When a believer fails to vote, the voter is effectively voting for the least favorable option. Inaction becomes an endorsement for the candidates least likely to protect the rights and freedoms that are gifts from God. Failure to vote is a very serious indictment of the believer’s own drift away from God, godly character, and godly principles.

President James Garfield explained that the character of the people is responsible for the character of government:

“Now more than ever the people are responsible for the character of their Congress. If that body be ignorant, reckless, and corrupt, it is because the people tolerate ignorance, recklessness, and corruption. If it be intelligent, brave, and pure, it is because the people demand these high qualities to represent them in the national legislature. . . . [I]f the next centennial[1976] does not find us a great nation . . . it will be because those who represent the enterprise, the culture, and the morality of the nation do not aid in controlling the political forces.”

Since Judeo-Christian believers are the only ones who understand Biblical character, they MUST become vote leaders not anti-vote followers. Francis Grimke (Presbyterian minister and civil rights activist, 1852-1937) boldly proclaimed that a failure to vote is a prescription for America’s self-destruction:

“If the time ever comes when we shall go to pieces, it will . . . be . . . from inward corruption – from the disregard of right principles . . . from losing sight of the fact that “Righteousness exalteth a nation, but that sin is a reproach to any people” [Proverbs 14:34]. . .[T]he secession of the Southern States in 1860 was a small matter with the secession of the Union itself from the great principles enunciated in the Declaration of Independence, in the Golden Rule, in the Ten Commandments, in the Sermon on the Mount. Unless we hold, and hold firmly to these great fundamental principles of righteousness. . . our Union . . . will be “only a covenant with death and an agreement with hell.”

Finally, William Penn (founder of Pennsylvania) profoundly observed that good government depend on good citizens who are good voters:

“Governments, like clocks, go from the motion men give them; and as governments are made and moved by men, so by them they are ruined too. Wherefore governments rather depend upon men than men upon governments. Let men be good and the government cannot be bad. . . . But if men be bad, let the government be never so good, they will endeavor to warp and spoil it to their turn. . .[T]hough good laws do well, good men do better; for good laws may want [lack] good men and be abolished or invaded by ill men; but good men will never want good laws nor suffer [allow] ill ones.”

Vote! Vote! Vote! Vote at every opportunity including seemingly minor local offices. Vote thoughtfully after careful consideration of the record of each candidate and his/her specifically clarified views. Do not fail to vote; do not vote frivolously.

What does it take to wake up the body of believers?

What does it take to wake up the clergy?