What can I learn from Jesus about election day?

What can I learn from Jesus about election day? To me, this is an important question today. Followers of Jesus should always look to Him to inform how we live this life. So back to the question - what can I learn from Jesus about election day?

Very simply, nothing. It may surprise some that Jesus had very little to say about how to choose government leaders. He didn't say much about politics at all. He certainly had the opportunity. He lived in a country that was being ruled by a foreign power. Many of His fellow countrymen wanted to rise up against Rome. They were violently opposed to the ones who ruled over them. And they wanted Jesus to share in their sentiments. "Jesus, is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar?" "Give me a coin - whose picture is on it?" "Caesar's." And then Jesus' classic response: "Then give to Caesar what is Caesar's, give to God what is God's."

Do you hear what Jesus is saying? "You want to talk about Caesar? Great, let's talk about him. Give him what's his. Do your civic duty. But what I really want to talk about is how you and God are doing right now." 

Salvation isn't in politics. It's not in a candidate or a party. It doesn't come from the government. And Jesus didn't tell His followers to look to the state for His plan.

That hasn't changed. An awful lot of Christians hold up one candidate or another, one party or another, as the tool God will use for His plan. I don't see that in scripture. In Colossians 1, Paul speaks of Jesus: "He is the head of the body, the church." In Ephesians 3, he says, "His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realm."

God's plan is to use the church, His body, to do His work, not the state. 

In Adventist theology, our understanding of the great broad themes of history are shown in the prophecies of Daniel and Revelation. It seems from these books that dangerous things happen when earthly powers try to get involved in spiritual matters. When I hear church members tout one candidate or another because they are "God's candidate," that causes me great concern. The New Testament makes it clear that God uses the church, not government leaders. This doesn't mean that He has no interest in such things. Colossians 1 says of Jesus, "For by Him all things were created; things in Heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by Him and for Him." But it doesn't say that He is dependent on those rulers or authorities for His Kingdom.

So today, give to Caesar what is Caesar's. Do your civic duty, and vote your conscience. But please, let's not look to one candidate or the other, one party or the other, to do God's will. That's our job.