It is November 3rd, election night in 2020. A year that most of us are probably ready to be done with. This year has stretched us, challenged us, changed us. But as we prepare to see what the this election might hold (I say might because we all know it may not be over today) I would like to share some thoughts to both encourage and challenge you.
Why?
The reason I share this with you is that there is more fear surrounding this election than any election I can recall. Real, existential fear. There are some on both sides of the aisle who want to deny the fears of the other side. I find no profit in this whatsoever. Whether or not peoples fear is justified or warranted, it is nonetheless real.
Our neighbors, friends, relatives, co-workers, and fellow church members may be genuinely afraid of what happens if “their guy” doesn’t get elected. So it is with that thought in mind that I write to you today.
Encouragement
First I would like to give you a word of encouragement. Here it is…the outcome of tonights election is under the control of the sovereignty and goodness of God. Here is Romans 13:1:
“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.”
Did you catch what Paul is telling the church in Rome? He is saying that whoever is in charge, whatever governing authorities are in place, God has instituted them.
Nero! Nero was the Emperor in Rome when Paul wrote this letter to the Church in Rome from Corinth in 65 A.D. Nero! Who bronzed Christians alive to use as statued. Who skinned them alive. Who dipped them in oil and lit them on fire as torches for his night time parties. Who blamed Christians after the great fire in Rome in 64 A.D. That is the “governing authorities” that Paul is telling them to be subject to.
How in the world can Christians submit to such authority? How could God have possibly allowed that? Why would God allow that? The answer is simple: I don’t know! I don’t know why god would allow that to happen, but I do know this…
“He who did not spare his own Son but gave him us for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?”
God gave up his Son. For us. Jesus, the eternally existent Son of God, became a man and lived a sinless death so that he could die in your place—paying the penalty for sin—so that you could be forgiven, set right with God, and inherit every blessing in the heavenly places (Eph. 1:3).
Since God was willing to give us his most prized possession, his very Son, we can trust that there is no good thing he with holds. God hasn’t gotten any election wrong. He didn’t mess up in allowing COVID-19. He hasn’t withheld any good gift from us and we can trust that he never will. For whatever reason God has allowed our current circumstances, and no matter who get’s elected tonight, it is in the control of God’s sovereign goodness.
Challenge
The challenge upon us all will be to obey the governing authorities when “our guy” doesn’t get elected. But obey we must because whoever wins tonights election will have been put in place because they have been “instituted by God.” And when God has instituted a governing authority God requires our obedience. Romans 13:2 says…
“Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment.”
To only obey those governing authorities we want to is nothing but pure rebellion. It’s disobedience.
So do we just obey blindly?
The answer to this is no. We obey the governing authorities only so much as they do not require us to disobey God. Let me give a couple examples…
In Acts 4 Peter and John, after having been arrested for telling people about Jesus, are commanded not to tell anyone about Jesus any more. After being releases they continue to do what they were forbidden to do. The same thing happens in Acts 5.
The apostles had a choice. They could obey God OR the governing authorities, but they could not obey both. They chose to obey God and disobey the governing authorities. But unless we are faced with that choice, we must obey.
Here is another example…Masks. I don’t want in any way to argue as to whether or not we should or shouldn’t wear masks. But here is the question we must ask ourselves. Is it disobedient to God to wear a mask? If the answer is yes, then we must obey God and not the government. But if the answer is no, then we must obey the government, here is is, AS AN ACT OF OBEDIENCE TO GOD.
Summing It All Up
Here the point…
First, no matter what happens tonight, put your hope and fear in the capable, sovereign, and good hands of God. He hasn’t withheld his Son from us and so we can trust him to give us every good thing.
Second, no matter what happens tonight, determine to ask yourself in all things “can I obey the government and Jesus?” As long as the answer to that is yes, then determine that you will obey God and the government. As soon as the answer becomes no then always obey God over the government.
One last thought…so much us this is a matter of conscience. Be sure that you conscience is soaked in the Word of God.