However you vote …

31 So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.”[1]

This is how Paul instructs Christians in Corinth to act when making decisions about what to eat and how that might affect other believers. Seeking God’s glory, of course, from context, meant doing what was loving towards brothers and sisters, especially those considered weaker. Today is General Election day in the United Kingdom and I think we can apply that instruction to voting. 

This applies whether you vote or not.  There is an argument which goes along the lines that “it doesn’t matter how you vote, so long as you vote.” However, that cannot be true.  We cannot say that it doesn’t matter how people vote if that means opting for parties that support fascism and racism.  There is no requirement in Scripture for you to vote and so it is reasonable to choose to refuse all the options placed before you.   The important thing is that you don’t simply fail to vote out of apathy or self-centred bitterness. 

It applies if you do vote as well, exactly because voting is not in and of itself the thing that glorifies God but also because the choice is complex so that there isn’t a given Christian or Biblical way of voting.  There may though be things that specific parties  put front and central so that those things are not just incidental policies but part of their DNA in a way which would make it very difficult for you to vote for them with a clear conscience.  Similarly, specific local candidates may stand for things that go against what God says or they may put God and his ways central to their life and their decision to stand.

So, voting in a way that glorifies God should mean the following.

  1. We should have thoroughly checked out both what the candidates and the parties stand for. 
  2. We should check our own motives.  How am I deciding who to vote for? Is my focus selfish, on how I will benefit or what I might lose? Or is my focus on how the outcome will affect others, especially those who are vulnerable?
  3. We should check ourselves against the temptation to judge and suspect the motives of others, especially those who come to a different decision to us. We should be slow to accuse others of being uncaring or compromising on the Gospel.

Acting for God’s glory as we vote or not vote is also, finally about honouring him by trusting his sovereignty.  This is of course easier to say if your preferred party is doing well but it is true even if they are not.  This does not mean that a specific outcome is going to be good or bad in itself.  It does mean that it is God’s chosen outcome and it will be one of the means by which he fulfils his purpose for his people and for his glory.  God will be glorified.

[1] 1 Corinthians 10:31