The passage most consuming my mind as the presidential election dawns is 1 Timothy 2:1-2: First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men, for kings and all who are in authority, in order that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity.
A hypocritical prayer is often described as praying for something while not acting upon it. Praying, for example, for good grades then refusing to study would be hypocritical. This is not so much a “God helps those who help themselves” issue but an issue of actions speaking louder than words especially as it relates to one’s heart’s desires.
When it comes to my vote in the presidential election, I want to vote in line with the prayer that is commanded in 1 Timothy 2:2. The end goal of the prayer is believers being able to practice their faith in tranquility and peace while living out the fullness of their beliefs (all godliness) without being being mocked, afraid, or socially outcast (dignity). So, my vote will go to the candidate who’s platform will not make it harder to be a Christian in America.
Spending some time looking at the state of Christianity around the globe (for some, this means focusing less on politics and more on your international brethren) will reveal that this is already happening elsewhere. Pastors in 1st world countries who have constitutional freedom of speech and freedom of religion are being imprisoned for preaching God’s Word; simply publicly agreeing with statements from the Bible on issues such as homosexuality and life are considered hate speech warranting jail time or worse.
If praying for something you are not willing to act upon is hypocritical, then so is praying “for kings and all who are in authority, in order that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity” and then voting for a candidate whose policies will do the opposite.
Taking Captive 