Good News - October 2020

ENCOURAGEMENT 30 OCTOBER 2020 www.goodnewsfl.org Good News • South Florida Edition As Americans, we are al- lowed the unique opportunity to influence our laws. For Chris- tians, this means we must bring our biblical worldview to the public square. Instead of kings who wield absolute power for entire life- times, America was established as a nation ruled by the people. The government’s ability to wrest power from the people was reined in by an ingenious system of checks and bal- ances. But what is often missed by pundits today was the ex- pectation of our Founding Fa- thers, all of whom held great reverence for God and Scrip- ture, that leaders possess a moral compass, and that virtue, justice and righteousness were essential for government not to trample on the God-given rights of the people. George Washington warnedAmerica in his first inau- gural address never to depart from its founding principles, which he clearly believed flowed from God. He declared, “the propitious smiles of Heaven can never be expected on a nation that disregards the eternal rules of order and right, which Heaven itself has ordained.” Christians share the same spiritual obligation our Founding Fathers felt to express our faith in the political and public sphere. Here are three reasons why: 1. Political involvement demonstrates love for our neighbors. Jesus told us in Matthew 22 that the greatest com- mandment is to love God with all that we are, and he went on to say that the second great- est commandment is to “love your neighbor as yourself.” Using our voice and our vote as Christians to influence the political landscape of our country is one way we can show love to our neighbors. Good laws and a well-run gov- ernment are essential to pro- duce a flourishing society. Obeying these two command- ments includes seeking legis- lation that protects the sanctity of life, religious freedom, mar- riage and family, and that com- passionately cares for those in need. Engaging in politics al- lows us to effect change and is essential for believers who love their neighbors. 2. Political involvement demonstrates reverence for God. Paul writes in Romans 13 that Christians should respect and be subject to their govern- ing authorities because “there is no authority except that which God has established.” The Bible explicitly ex- presses an obligation to our government that is derived from God’s authority. As Amer- icans, we are allowed the unique opportunity to influence our laws. For Christians, this means we must bring our bibli- cal worldview to the public square. If we begin to remove ourselves from politics, this opens the door for moral decay and culture shift, inevitably changing the direction of a gov- ernment that honors God. 3. Political involvement shows respect for the Bible. 2 Timothy tells us that, “all Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teach- ing, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteous- ness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” “Every good work” definitely includes leveraging our faith to influence politics in a way that seeks to build God’s kingdom on Earth. Believers must under- stand a biblical worldview speaks into every aspect of our lives, including some of today’s most controversial issues. Voting is an opportunity for us to love our neighbor (Matthew 22) by using our voice and our vote to influence the po- litical landscape of our country. It's an opportunity for us to live out biblical principles in every area of our lives as we become a source for good in our com- munities and our nation (Jere- miah 29:7). Another verse that captures this idea well is Galatians 6:10, which says, “Therefore, as we have the opportunity, let us do good to all people."And the pre- vious verse is a powerful re- minder to not give up and grow weary in doing good either. It's time for all of us across the nation to awaken Christians to civic engagement in America to see God's principles ad- vanced in our society. The mis- sion at My Faith Votes seeks to advance Jesus' policies. We do not endorse any candidate or political party. Instead, we en- courage Christians to bring the solutions of their faith into the ballot box. Our nation’s Founding Fa- thers exercised their faith while serving in government. Let their example encourage everyday citizens like you and me to let our faith impact our nation, too. My Faith Votes is a non- partisan movement that moti- vates, equips and activates Christians in America to vote in every election, transforming our communities and influencing our nation with biblical truth. By part- nering with national faith lead- ers, My Faith Votes provides resources to help Christians Pray, Think, andAct to create an America where God is honored in the public square. Visit My- FaithVotes.org to access your Voter Guide. Three ReasonsWhy Christians Should Vote Jason Yates My Faith Votes CEO