“...that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.” (I Timothy 2:2b)
The Christian citizen has some specific duties. He or she must pray for those in authority and submit to civil officials. Scripture is crystal clear on these two matters. Later in this devotional, we’ll look at two other duties–military service and voting–that are not mandatory.
In the verse above, one of the goals of the Christian life is to lead a quiet and peaceable life, and one of the means to that end is to pray for “all men” (including kings and all authorities, according to I Timothy 2:2a). Such prayer is not optional for Christian citizens. Submitting to civil authorities–even evil ones–is addressed in Romans 13:1-7. From taxes to speed limits, submission is presented as mandatory for the Christian citizen. Until we are commanded to do or not do something that obviously violates scripture, we must submit.
Other matters involving the Christian citizen are less clearcut. Consider military service and voting. Military service has been debated for ages. Christian citizens are not directly commanded to participate in military service. Christians are not forbidden to join the military, and neither the Lord Jesus nor the Apostles denounce military service. (Some insist that those are arguments from silence, but it is powerful silence.) Paul didn’t oppose the military when he used it to illustrate how Timothy should be a good soldier for Christ (II Timothy 2:3,4). Luke 3 provides guidelines for soldiers and forbids unethical conduct, but they weren’t chastised for being in the military. Those in the military in the New Testament era were even told to be “content with their wages” (Luke 3:14). That is an example, incidentally, of how walking with Christ is never limited to mere external behavior but reflects a changed heart.
Like military service, voting is not directly addressed in God’s Word but is regulated by it. Think of Paul’s principle from I Corinthians 10:31: “Whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God”. Voting is a high privilege enjoyed by only some countries. It gives citizens the opportunity directly to shape policy and help determine who serves in authority. Neither citizens in the Old Testament nor the New enjoyed the right to vote in civil elections. Those who can vote should be especially grateful for the right to do so and vote so as to promote policies and candidates that honor biblical principles. Christians would rarely vote if we had to choose only Christian candidates or policies. Our votes should, however, follow careful comparison with scripture. Could Christians function without the right to vote? Yes. Many have in the past, and many still do. Are Christians wise to take voting lightly? The blood of patriots and martyrs cries a thunderous “NO!” Vote, then, for the glory of God.
