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            With every political season that rolls around I am reminded that politics is and always has been a nasty business. We generally choose between two political parties – donkey and elephants. We are not deceived. We know that there are plenty of corrupt donkeys as well as elephants. Both the drove and the herd support platforms upon which Christians will agree and disagree. When those platforms get into such areas as LGBTQ+, the sanctity of marriage, the availability of addictive drugs, abortion, casinos, racial discrimination, laws that limit our religious freedoms, etc., we must let our voice be heard at the voting booth.
            Celebrities will often times speak out in support of a particular candidate. It is expected that their support will sway voters in the way they want them to go. Of course, we like it when big name entertainers support the candidate of our choice, but after all they are just entertainers. At a press conference ahead of his concert at Madison Square Garden in June 1972 a reporter asked Elvis Presley a controversial political question. Elvis said, “Honey, I just as soon keep my own personal views about that to myself. I’m just an entertainer and I’d rather not say.” Would that all entertainers felt the same way.
           The Christian is a citizen of two governments – divine and human. If we are in Christ our citizenship is in heaven (Phil. 3:20). Jesus reigns in the heart. Human forces do not make the church grow. Nor can human forces destroy the kingdom of God. The church can exist under any form of government. The kingdom of God is not red or blue; nor is it about donkeys or elephants. These things cannot destroy the church.
            In Romans 13:1-7 Paul specifies certain obligations that Christians have toward their government: 1. Pay taxes (Vss. 6-7) – taxes on persons or land.  2. Pay custom (Vs. 7) – fees levied by governing bodies. 3. “Fear” – we should stand in awe of those who “bear the sword” of civil justice (Vs. 4).  4. Give “honor” (Vs. 7) – approval or respect to be paid to the magistracy (1 Pet. 2:17).
            The apostles of Christ set forth the principle that our obligation to God is superior to our obligation to the government in Acts 5:29, “We ought to obey God rather than men.” Those early Christians knew that they were driven to serve God above all (Acts 4:19-20). In Matthew 22:21 Jesus qualified our obedience to the government as rendering “unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s; and unto God the things that are God’s.” If at any point Caesar requires the things that are God’s, then Christian’s must resist.
            Christians are to pray for the governing bodies (1 Tim. 2:1-3). These prayers should be “that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty” (Vs. 2). We must “obey magistrates” and “be ready unto every good work” (Tit. 3:1). The context shows that the “good work” here includes political involvement. Christians are required to “submit” to and “honor” the government (1 Pet. 2:13-14, 17). None of this implies that governments always act with God’s approval.
            If you would like to know where the legislative and local candidates stand on issues that matter to most Arkansans you might like to get the 2024 Arkansas Voter’s Guide. It is produced free of charge by the Arkansas Family Council. The voter’s guide is non-partisan. It does not favor one candidate over another. It simply tells you where they stand on issues such as the one’s named at the beginning of this article, and many other questions. If you would like to receive it you may call them at 501-375-7000 or visit ArkansasVotersGuide.com.