Thursday, November 2, 2006

Cynicism and the Vote

In a recent forum, an acquaintance who is a Christian expressed much dismay about voting in the upcoming election, and is currently planning to not participate. He offered a number of reasons, many of which may have a good bit of truth to them. But over all, his cast is gloomy, bitter and cynical. Here is how I responded:

Cynicism does not serve you well. It is based on how things appear in the natural realm, in the old age of this world that is passing away. But we are the people of God, people of the kingdom age that is now breaking into the world. We are people of the Spirit and of the spiritual realm. We are a colony of heaven. We are not the last remains of a mission team mournfully waiting for the Big Air Lift to come and rescue us. We are an insertion team, to establish the kingdom of God wherever we go. We have been given authority in the spiritual realm to bring forth change in the natural realm. We have been given the spiritual eyes to see what is going on in heaven and then pray, as Jesus taught us, "Kingdom of God, come! Will of God, be done on earth as it is in heaven" (Matthew 6:10). We have been given the authority to forbid on earth what has been forbidden in heaven, and to permit on earth what has been permitted in heaven (Matthew 18:18). We do not have to fall into that despair to which cynicism invariably leads; we can operate on the level of faith, bearing the authority of the kingdom of heaven on the earth.

The vote that has been given to each of us is not the end-all be-all, not from the kingdom perspective. But it is a practical way to respond in faith, instead of abdicating responsibility (although failure to vote will not make you one bit less responsible for the outcome of the elections).

You have told us what you will not be doing. But what will you be doing? How and what will you pray? Will it be full of cynicism, or faith? What are you willing to believe God to do to bring forth His kingdom and righteousness in this instance?
If you know the Lord Jesus Christ, there is every reason to seek the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and expect it to change the world — even on election day. So go out and vote.

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