Should I Vote - When I Don't Like the Candidates?

Today's election is critical to the biblical values we hold dear. Yet, in a post by Focus on the Family it stated that 32 million Christian won't be voting this time around.
In this short but impactful episode, Rhonda Stoppe shares important insights for you to consider. Please don't be one of the 32 million who sits this one out. #govote #vote #2024election #voteyourvalues #biblicalvalues #oldladiesknowstuff

Article Mentioned:
Author: Ken Ham Blog, AnswersinGenesis.org
The Bible-Believing Christian’s Privilege to Vote & Pray

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Transcript

Rhonda Stoppe [00:00:00]:
I'm Rhonda Stoppe, No Regrets Woman, because I help you build a no regrets life. I'm here today and we are going to be looking at First Peter 2: 13 - 14. And it says, "Be subject for the Lord's sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good." First Peter 2: 13 through 14.

Okay. So I just saw a post from Focus on the Family, and it shared that 32,000,000 Christians are not planning to vote in the upcoming elections. 32,000,000 people are not going to vote. Not just people, but believers.

Rhonda Stoppe [00:00:52]:
They're not going to exercise their right to vote. I I voted today. So my question is this, and I know many of you have this question, should I vote when I don't like either of the candidates, when I feel that both candidates are not godly, when I feel that both candidates are not going to, represent what I want him to represent or her to represent or I I just I'm offended by them or I don't like their personality. I get it. I get it. We're in a difficult place, and yet let's unpack this question. Should you vote? And in an Answers in Genesis article, Ken Ham offered these insights and I really think it's worth sharing with you: (Quote)
"God's word tells us that as Christians, we are to be salt and light in our culture.

Rhonda Stoppe [00:01:39]:
That's from Matthew 5:13 through 16. To us, part of being salt and light is our neighbors seeing us participate in how the nation is governed and to apply our Christian worldview in deciding who we vote for." (End quote).

If the purpose of government is to maintain law and order and to direct, really, the decisions of our culture, then we need to vote. We need to look at the candidates, look at the issues, and discern who is most likely to maintain law and order and who is going to help us uphold our biblical values.

Of course, just because someone doesn't believe in the Bible or the absolute authority of the Bible, then right or wrong, good or bad, it honestly becomes totally subjective. However, there are many people who maybe inconsistently uphold the morality that comes from our Judeo Christian values, our ethics, on which this country was established, on which this country was built. Even if those candidates aren't necessary born again believers.

Rhonda Stoppe [00:02:54]:
I know there's no guarantee that any one candidate will continue to live under Judeo Christian values. But at this point, evaluating where they stand on important issues is what we need to do.

Man's responsibility and God's sovereignty:

So you may be asking why vote if God determines who's going to be elected? On the other hand, if our voting determines who is elected, then how is God sovereign over that? All through scripture, we see man's responsibility and God's sovereignty somehow miraculously working hand in hand. In that same article, Ken Ham said this, "God is infinite and we are finite. So the infinite all knowing God brings these two things together in a way that I can never understand. Either can I? But you and I need to be faithful to obey God and do what God tells us to do."

So if God is telling us to be salt and light, if he is telling us to be involved in the government, maybe run for office, but definitely to vote our values.

Rhonda Stoppe [00:04:06]:
Voting is a privilege that not everyone has been given. And through God's sovereign plan and much blood and loss of life of those who fought for our freedom to cast our vote, God has provided a way for you and for me to exercise our God given responsibility to vote our values.

While you and I also understand that God is totally God's totally in charge of who will be elected, we need to look at the moral issues that are confront confronting us in our culture, and we need to ask God to grant us his discernment to judge who will best uphold our biblical values.

John 7:24 says, "But judge with right judgment."

Oh, Lord, give us your discernment to judge rightly as we go to the polls. There is no perfect candidate. We have we live in a fallen world. Most of the people that are running for political office are not born again Christians, and they don't have a genuine Christian worldview.

Rhonda Stoppe [00:05:12]:
But you can do your homework. You can pray and ask God for wisdom and discernment as you research the candidates that best uphold your Christian values and vote for that candidate.

Understand what I'm saying. I'm not saying that they are a Christian or that they live a Christian testimony, But God puts in the hearts of even the ungodly. Think of the king that was king (Nebuchadnezzar) when Daniel was there and he even though he did not know God, God impressed upon him what God wanted to accomplish in a nation.

So I'll close with this one last quote from Ken Ham's article. He says this:

"So my admonition to us all, don't vote as a Republican, Democrat, or independent, but vote as a Bible believing Christian who has taken your responsibility very seriously. And what else? Pray.

Rhonda Stoppe [00:06:07]:
Pray, pray, pray for these upcoming elections. Pray without ceasing, 1st Thessalonians 5:17. Also, "pray for kings and leaders who are in a high position that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way." That's first  Timothy 22. So please vote. Don't be one of those 32,000,000 Christians who are not getting out there and voting. Do your homework. Do your research.

Rhonda Stoppe [00:06:39]:
Ask God for discernment, and vote your biblical values, but please vote. Thank you so much. Please join with me in praying for these upcoming elections, and may God have mercy on the United States of America. Thank you.