Go here to listen to Jason’s sermon on “A Biblical Understanding of Government.”
God is originator of government, for God is the source of all morality, justice, and order. If not Him, who or what is? Isaiah 33:22 declares, “For the Lord is our judge; the Lord is our lawgiver; the Lord is our king; he will save us.” God is the Divine Judiciary, Legislature, and Executive.
Since the chief end of man is to glorify God, God commanded mankind to have dominion and rule the earth in Genesis 1:26-28. At Creation, therefore, man was given the capacity and responsibility to govern.
Being created in the image of God gives us the capacity to govern as moral and rational beings.
Since we are commanded to rule the earth, governing is not just a right but a God-given responsibility. In other words, being active in ordering this earth is one of the ways in which men and women glorify God. To fail to do so is therefore a sin.
Voting is not just a right, it is a responsibility!
Christians should approach politics and government from the Creation Ordinance of Dominion and Ruling. Christians should run for political office if God wills. Christians should be aware of issues and policies that shape their community, state and nation. We should all vote and do so responsibly. Consider moral issues and justice and security before economics and personalities. Don’t be selfish in your votes – but vote for what is best for the nation.
Don’t be short-sighted in your votes: there is NEVER a perfect candidate. Everytime we go to the polls we must vote for the person or policy that moves our government in the right direction. It is better for a few good things to be accomplished rather than none.
God is sovereign over all governments (Romans 13:1-7; 1 Peter 2:13-16). God has used both good governments and bad governments to further His will in this world. God has raised up both godly men and wicked men to accomplish His purposes. So when you go to the polls and are wondering if it is alright to vote for the lesser of two evils, just remember that God Himself has used such.
Incremental improvement in government is just as valid and glorifying to God as incremental improvement in your personal sanctification. Don’t sit out of a vote! It’s not just a right, it is a responsibility as a man created in the image of God.
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Jason Robertson is a husband and a father and a pastor. He is dedicated to leading and equipping his the Church with God’s word and biblical theology for life ministry, using a combination of pastoral, church planting and evangelism experience. He holds a Master of Divinity from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. He is experienced in church planting, evangelism, missions, and the training of pastors and Bible teachers.
Jason has been preaching the gospel since 1985, serving the first ten years of ministry as a Southern Baptist itinerant evangelist out of Milldale Baptist Church in Zachary, LA which ordained him in 1993. He has preached in hundreds of churches in over 30 States and 4 countries. He planted churches in Siberia, Russia in the summers of 1993 and 1994. He founded Murrieta Valley Church in California, which he planted in cooperation with the SBC NAMB in 2001. He also teaches ministry students at California Baptist University.
You can hear his sermons and read his manuscripts on sermonaudio.com. Just follow the link to "sermons" at the top of this page.