Christians, Voting and Rusty Swords

By David E Smith 

For years now, when speaking or writing about our responsibility to steward God’s gift of self-government, I have pointed to the fact that a fraction of Christians are registered to vote and, of those, only a fraction actually vote. In essence, only a third of Christians participate in any given election.

The point: if Bible-believing Christians earnestly wanted to be salt and light to this world as Jesus calls us to be in Matthew 5:13-16, we could have a much greater influence on public policy than we have historically had in our state and nation.

Now, thanks to research conducted by George Barna, the director of the Cultural Research Center at Arizona Christian University, we have a distressing number to grapple with. According to this new study, an astounding 41 million born-again Christians and 32 million mainline Christians are not planning to vote in the upcoming election.

Those numbers are shocking.

We can only assume that our apathetic brothers and sisters do not fully understand that by sitting out elections – let alone one of national significance – humanists and atheists will decide the results. Thomas Jefferson was absolutely correct when he said:

“We do not have government by the majority. We have government by the majority who participate.”

God created three institutions: the family, the government, and the church – in that order. Which of these did He direct us to stay clear of? None of it!

Christian citizens should never ignore their God-given duty to participate in selecting our government officials. When we refuse to fulfill our obligation, we squander a precious gift of God. Many believe that this is a sin of omission. In James 4:17, we are told that if we know to do good but fail to do it, “to him it is sin.”

Consider Allie Beth Stuckey’s powerful mantra:

“Politics matter because policies matter because people matter. Politics affects policy. Policy affects people, and people matter.”

The second great commandment, as identified by Jesus Christ in Matthew 22:36-40, is “love your neighbor as yourself.”

If we truly love our neighbors, at every opportunity, we will support candidates who are pro-life, pro-marriage, and who understand pro-family concerns regarding bigger government, higher taxes, drug legalization, school indoctrination, gambling expansion, and pornography.

If we truly love our neighbors, we understand that elections matter because public policy matters and affects people!

We dare not make the mistake of writing off as inconsequential the selection of those who will create policy in our state and our nation. NO! This is a critical front in the spiritual battles we fight against Satan and his war against humanity. Consider 2 Corinthians 10:3-6:

For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled.

The Apostle Paul, using military imagery here, wants us to know that we are in a battle – presuming that his audience understands that we are soldiers.

No Middle Ground

We’ve pointed out in previous articles how there has been a dramatic increase in the number of people with no religious affiliation, dubbed “nones.”

We also have those we might call the “dones.” They’ve given up on religion and church because of perceived or real hurts. It is an unfortunate side-effect of our fallen human condition, and that includes church leaders who fail to act biblically or who act sinfully and selfishly.

It is hard to believe that, according to Pew Research, about 28% of U.S. adults are religiously unaffiliated, describing themselves as atheists, agnostics, or “nothing in particular” when asked about their religion.

This begs the question: is there a neutral ground when it comes to spiritual warfare? Is it possible to be a non-combatant? To be unaligned?

For Bible-believing Christians who pray, “Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven,” there is no such thing as fence-sitting. There is no option to be a spectator in the stands.

The Word of God tells us we have a choice… but it’s either Yay or Nay. There is no middle ground. There is no neutrality. Revelation 3:16 reveals that God hates lukewarmness. The Apostle Paul tells us plainly in Ephesians 6:10-18:

be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints…

Paul wants us to understand that we are, in fact, in a spiritual battle. The battle is between good and evil. Jesus tells us plainly in Matthew 12:30 (and Luke 11:23):

“He who is not with Me is against Me…”

The words spoken by Jesus place us all into one of two camps. Either we are with Jesus, or we are against Him. There is no uncommitted category to weasel into, no neutral ground to provide us cover.

There are no “nones,” “dones,” or agnostics.

In 1981, singer and songwriter Michael Card released a powerful song that is titled, No Rusty Swords*. The lyrics are as follows:

(Chorus) – Don’t you know the battle’s raging
And you got to join the fight
There’s an army of the darkness
And an army of the Light
There’s a side that fights for Satan
And a side that’s for the Lord
And on this battlefield there are no rusty swords
And on this battlefield there are no rusty swords

Christ has made the final move
So our side is sure to win
He became like us so we would have
A chance to be like Him
It seems strange so many fall back
When the victory has been won
You just need to ask yourself
Which side you’re on  (Chorus)

There’s a fact you need to understand
Before you join our side
You need to know when Jesus calls
He bids you come and die
He’s invaded Satan’s kingdom
And He’s claiming all His own
When the battle’s over
He will lead us home (Chorus)

And on this battlefield there are no rusty swords

Michael Card couldn’t be more correct about the battle we are in or about the outcome: ultimately, God’s side will win, and Satan’s side will lose.

But while we are here, in this time and place, there are no rusty swords on the battlefield. Each of us wields the sword to advance one side or the other. Who’s side are you advancing?

*The song may be based on a book by the same title written by Dietrich Bonhoeffer – a book which is said to have laid the groundwork for his later writings and his role as a key figure in the German Resistance movement against Nazism.

David E. Smith is the Executive Director of the Illinois Family Institute (501c3) and Illinois Family Action (501c4).