The Civic Pew
Week 9 · Voting

How to Vote as a Christian

Scripture will not fill out your ballot for you, but it gives clear guidance on character, justice, wisdom, and where to place our hope.

By The Civic Pew

Ancient Israel did not hold elections the way we do. But the Bible does describe God’s people taking part in choosing their leaders, and it says a great deal about what kind of leaders to look for. In a republic, where citizens help choose those who govern, a vote is a real stewardship. Like any stewardship, we will give an account for how we use it.

This article will not tell you whom to vote for. The Civic Pew endorses no candidate and no party. Instead, here are biblical principles to take with you into the voting booth.

1. Look for character (Exodus 18:21)

When Moses was overwhelmed by the work of judging the nation, his father-in-law Jethro gave him this advice:

“Furthermore, you shall select out of all the people able men who fear God, men of truth, those who hate dishonest gain; and you shall place these over them as leaders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties and of tens.” (Exodus 18:21, NASB 1995)
NKJV: “Moreover you shall select from all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness”

Character is not the only thing that matters, but it is never irrelevant. God told Samuel, “God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7). We cannot see hearts as God does, but Jesus gave us a test: “You will know them by their fruits” (Matthew 7:16). Look at a candidate’s record, not just the campaign.

2. Weigh policies by justice (Deuteronomy 16:18–20)

“You shall not distort justice; you shall not be partial, and you shall not take a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and perverts the words of the righteous. Justice, and only justice, you shall pursue” (Deuteronomy 16:19–20, NASB 1995)
NKJV: “You shall follow what is altogether just”

Proverbs observes, “When the righteous increase, the people rejoice, But when a wicked man rules, people groan” (Proverbs 29:2). So ask: Which policies best protect life (Week 5), religious liberty (Week 6), and the family (Week 7)? Which best serve the poor (Week 3) and treat the stranger justly (Week 8)? Micah summarizes what God requires: “to do justice, to love kindness, And to walk humbly with your God” (Micah 6:8).

3. Do your homework (Proverbs 14:15; 18:17)

“The naive believes everything, But the sensible man considers his steps” (Proverbs 14:15). In an age of viral clips and campaign ads, this is wise counsel. “The first to plead his case seems right, Until another comes and examines him” (Proverbs 18:17). Hear more than one side. Read what candidates actually say and what bills actually contain. And seek counsel, “in abundance of counselors there is victory” (Proverbs 11:14).

Do not forget the rest of the ballot. School boards, judges, sheriffs, and city councils often affect daily life more directly than national races.

4. Decide with wisdom and humility (James 1:5; Romans 14:12)

There are no perfect candidates, and most elections involve hard trade-offs. Ask God for help: “if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him” (James 1:5). Then vote your conscience, knowing that “each one of us will give an account of himself to God” (Romans 14:12).

Faithful Christians who share the same Bible sometimes reach different conclusions on how to weigh competing concerns. Our unity in Christ is deeper than any ballot.

5. Remember where your hope lies (Psalm 146:3; Jeremiah 29:7)

“Do not trust in princes, In mortal man, in whom there is no salvation.” (Psalm 146:3, NASB 1995)
NKJV: “Do not put your trust in princes, Nor in a son of man, in whom there is no help.”

No candidate is a savior, and no election is the end of the world. God told exiles in Babylon, “Seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf; for in its welfare you will have welfare” (Jeremiah 29:7). The word for “welfare” is shalom (שָׁלוֹם), as the NASB margin notes (“Or peace”). We vote to seek our community’s shalom, and then we keep seeking it, whoever wins.

What American history adds

The founders worried that party loyalty could overpower good judgment. In 1780 John Adams wrote, “There is nothing I dread So much, as a Division of the Republick into two great Parties, each arranged under its Leader, and concerting Measures in opposition to each other.” In his Farewell Address of 1796, George Washington warned “in the most solemn manner against the baneful effects of the spirit of party generally,” which, he said, “agitates the community with ill-founded jealousies and false alarms, kindles the animosity of one part against another.”

Parties are a lasting part of American life, and joining one is not wrong. But Christians should never let a party shape their convictions more than Scripture does.

So what does this look like in real life?

  1. Pray before you research, before you decide, and after the results come in.
  2. Register and vote in every election, including local and primary races.
  3. Study the whole ballot using more than one source, including candidates’ own words and records.
  4. Weigh character and policy by the principles of Scripture, not by party label alone.
  5. Honor everyone—“Honor all people, love the brotherhood, fear God, honor the king” (1 Peter 2:17)—including those who vote differently and those who win.

Voting is one of the simplest ways to love your neighbor in a free country. Do it prayerfully, carefully, and humbly, and then rest in the One whose kingdom is never up for election.

For reflection

  1. Which of Jethro’s four qualities do you find hardest to evaluate in candidates? Why?
  2. Where do you get most of your political information, and does it give you more than one side?
  3. How can you show honor to fellow believers who vote differently than you?

Peace and Love,
The Civic Pew

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Sources and notes