (figurative preacher) :- be an ambassador.

Born again; born from above
1 Peter 1:23 (KJV)
Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.

The people of God must live in this world but not be a part of its ways or system. Some things can seem right or even innocent but one could easily get caught up in sin.

Proverbs 14:12 (KJV)
There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.

Proverbs 16:25 (KJV)
There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.

Rev. 18:4 (KJV)
And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.

Our kingdom is not in this world

John 18:36 (KJV)
Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.

John 17:14 (KJV)
I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.

John 17:16 (KJV)
They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.

Ephes. 2:19 (KJV)
Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;

Luke 10:20 (KJV)
Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.

Our kingdom will come to this world at the return of Jesus the Christ.

Rev. 11:15 (KJV)
And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.

This is Satan's world

2 Cor. 4:4 (KJV)
In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

Strangers on the earth

Hebrews 11:13 (KJV)
These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.

1 Peter 2:11 (KJV)
Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;

For a child of God to participate in the political system of onces physical birth will ultimately conflicts with their citizenship of the kingdom of God, and he or she is bound to betray one or the other.

Matthew 6:24 (KJV)
No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

Luke 16:13 (KJV)
No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

The word that is translated "Church" means in Greek "a calling out" or "the called out ones". Therefore, if someone called you outside of a meeting, work or conversation, then you are no longer participating in what is going on in side, until you decide to go back in.

Acts 20:28 (KJV)
Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.

Church: ekklesia,ek-klay-see'-ah; from a compound of Greek (ek) and a derivative of Greek (kaleo); a calling out, i.e. (concretely) a popular meeting, especially a religious congregation (Jewish synagogue, or Christian community of members on earth or saints in heaven or both) :- assembly, church.

My comment

While there are no scriptures in the Bible that as a command says, "You shall not vote" or "The people of God should vote". There are scriptures that gives us examples of people of God who were willing to give up the rights and privileges of the nation of their birth for the sake of their new citizenship. Nothing is worth what God is so graciously offering us.

Romans 8:18 (KJV)
For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

Our loyalty first and foremost is to the kingdom of God, but it does not mean that we should not care about the people and country or the world in which we live.

Romans 12:18 (KJV)
If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. Galatians 6:10 (KJV)
As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.

The people of God are to be the most caring and loving people of the world.

Romans 12:20 (KJV)
Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head.

We are to care about the environment because the Bible gave us examples of that.

John 6:12-13 (KJV)
When they were filled, he said unto his disciples, Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost. Therefore they gathered them together, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves, which remained over and above unto them that had eaten.

Mark 8:8 (KJV)
So they did eat, and were filled: and they took up of the broken meat that was left seven baskets.

Genesis 2:15 (KJV)
And the Lord God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.

Keep: shamar,shaw-mar'; a primitive root; properly to hedge about (as with thorns), i.e. guard; generally to protect, attend to, etc. :- beware, be circumspect, take heed (to self), keep (-er, self), mark, look narrowly, observe, preserve, regard, reserve, save (self), sure, (that lay) wait (for), watch (-man).

The Bible is full of countless ways were a child of God can fulfil the will of God, and there by do a world of good far more than the simple act of voting. It is God who set up and removes kings/nations.

Daniel 4:17 (KJV)
This matter is by the decree of the watchers, and the demand by the word of the holy ones: to the intent that the living may know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the basest of men.

Basest: shephal,shef-al'; (Chaldee); from Hebrew (shephal); low :- basest.

Daniel 4:25 (KJV)
That they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field, and they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and they shall wet thee with the dew of heaven, and seven times shall pass over thee, till thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will.

But we have no way of knowing when, how, whom and for what purpose (except that we know it will be to fulfill His divine plane) He will set up or remove. We could even be fighting against God's will, because the person or party that we may be voting for to be in power may not be God's will. But it is far easier to know what God expect of us, through his word.

It is because we are citizens of the kingdom of God why we do good to all people, while not allowing our selves to be corrupt by the things of the world.

James 1:27 (KJV)
Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world. [/CENTER]