“Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31).

“I hope the great business of elections will never be left by the many to be done by the few… Heaven forbid!” wrote founding father Samuel Adams in an unsigned Boston Gazette newspaper essay. “Let each citizen remember at the moment he is offering his vote that he is executing one of the most solemn trusts in human society for which he is accountable to God and his country.”

Voting really is a solemn act that should be done in faith. After all, God has given all citizens the privilege and the responsibility to choose their own leaders (Deut. 1:13). Thankfully, the Bible speaks to all of life, and God does not leave us without instruction on how we should select which candidates we support at the ballot booth.

Instead of relying upon our own subjective preferences as we cast our votes, Christians should choose civil leaders based on the qualifications God sets forth in his Word. These are listed in Exodus 18:21: “Moreover you shall select from all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness.”

Notice the four characteristics we should look for in candidates as we decide how to vote:

1. Able: Voters should look for candidates who are fit to rule, having the aptitude, knowledge, and temperament needed to perform the responsibilities of the office and serve the people well.
2. Godfearing: Those who assume public office should not only govern according to the truth of God, but they must also live virtuously and faithfully in their personal lives.
3. Truthful: Public officeholders should be expected to keep their promises and be the same person in public as they are in private.
4. Hating covetousness: Covetousness is the fountainhead of corruption. Public servants must never take bribes or use their office for personal gain; they must always remember that they have received the public trust for the purpose of administering justice and promoting the common good.

Scripture tells us to do all things to the glory of God, and that includes how we vote. Christians, therefore, have both a biblical obligation and a sacred duty to vote for righteous civil leaders who embody these characteristics. Let’s make sure we do our homework and vote for candidates that will govern according to God’s principles!

PRAYER. Thank you, Lord, for giving us the privilege of choosing our own leaders. Please help us understand and treasure this sacred duty. Guide us as we cast our votes so that we may elect civil leaders who align with the standards you have set forth in Scripture. In the name of King Jesus we pray, amen.