The
False Teaching
Billy
Graham: But the Bible does command us to be good
citizens—and one of the ways we do this today is by voting. In fact, if
we don't vote, we are failing to fulfill that God-given responsibility
to be good citizens. The Bible says that Mordecai, Esther's uncle, was
honored "because he worked for the good of his people."
From a Southern Baptist:
I believe it’s clear from Scripture that Christians should be the best
citizens a nation has to offer. And in a nation such as ours, where the
citizens direct the course of our government, the failure to
participate in the most fundamental way we have to provide direction to
our government cannot be seen to be anything less than a sin for
qualified Christian citizens to fail to vote. A Catholic View:
A Christian has a
duty to vote probably more than any other citizen because of the
biblical
principles...relating to nations. The Scripture tells us that
Righteousness exalts a nation.
From Evangelicals:
We call on all
Christians to become informed and then to vote, as well as to
communicate biblical values to their government representatives. We
urge all Christians to take their civic responsibility seriously even
when they are not fulltime political activists so that they might more
adequately call those in government to their task. We also encourage
our children to consider vocations in public service.
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Exposing
the Error
Christians
assume that being a state citizen is
compatible with being a follower of
Jesus and that they should vote. This is erroneous; a follower of Jesus
is not a citizen
of any nation and he, Jesus, does not lead anyone to the polls.
How so? The oath required of U.S. naturalized citizens begins:
I
hereby declare, on oath, that I absolutely and entirely renounce and
abjure all allegiance and fidelity to
any foreign prince, potentate, state, or sovereignty of whom or
which I have heretofore been a subject or citizen; that I will support
and defend the Constitution and laws of the United States of America
against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith
and allegiance to the same; that I will bear arms on behalf of the
United States when required by law;...See? Jesus is king
in the kingdom of God, and he is a foreign
prince that requires total
allegiance that U.S citizenship does not allow. King Jesus has
said, Do not resist one who is evil. That
is the law in the kingdom of God, but the state citizen is committed to
defend and protect against all enemies, and to bear arms. A follower
of Jesus bears something, but not arms:
If any man would
come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily
and follow me. A
follower can not qualify
for citizenship in the state because the King does not allow it. Jesus'
followers are disqualified from voting or assuming any right of
citizenship. All who do are not following Jesus!
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Declaring
the Truth
If
you were of the
world, the world would have philia-loved you. But because you are not
of this world, because of this the world hates you
(Jn 15:19).
I
have given them
your word, and the world hated them, because they are not of the world,
just as I am not of the world. I do not ask that you take them from the
world, but that you keep them from evil. They are not of the world just
as I am not of the world
(Jn17:14f). My kingdom is not
of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my officers would have
fought in order that I not be delivered up to the Jews; but now my
kingdom is not from here (Jn
18:36). Jesus makes a distinction
between his followers and the nations of the world:For all these do
the nations of the world seek.
But your father knows that you need these things. Rather be seeking
his kingdom, and all these things will be added (Lk 12:30-31). Also,
he does not permit a dual earthly/heavenly citizenship:And they asked him
saying: Teacher, we know that you rightly speak and teach and do not
accept appearances, but upon truth you teach the way of God: Is it
allowed we
give tribute to Caesar or not? But having known
their trickery he said to them: Show me a denarius.
Whose image and inscription has it? And
they said:Caesar. But he said to
them: So render the things of Caesar to
Caesar and the things of God to God (Lk 20:21-25). More
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