Question:  "Does God expect Christians to vote?" Answer:  Beyond any shadow of a doubt, it is the duty and responsibility of every Christian to vote, and vote for leaders who promote Christian principles. God is most certainly in control, but that does not mean we should do nothing to further His will. We are commanded to pray for our leaders in 1st Timothy 2:1-4. This passage also describes God’s desire that all men would be saved.

The fact that so many die without knowing Christ is just one proof that not everything that happens is something God wants to happen. The Lord has given us the freedom and free will to make some choices for ourselves. 

In terms of politics and leadership, there is evidence in scripture that God has been displeased with our choices of leadership at times (Hosea 8:4). The evidence of sin’s grip on this world is everywhere. So much of the suffering of men on earth is because of godless leadership (Proverbs 28:12). Scripture gives Christians instructions to obey legitimate authority, unless it contradicts the Lord’s commands (Acts 5:27-29, Romans 13:1-7). As born-again, saved believers, we ought to strive to choose leaders who will be themselves led by our Creator (1 Samuel 12:13-25). Candidates or proposals that violate the Bible’s commands for life, family, marriage, or faith should never be supported (Proverbs 14:34). Christians should vote; as led through prayer and study of both God’s Word and the realities of the choices on the ballot. 

Christians in many countries in this world are oppressed and persecuted. They suffer under governments they are powerless to change, governments that hate their faith and silence their voices. These believers preach the gospel of Jesus Christ at risk of their own death. Many are killed so that others may benefit from the love of God. U.S. Christians have been blessed with the right to speak about and choose their leaders without fearing for themselves or their families. In the United States, in the 2000 presidential election, about 2 of every 5 of self-professed Christians took that right for granted. About 1 in 5 self-professed, eligible Christians are not even registered to vote. 

In our day and age, there are many who want to drive the name and message of Christ completely out of the public eye. Voting is an opportunity to promote, protect, and preserve Godly government. Passing up that opportunity means letting those who would drag the name of Christ through the mud have their way in our lives. The leaders we elect – or do nothing to remove – have great influence on our freedoms. They can choose to protect our right to worship and spread the gospel, or they can restrict those rights. They can lead our nation towards righteousness, or towards moral disaster. Christians in the United States must stand up, and follow our command to fulfill our civic duties (Matthew 22:21). Ignoring our God-given right to choose our own leaders is to let the Devil and his cronies have the upper hand in our nation. 

James 4:17 says in no uncertain terms: “Therefore, to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.” Ignoring the right and responsibility to vote is a failure to stand up for the Lord – and any believer who chooses not to vote should be ashamed