“While government has a worthy task to perform, and depends for its success on citizens of character, it can do little to create them,” – Chuck Colson, God & Government

I read my first Colson book “How Now Shall We Live” in 2000. It was given as a gift to me, and it was truly a gift to my walk with the Lord. The book introduced me to a world of Christian thinking about culture and politics. Today, Julie Roys reminded me of his book, God and Country, in an article she wrote about the election.

No one agrees with everything that another person says or writes, and that’s true of my reading’s of Colson. But, I am indebted to him for making it clear that the moral transformation of the world will not happen through a worldly kingdom, but through the Kingdom of God, which is represented here on earth in the church.

In his book “God and Country” he makes a great argument, and explanation, for the truth of how God changes hearts. In particular, he speaks plainly that no earthly government can invade the heart of a man and change him, this is reserved solely for the Lord!

“By upholding a standard of justice and enforcing the rule of law, the state does provide a limited form of moral education. . . . But humanity’s deepest motivations, its strongest virtues and blackest vices, escape the control of government. Any government.” – Chuck (Charles) Colson

God changes hearts through the Gospel, and God has charged the church with proclaiming and guarding the gospel. It is not the responsibility of government to transform hearts, that task belongs to the Lord, and He has chosen to do that through His church.

Voting in tomorrow’s election is of massive importance for our country. I am praying daily for the outcome, and I trust God completely with what He does and doesn’t do.

In my time with God, I have begun to pray for the church to have the same fervor for its responsibility of glorifying God, reaching the lost, and loving one another as we are seeing from political parties. If the people in every church who are so engaged with sharing the message of their candidates would do the same thing with the gospel I believe we would see immediate and lasting change in our cities and our country.

Revival will never come from politics, but it will come through the church. So, vote tomorrow, and vote for the candidates and platforms that will best guard and protect our liberties as Christians. And, if you’re wondering what to do with all this energy and emotion on Wednesday? I have a suggestion…

Aim your time, energy, and effort at reaching your neighbor with the gospel. Live a holy life that honors the Lord. Serve others in the name of Jesus. Show grace, be forgiving, and above everything else, put on love.

Be more zealous to help your neighbors know Christ than you have been about party platforms and political perspectives.

Your vote matters, honor God with your vote, and then dig into honoring the Great Commission to make disciples of all people.