The following is an excerpt from Christ-­Centered Voting (Crown & Covenant) by Shawn Anderson, Bruce Backensto, Brad Johnston, Mark Koller, Adam Kuehner, and Scott Wilkinson, all of whom served on the RPCNA Synod’s committee on the mediatorial kingship of Christ.

Let us consider four practical and proactive ways that we, as North American Christians, can seek to impact the political process in a Christ-centered manner.

1. We should pray. According to the apostle Paul in 1 Timothy 2:1–5, our instinctive response to ungodly civil rulers ought not to consist in harsh criticism or crude mockery, but in genuine prayer for their conversion. “Therefore,” he writes, “I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercession, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence.” He goes on to assert that God “desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” and that there is “one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus.” In other words, we should pray that our civil rulers would come to a saving knowledge of Christ and that, in obedience to their Mediator, they would rule in a manner conducive to the peace and progress of the gospel.

   Why are the foundations of our society in danger of being destroyed? Perhaps part of the answer lies in the stunning words of James 4:2, where the apostle informs his audience that “you do not have because you do not ask.” Are we, as Christians, more eager to enter the voting booth at election time than we are to enter the secret place each day to intercede for our nation? If so, the state of our nation should not surprise us. James goes on in verse 3 to tell his readers that “you ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures.” When we do pray for our nation, are we praying in a selfish manner, focusing chiefly on the earthly concerns of the Gentiles (Matt. 6:31–32): “What shall we eat?…What shall we drink?…What shall we wear?” Or, by contrast, are we praying according to the God-centered, kingdom-focused manner taught by our Lord? In expounding the second petition of the Lord’s Prayer, the answer to Question 191 of the Westminster Larger Catechism asserts the following:

   “In the second petition, (which is, Thy kingdom come,) acknowledging ourselves and all mankind to be by nature under the dominion of sin and Satan, we pray that the kingdom of sin and Satan may be destroyed, the gospel propagated throughout the world, the Jews called, the fulness of the Gentiles brought in; the church furnished with all gospel officers and ordinances, purged from corruption, countenanced and maintained by the civil magistrates; that the ordinances of Christ may be purely dispensed, and made effectual to the converting of those that are yet in their sins, and the confirming, comforting, and building up those that are already converted: that Christ would rule in our hearts here, and hasten the time of his second coming, and our reigning with him for ever: and that he would be pleased so to exercise the kingdom of his power in all the world, as may best conduce to these ends.”

   In addition to praying for the conversion of our leaders and the spiritual revival of our land, the Scriptures urge us to pray against evil and evildoers. The proper response of the private Christian to evil and injustice is not to cultivate a bitter and vengeful spirit, nor to take matters into his own hands through violent aggression. Rather, Paul writes, “Do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, ‘Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,’ says the Lord” (Rom. 12:19). He goes on to assert that this wrath is not only administered directly by God Himself, but also indirectly by civil rulers, who are to serve as “God’s minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil” (Rom. 13:4).

   For this very reason, the Book of Psalms contains many imprecatory prayers, by which God’s people can bring their complaints before the Lord, seeking the manifestation of His justice and giving place to His righteous wrath. Obviously, the believer’s preference is always that oppressive evildoers would turn to God in repentance (Ps. 51:13), and his prayers should reflect this. Nevertheless, in the case of those who will not repent, he is prepared in his prayers to call for their restraint and, if necessary, with fear and trembling, their utter removal by the hand of God (Ps. 94:1–2).

   In conclusion, it is not an overstatement to say that, in seeking to impact the moral and political character of a nation, nothing is more vital or essential than fervent, believing prayer.

2. We should disciple. As we have already noted above, our Lord’s Great Commission is a call to recognize His supreme authority over heaven and earth, and, on that basis, to “Go…and make disciples of all the nations.” This entails preaching the gospel to every creature, baptizing those who believe (and their children) into the church of Jesus Christ, and teaching them to observe all that Christ has commanded in the Scriptures (Matt. 28:18–20; 16:15–16).

   Moreover, insofar as we remain faithful to this commission, our Savior has assured us that we are the salt of the earth and the light of the world; that the leaven of His worldwide kingdom will leaven the lump; that the seed of His kingdom will grow into a mighty tree; and that the gospel of His kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations before He returns in glory (Matt. 5:13–14; 13:31–33; 24:14).

   The gospel of Jesus Christ has not lost its saving power. It turned the first-century Roman world—in all of its paganism and perversity—upside down and, by the power of King Jesus, it can transform nations and societies today. The most effective way for Christians today to combat the problems in our society is to join a faithful, outreach-minded local church; to grow in the grace and knowledge of Christ under His means of grace; and to bear a bold, joyful, and consistent witness to His lordship in every sphere of life. There is nothing in this world so powerful as a revived, Spirit-filled church gathering in new converts by the power of Christ; personally mentoring them in the practical truths of the Bible; and equipping them to reach their children, their friends, and their neighbors for Christ.

   In recent years, more and more Reformed Christians have been taking to the streets to proclaim the gospel in the open air at local bus stops, major public rallies, and even outside abortion clinics. As men and women are called to personal repentance from sin and personal faith in the Savior, they are also called to embrace Jesus Christ as King of kings and Lord of lords. For those preaching outside abortion clinics there is a great opportunity to bring the gospel to bear directly on one of the greatest social evils in our nation’s history. If every Reformed church had an outreach team proclaiming Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord in their community, there is reason to believe that the national conscience among the voters in our land would be far more sensitive to the wickedness that prevails all around us.

   Of course, the primary goal of true biblical discipleship is never to influence culture or politics. Jesus is building His church, not an earthly political kingdom. At the same time, there can be no denying the indirect influence that a more widespread proclamation and acceptance of the gospel would have upon our society. History has demonstrated again and again that righteousness exalts a nation and that the nation is blessed—both spiritually and temporally—whose God is the Lord (Prov. 14:34; Ps. 33:12). In other words, if every church in North America took the Great Commission more seriously, our society would almost certainly be heading in a better direction.

3. We should participate. Jesus said, “To whom much is given, from him much will be required” (Luke 12:48). Therefore, to the extent that we can remain loyal to him, we should use our God-given voting privileges for His glory and seek to exert political influence as we are able (RPT 23.15). However, participation should not be confused with compromise. If we consistently apply Christ-centered voting principles, there will be very few candidates for which we will be able to vote with a good conscience. For this reason, some might suggest that Christ-centered voting is inconsistent with active political involvement. Nothing could be further from the truth.

   To begin with, voting involves more than choosing specific candidates for office. In the United States, most ballots now include opportunities for citizens to vote directly on specific issues of public policy. Christians have a moral duty to participate in such ballot initiatives according to scriptural principles, even if they cannot support any of the candidates listed on the ballot.

   Believe it or not, another effective way for Christians to participate in the political process is by refusing to vote for scripturally unqualified candidates. This may sound counterintuitive, but it is true. If every professing evangelical Christian immediately began practicing strict adherence to Christ-centered voting principles, the world would take notice. The major political parties would take notice. In the United States, the Republican Party would probably hit the panic button and begin scrambling for ways to regain their constituency. As it stands, they are more likely to hit the snooze button, because they know that, whatever else we may say about Christ and the Bible, they need only speak the magic words (“pro-life”) and, abracadabra, they’ve got our vote. Christians have become a special interest group rather than a political force to be reckoned with. The first step to increasing our influence, therefore, is making it clear that we are no longer willing to play the game. We are Christians, and we demand consistent scriptural principles.

   As noted above, a great hindrance to explicitly Christian politics has always been the refusal of professing Christians (by the millions) to lend their support and to get involved. Most would rather defer to a major political party and its unimpressive list of hand-picked candidates than actively support a Bible-based political candidate or party. By consistently applying the scriptural principles of Christ-centered voting, Christians would be empowered to participate actively in the political process like never before. It would not be easy, given the current two-party system, but real progress could be made over time.

   Whether or not creating a Christian political party is the ultimate answer, the fact remains that there is a vacuum of political leadership and organization among Bible-believing Christians in North America. Quite naturally, this has led to an absence of Christ-centered political activity and influence at all levels of government. It is high time for those who confess Jesus Christ as Lord to band together in some sort of organized fashion (distinct from the church) in the active promotion of Christ-centered candidates and laws within our society. This is not to suggest, of course, that there are no groups currently striving to make this happen. It is simply to highlight the need for Christians to make a greater effort, according to their gifts and availability, to join them in the valuable work of Christ-centered political activity.

4. We should wait eagerly. As Christians, we must always keep in mind that this present world is not our home. It is true that we pray for God’s will to be done on earth as it is in heaven. However, it is also true that “here we have no continuing city, but we seek the one to come” (Heb. 13:14). We are “strangers and pilgrims on the earth,” like the Patriarchs, who “waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God” (1 Pet. 2:11; Heb. 11:10, 13). Ultimately, “our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body” (Phil. 3:20–21).

   We are not looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of a Christian political movement that will restore our nation to a perceived golden age. We are “looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ who gave Himself for us” and who has promised to “make all things new” in the glorious world to come (Titus 2:13; Rev. 21:5).

   Without this scriptural, heavenly minded perspective, we will be of no earthly good. This was the perspective of the Protestant Reformers, the Covenanters, the Puritans (both English and American), and the preachers of the Great Awakening. Over the last five centuries, the Christians with the greatest positive impact on our Western civilization were the ones who valued heaven above earth, Christ above country, piety above politics, church above culture, and the gospel above social justice. By honoring Christ supremely and fixing their eyes upon His glorious return, they were empowered by God to transform a whole host of nations, cultures, and societies for many years to come. What a powerful reminder that, even in this present life, by way of their godly influence, “those who wait on the Lord, they shall inherit the earth” (Ps. 37:9).