Berita NECF July-August 2010 features an article by journalist Bob Teoh titled, “The Christian Vote.” Rumours of an early GE are rife, and Christians, as good citizens of a democracy, are to take the elections of a government very seriously. This is both good common sense and biblical. When I read Bob’s very informative article, I was again dismayed to see that Malaysians are a tardy lot. Do you know that 15.47 million people are eligible voters, but only 2/3 have registered as voters? That means a whopping 4.39 million (1/3 eligible voters) are not registered. I don’t doubt that there are many, many Christians among the 1/3 …
Voting is not only a right we have as citizens, but also a grave responsibility that God has entrusted to us. God partners with us to bring about a fair and just government … He does the ordaining, but we must do the praying and voting. If we don’t do our part, we face consequences such as corrupt governments and oppression in wider society. But that’s not all. Remember that we must also give an account of ourselves before God. If it is true that all our life’s events will be flashed on a heavenly screen on Judgement Day, rest assured that angelic video cam recordings of our lounging about on our sofas instead of voting on GE day will be exposed for all of creation to view! And if we cannot be bothered to express civic responsibility in this way in this life, then how are we going to be co-heirs and co-rulers with Christ in the age to come? Would God feel that He could trust us with governing His new heavens and earth then?
Honestly speaking, we know that Christians are notorious for compartmentalising life. We seem to be able to somehow separate our secular life from our sacred life so well that abnegating our social/political responsibilities doesn’t seem to faze us at all. We can still go to church happily and sing songs about God’s reign on earth, pray prayers about God’s sovereign hand over our nation … We also like to say things like: “We’re Christians, we’re not political”; “Oh, I’m just one person. It doesn’t matter whether I vote or not.” These are frankly unwholesome statements that reflect an unintegrated and schizophrenic perspective of the Christian life. It is most unbiblical to speak or preach this way, and we must never do it.
We think–wrongly–that God isn’t bothered about our lives here and now. Since this created order will go kaput one day anyway, so what if I don’t vote? But let’s not forget that life here and now is training ground for us before we get to there and then! Whatever we do on earth will carry much eternal weight. God is deeply concerned about human life on earth … so concerned that He sent His Son here as a man. The way we conduct ourselves, the things we think and say, all have meaning and significance to God in His eternal contemplation of us. Voting, to God, is really no different from praying … both are godly activities that arise out of our Christian consciousness that God is sovereign and in control of all our circumstances. If Jesus were here today, I know he would cast his vote!
In recent times, some Malaysian Christians seem to have become a little more aware of the seriousness of the vote. This is a good start (but let’s not just stop here!). Some churches are even encouraging their members to register as voters by holding voter registration campaigns. These campaigns are a service that Christian churches can provide in assisting the Malaysian government to ensure that our people can easily be registered as voters. In fact, all religious and other social organisations should actively promote such campaigns.
If we truly want Malaysia to be for the glory of God, then we must rise to the occasion and fulfil God’s call to us. “Malaysia, Bagi kemuliaanMu” can be a reality in our time if the Christian voting bloc were to wake up from its deep sleep and view this nation with the compassionate eye of the Lord. Catch His vision, see His dream, realise His plans for us … It is not that hard, but it may well start with filling out a registration form for many of us …
By the way, are you a voter?
