My 2024 Election Sermon
This is a big week in the United States. This week, our election season (which used to be one day) will come to a close, and at some point, we will know who the 47th president of the United States will be. So this morning, I thought it would be timely and helpful to spend our time together looking at Scripture and considering how a Christian should view your role in politics and government.
This is a divisive issue on which opinions abound. Opinions abound on whether I should even broach such an issue from the pulpit. However, the reality is that a pastor’s responsibility is to shepherd his people toward the grace and truth of Jesus Christ. It’s when we start looking at the “truth” part that people get uncomfortable. But you cannot have one without the other.
How you understand your role and function within society will significantly impact your personal discipleship, your family’s future, your evangelism, etc. Because of this, it’s actually an issue that pastors must address. It is a contemporary development that Christians act as though pastors should compartmentalize their thoughts on politics away from a church setting. If we look at world history, that has not been the case. If we just consider American history, pastors have always sought to influence their people and the direction of the nation for the glory of God from behind the pulpit. That’s simply a historical fact.
My time, and therefore my focus, must be limited in this sermon. We just released a Converge Podcast that answered various questions on these issues, which are broader than I will cover today. My hope for our time together is that I will help you understand from Scripture that God has called you, as a follower of Jesus, to be involved in the political process. Because of that, you are responsible for stewarding your vote well and wisely to impact society for the good. Further, we should seek to influence others with our ideals to bring them to Christ and make society as good as it can conform to Scripture.
With all cards on the table, I believe there is one side of the political spectrum (the Right) that will at least give us a chance to do this, and one will be detrimental to the soul and society (the Left).
Regardless, apathy is not an option. Some would try to minimize your role in politics. I believe this is foolish and destructive to others. God has given us a particular political system with a representative republic. Therefore, the church of Jesus is given an opportunity to aggressively influence society for the glory of God and the good of others. To remove ourselves and not seek influence would be to neglect loving God and others.
Christians should and must actively participate in shaping society through political involvement. This engagement is not optional; it is a responsibility that flows from the greatest commandments—to love God and love others.
If You Want to Love Your Neighbor, You Have to Get Political (Matthew 22:37-40)
First, remember that engaging in politics is a way to love God and others. In Matthew 22:37-40, Jesus commands us to “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind” and to “Love your neighbor as yourself.”
For some reason, many people seem only to apply this command to the inner man. They reduce it to a command about affection, feeling, and sentiment. When we do that, we forget that our internal affections always flow into everyday life. Here, Jesus is summing up the entirety of the Law and Prophets, which point to Him but also form the moral foundation on which society is built. Love of God and others always works out into the why and how of building culture. In our society, we cannot remove this command from the political arena. True love for God and others must extend beyond sentiment and manifest in actions that shape society according to God’s moral order.
Politics, by nature, influences the cultural and moral framework within which people live. Therefore, Christians must engage in politics to truly love God and others, that is, to help create a society that upholds biblical values. Political decisions affect life, justice, freedom, and family—the very building blocks of a culture rooted in God’s design. To ignore this realm is to neglect one’s duty to act in love.
In our society, this is partly accomplished through who we vote into office. We must wield our vote well and also look beyond voting to cultivate a force in society and office to influence society towards the standards and morals of Scripture. To effectively love others, we must think through policies and overall ideals in the political process. This is how culture is formed, and real people are impacted for better or worse.
It is not loving to relegate ourselves to viewing politics as a zero-sum game. Elections matter. To view this area as neutral ignores policies being instituted, precedence being set, and the fallout in people’s lives. It is not loving to sit idly by and watch society degrade. Nor can you wait until every politician is virtuous enough for your support. Wisdom impacts love to see beyond personalities to how policies are affecting people and pursuing the best path forward.
Second, remember that God created politics. From the beginning of creation, God demonstrated His authority as the architect of culture and the political realm. All political authority in Heaven and on Earth is derivative from God’s ultimate authority. In Genesis, He established order and charged humanity with the dominion mandate—to be fruitful, multiply, and steward the earth. This mandate extends to building cultures and societies that reflect God’s glory and align with His purposes.
The intersection of Christian faith and politics is not a modern invention; it is as ancient as God’s command for humanity to shape culture. Whether through Old Testament examples like Israel or New Testament teachings like the Great Commission, the Bible consistently shows that God’s people are called to influence society. The Great Commission instructs believers to teach others “all that I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:20), including applying God’s commands to public life and governance.
From the Garden to Israel to the Church, God builds cultures and calls His people to do the same. From the dominion mandate of being fruitful and multiplying to the Great Commission of making disciples, all of our Christian work in this world necessitates understanding the intersection of the Christian worldview and the type of society you build and advocate for. That is what politics is.
Third, remember that the church can preach the gospel and engage in politics. Some argue that Christians should “just focus on the Gospel” and steer clear of politics, viewing political engagement as a distraction. However, this perspective misses the comprehensive nature of the Gospel. The Great Commission’s directive to teach everything Jesus commanded encompasses all Scripture, including its moral and civil instructions.
Evangelism and discipleship go hand in hand with advocating for biblical principles in society. Christian political activism influences the world for the good that pleases God. As Tom Minnery once wrote: “Social activity not only follows evangelism as its consequence and aim, and precedes it as a bridge, but also accompanies it as its partner.”
Governments make a difference in the work of God’s kingdom. Therefore, to accept the faulty notion that Christians compartmentalize our work away from politics is foolish at best and destructive at worst. It is not loving to let everything degrade to a hellscape until everyone is virtuous enough to get your vote. We should personalize the Great Commandment, but we must understand that even personally, we are responsible for our involvement in large-scale matters that affect others. We must apply a Christian, biblical worldview to society and advocate for that. That is the path of loving God and loving others when we think about engaging the culture around us.
The Great Commission should not be reduced to only personal and private engagement. Discipleship involves observing everything Jesus taught. That begins in Genesis, and we must make numerous cultural implications and applications to love God and others effectively.
Political engagement, therefore, is not separate from the Christian mission but accompanies it as a partner. It allows Christians to promote justice, righteousness, and compassion on a broader scale. The notion that faith and politics should remain distinct is not only historically unfounded but also spiritually irresponsible. It fails to acknowledge that policies and laws profoundly affect people’s lives and their ability to live out their faith freely and fully.
We must reject the anabaptist notion that Christians do not fit in a two-party system. It is our system, and we must find a place in it. A third way may sound holy, but it is gnostic in application. Worse, it is destructive to society and leaves victims in its wake. Virtue signaling to gain an audience does not move the Gospel forward in any soul or society. Such an idea minimizes the Christian role in politics. And without the church’s influence, who is left to form a vision for culture?
God Gives the Church a Political Agenda (Matthew 5:13-16; 1 Timothy 2:1-4)
If you cannot divorce politics from faith, and I am arguing that you can’t, then the church must be a political force. First, the “separation of church and state” is not about the church. It’s about the state. It is for our protection. Second, that isn’t in the Constitution or any official government document. It was in a letter from Thomas Jefferson. His idea was that churches needed to be protected from the government overstepping its boundaries. He did not want the nation’s leader to anoint himself “Pope.”
The idea that the church must “stay out of politics” also goes against the mission of Jesus. I want to look at Matthew 5:13-16 and discuss the implications.
“You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet. You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”
Jesus got this idea from Isaiah, in which Israel’s mission was to be a light of the world, broadcasting God’s glory to the nations. He also reinstituted that idea to be applied in the New Covenant. To be salt and light means to be a preserving agent in society. It is to shine the light of God’s glory to the world around you.
Yes, this is about preaching the good news of Jesus, but it is more than just securing your eternal home. It is about advocating for righteousness in both soul AND society. To be salt and light necessitates political involvement to form a culture in which we can proclaim Jesus and pursue righteousness in the best way possible.
Politics is a vehicle through which Christians can act as salt and light. By advocating for laws and policies that reflect God’s standards, believers help preserve societal morality and promote the common good. To withdraw from political engagement is to hide the light under a basket, failing to fulfill Jesus’ command. In this specific election, the stakes are high. The division is broad, and the way by which righteousness will preserve society is apparent to those paying attention.
Next, let’s consider 1 Timothy 2:1-4 and praying with purpose and political implications. What we learn here is that apathy is not an option.
“First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.”
Paul’s instruction in 1 Timothy 2:1-4 underscores the importance of prayer for government leaders. While some interpret this as a passive call, the context reveals that it is an active engagement. The goal of these prayers is that leaders govern in a way that allows believers to lead “peaceful and quiet” lives marked by godliness and dignity. This has political implications; Christians are encouraged to pray for and influence leadership to create a society conducive to living out the faith.
Over the last few election cycles, a big theme has been that “character matters.” I could not agree more with that statement and sentiment. The key that I think many miss is that there is no lower character than to want to murder babies and trans kids. The satanic mindset that presupposes abuse of the most innocent among us is directly disobedient to the call to love God because it undermines His authority over life. It is then directly disobedient to the command to love others as it is literal oppression of the weakest among us. The correct posture toward children is always going to be to protect them from others and even themselves when necessary.
Loving God and others also understand that the family is society’s building block. Being salt and light means that we must be a force in advocating and moving society to God’s vision for families. Professor Andrew Walker recently pointed out that we cannot be a political community when society’s primary unit (family) is devalued and dissolved. His point is that the Christian worldview presupposes a fundamental principle that society is organized around the family unity of Father, Mother, and children.
Secular progressivism is anti-civilizational because it treats the family as optional or even detrimental to the marginalized. The nuclear family is essential, and the support of ideals and policies that support that are always the loving choices to support. The idea of 1 Timothy 2 (praying for leaders, seeking a quiet and peaceable life, and seeking the redemption of all people) requires a Christian agenda to build a culture reflective of God’s glory in those things.
If Christians sit out because we are so “spiritual,” only unbelievers will participate. The godless will run everything. How are we being “salt and light” with that attitude? Does any candidate meet all of my standards? No. The idea that your vote is signing off on every part of a candidate is immature and foolish. It’s not about getting everything you want. It indicates a preference between two options on the most critical issues in life. That is the choice that we have to make. To pretend you don’t have to choose is an abdication of duty and bad stewardship. You live in a real world that necessitates real and difficult choices with real consequences. Sitting it out is not an option in the lens of wisdom.
In short, if you pray for these kinds of rulers, you should also work to help elect them. And not just for yourself but for your family and society as a whole.
Political Power Can Be Used for God’s Glory (Romans 13:1-4; 1 Peter 2:13-15)
We live in a representative republic. Americans don’t have to choose whether God will give us political power or not. He has given it to us!
We must do something with it. We must steward it. We live in a form of democracy in which we play a part in choosing who will represent us in culture-forming and life-impacting issues. We have a seat at the table. That gives us power and influence over the most critical parts of society. We must use it. All the talking heads want you to think this is about the one person you are voting for, but it is bigger than that.
There is only one side that, at least, speaks to the value of the Christian worldview. Too many neutral world mindsets are obsessed with not letting politicians “use” the church. Why don’t they consider how the church should “use” these politicians? We must have an agenda.
This brings me to Romans 13:1-4, which is not a text that puts us in subservience to a “regime class” in our nation.
“Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, for he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer.”
In the U.S., the people govern. The government is called the “servant of God” for the good that God has defined. We have the power to hold them accountable, and we must. We must defend life. We must defend and advocate for the family. We must fight for our freedom to worship Jesus Christ. We must fight to instill biblical morality in the laws of the land. That is our Christian witness. Pithy quotes like: “Only Jesus can make America great again” may be factual in a statement, but they aren’t helpful in application to our current situation.
We also need to stop fearing appearing political. Again, God made politics. God created a world where political power can be secured and used for good. It’s about how you use it. We wield it to do the best and most good that we can. That means seeking to build a culture in which Gospel fruit can flourish for the redemption of sinners, the discipleship of the faithful, and the worship of Jesus Christ above all.
No one else will build that because no one else can build that. We must take the necessary steps to get there. Scripture gives us the wisdom to form a strategy to accomplish that. Over the last 50 years, pastors and Christians have made a series of wrong moves to decrease political engagement and get people to like us more. That has led to the wholesale degradation of society. We can’t do that any longer. We must rebuild, and it is going to take time.
Christians must again exert significant influence on civil government and leaders. Scripture provides many positive examples of this: Joseph, Moses, Daniel, Nehemiah, Mordecai, Esther, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, John the Baptist, Paul, every disciple, and Jesus Christ, to name a few.
We also need to reject the myth of political idolatry. One of my favorite missional thinkers is Alan Hirsch. His paradigm of incarnational ministry helps us think through how we engage the world. But he has what I believe is an apparent flaw. He bases his view on setting an example for Christ on the perceived powerlessness of Christ in sacrificial servanthood. This is anchored to the cross, which is understandable. The flaw is that it does not connect that sacrifice to the victory of resurrection. When we remember the resurrection, we remember that the church serves sacrificially but under a banner of victory that gives strength in influencing and using power as a catalyst for the world’s good.
Briefly, consider how 2 Peter 2:13-15 echoes Romans 13, specifically verse 15. 1 Peter 2:13–15:
“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. For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people.“
Governing officials are commanded by God to praise good because it is the will of God that fools are silenced by good. Who is going to do that? It must be the church. We are the people who have the Word of God. Without the church, there is no voice in government for this to happen. This is discipleship. Yes, it is power. It is a power given by God through the victory of the resurrection. If you want to do incarnational ministry for the Gospel in this country, this is where it is! We preserve society and shine the light of Christ by wielding the government for God’s good and the proclamation of the Gospel.
Be Courageous for the Sake of Others (Joshua 1:9; 1 Corinthians 16:13)
Courage is a political virtue and a biblical virtue. Scripture is filled with commands to be courageous. Courage is most necessary when facing adversity. Joshua 1:9 says, “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”
God gave this command to Joshua before he embarked on a political mission. Christians today must also be strong and courageous, especially when facing political opposition. In the political realm, courage means standing firm in biblical convictions even when they are unpopular or may cost reputation or comfort. Christians must be willing to face criticism for advocating for the truth.
And in the New Testament, 1 Corinthians 16:13 commands the church’s men to set the example of courage above all: “Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.”
Stop fearing what bad people think about you. We have an entire generation that was given a flawed and unbiblical mission: “Reach the world for Christ by obfuscating biblical morals and convincing them to like you.” Many still buy into it. Look at where we are. Abortion advocates have gone from “safe, legal, and rare” to as many as possible, free of charge, and frequent even past the point of birth.” We have gone from doing what’s best for families to destroying families and human trafficking through surrogacy. We have gone from protecting kids to transing kids without parental consent.
A “winsome third way” of seeing the good on both the Right and the Left has turned into an excuse to ignore radical ideologies with a genuinely terrifying trajectory. The woke will call you a bigot, and the feminists will call you a misogynist. But you must hold the line for the sake of Christ.
When society is at stake, courage counts. There are moments when you must put your stake in the ground and refuse to move. Times when you may have to risk your relationships and even livelihood for the sake of future generations.
We are at a crossroads in American life. Do your duty, engage the culture, and trust Christ in the center of the fight because it will not be over for a long time. We must endure, be faithful, offer Christ, and combat the lies.
Conclusion: A Call to Action
Christians have a duty to engage in politics, not as an end in itself but as a means to uphold God’s standards in society. Political involvement is an expression of loving God and others, as it impacts the moral direction of communities and nations. We are called to be salt and light, to pray for leaders, and to advocate for biblical values. These are essential acts of discipleship.
In this crucial moment, Christians must reject apathy and fear and embrace their role as stewards of God’s truth in the public sphere. By doing so, we can participate in building a society that honors God and provides an environment where the Gospel can flourish.
In summary, Christians cannot afford to disengage from politics. Instead, we must: Love God and others by being political, build a vision for Gospel impact through politics, seek to influence the culture around us with biblical morals, wield political power for God’s glory, and be courageous.
Remember: politics matters. Why? Because Jesus is King.
And that is the most political statement in the entire universe.
