By David Crowe, President Restore America
Restore America was founded in 1999 to mobilize Evangelical and Born Again Christians in America to register and vote in every election. And if ever there was a time when the Body of Christ needs to rise up and vote for virtuous leaders, it is now.
Many crucial issues are facing Oregon and the nation. What happens on Election Day may go a long way in determining how these issues will be resolved.
The key question is: who will select our elected leaders?
Will Christians show up at the polls? Or will God’s people leave the choosing to others?
Will Christians vote in numbers significant enough to impact the best use of tax dollars, the sanctity of life, religious liberty, free speech, marriage, judicial nominations, education, and more? All of these are moral issues in need of diligent attention from leaders with good values.
Or will the elections cast an atheistic worldview upon the future direction of our nation? We’ve seen more than enough of this, and a change is desperately needed.
Our culture is in rapid decline, in part because Christians are allowing non-believers to dominate in the choosing of our leaders. Many of these elected officials are abandoning constitutional principles, affirming activist judges, eroding free speech and religious liberty, engaging in corruption, and setting new lows for ethics and dishonesty in government.
It’s time for Christians to rise up. It’s time for Christians to get off the bench and into the game to compete in the battle for the soul of America. We’ve left that to others for far too long.
Few Sources Outside the Bible for Good Ethics
If Christians do not play a significant role in determining positions of leadership, then where will moral standards come from?
Outside of the Bible, there aren’t many good sources of morals and ethics. As voters, Christians can take their biblical values with them into the voting booth, where they are badly needed.
People without a sense of biblical morality are voting in greater numbers than God’s people. And when tens of millions of Christians do not vote … the results are evident in the daily news. We see immorality, corruption, rogue government agencies, dishonesty, bigger government, and less freedom. We see hostility toward biblical beliefs from our own government and the public education system, which is feeding our children and grandchildren a diet of unbiblical curriculum.
Who is standing against this evil? Christians need to get out front and influence moral leadership in Oregon and the nation.
Political Issues are Moral Issue
The burning issues of the day are not just political; they are moral. A flood of new state and national laws are introduced every year, and the law shapers need to exert good moral authority.
John Adams, the Founding Father and former president, said, “Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.” In the vacuum of moral leadership in recent years, the Constitution has practically been re-written by activist judges, and ignored by powerful special interests with friends at the highest levels of government. This is to the detriment of every American.
The result is abortion on demand and 57 million abortion deaths, same-sex marriage in several states, bankrupt cities, a crisis of honest, ethical leadership, and leftist domination of the culture, government, and education.
The solution lies at our doorsteps. Millions of Christians are forfeiting their votes in election after election. Non-Christians, as well as liberal Christians who have compromised with biblical values, enjoy the status quo and don’t want you to vote. Don’t let them win. Vote this year and every year!
Civil Duty
The right to vote is a gift handed down to you from our Founding Fathers, who established a representative republic. They created a system that enables us to choose leaders to represent us. We have the opportunity to vote for leaders whose values represent ours. We do not have to accept the status quo.
Voting is a privilege. We should not take it for granted. We must uphold our republic and not allow others to dominate the process by our non-participation.
Thousands of Americans have died to defend your liberty and your right to speak freely and choose your elected representatives. Thousands more have been wounded in battle. How can we – the benefactors of others’ noble sacrifices – even think of sitting out an election when they sacrificed so much?
Additionally, immigrants and refugees have risked their lives to escape tyranny to come to America for freedom. We can help teach them about our civil duties and our heritage of freedom by voting.
If you don’t help choose your leaders, someone else will do it for you. And you may not be happy with the results.
Not voting is a form of voting, as it will influence the outcome.
The solution? Vote!
Your Vote Makes a Difference
A common excuse people use for not voting is the thinking that their vote won’t make a difference. Try telling that to former lawmakers in Maine, Massachusetts, Utah, North Dakota, Rhode Island, and Missouri – all of whom won election by a single vote!
We can never underestimate the power of the vote. We should never forfeit the opportunity.
People say they get annoyed with all the negative political ads and the campaign signs, and they don’t know how to determine whom to vote for. As long as we are a free nation, this will never change. But what you can change is your decision to examine the records and statements of candidates. You can visit their websites, you can access family policy council voter guides and learn what the candidates stand for. You can ask trusted family and friends for recommendations. You can be an influence for good government. It’s your decision, your opportunity. Use it.
Biblical Directives
Turn to Exodus for further encouragement of Christians getting involved. Jethro told Moses to select capable men from all the people—men who fear God, trustworthy men who hate dishonest gain. How can we do anything less as we examine the records of candidates for public office and cast votes to determine our leaders?
And as Christians we are called to fulfill the Great Commission to spread the Gospel. If we abstain from our civil right of voting and allow the election of leaders who take away free speech and religious freedom, that will make it much more difficult to spread the Good News. People in high government positions, voted in office thanks to the apathy of Christians who did not vote, and radical groups are all too willing to take these freedoms away from you. We cannot forfeit our heritage of religious freedom.
Vote this Fall!
Oregon’s early voting system is convenient. As a registered voter, you can receive an early ballot in mid-October, providing ample time to research candidates and make your selections. Completed ballots can be stamped and mailed or dropped off at an official drop box. If you cast your ballot after the Friday before the election, the ballot should be left at a drop box site to ensure it is counted. Ballots must be received by 8 p.m. on Election Day, November 4th.
Call to Action
Get involved, exercise your civic responsibility, study the candidates, and vote!