The People of God, Government, and Political Involvement

 

 

Prov. 16:12           What does this proverb teach?

 

Knowing this, will you be voting for the most moral, honest candidates this next election?                 Why?

 

And will you be finding out what each candidate stands for, and then encourage everyone you know to vote for the best candidates?                           Why?

 

1 Tim. 2:1, 2         What does God tell us to do, and why?

 

Have you been praying regularly/consistently for all your governing authorities (i.e. president, vice-president cabinet, congressmen, Supreme Court justices, federal and local judges, governor, state representatives, mayor, city councilmen, etc.)?

Why?

 

Acts 5:17, 26, 27, 30, 31; 6:8, 12 with 7:52; 24:10-25; 25:23; 26:1-29; 28:16, 30; Phil. 1:12, 13 with 4:22

 

To whom did these godly men witness to/share the gospel with?

 

Is witnessing to political leaders a good idea?               Why?

 

Have you ever shared the gospel with a political leader?             If so, who, when, and how?

 

1 Pet. 2:13, 14, 17; Rom. 13:1-7; Titus 3:1; Lk. 20:22-25                         What are we commanded to do to our governing authorities?

 

Are you submitting to/obeying, honoring, and paying taxes to your governing authorities?                               Why?

 

Dan. 3:1-18, 28; 6:7-10; Acts 4:1, 18-20; 5:17, 26-29                What didn’t these godly men do, and why?

 

If your governing authorities told you to do something that the Bible, God’s Word, told you not to do, would you do it?

Why?

 

Dan. 4:27; 5:18-23; 1 Sam. 15:17-28; Lk. 3:16-20     What did these godly men do to their governing authorities?

 

Have you ever reproved or rebuked a political leader for some sin, or exhorted a politician to quit sinning and start living right?

Why?

 

When would you do so, or when should we do so?

 

Dan. 1:17-21; 2:27, 28, 47; 3:28 – 4:3; 6:3   What did these godly men do toward their governing leader?

 

                Do you exert a godly influence upon your political leaders by living and voicing right/godly views in all important matters?

How, and why?

 

Dan. 2:49 (3:16-18)            What positive action did Daniel take?

 

                Since we live in a republic rather than in a monarchy, how can and should we put godly people into positions of governmental rule?

 

Are you encouraging godly people to run for governmental positions, considering doing so yourself, and/or voting into office people who are godly or, at least, who are the best among those who are running for office?              Why?

 

Where was Daniel going to be while his three godly friends oversaw the province?

Why do you think Daniel wanted to be at the king’s court?

Have you ever thought about being in a political/governmental position in order to influence the country’s leader(s) and center of political activity?                  Why?

 

Dan. 6:4 How should godly governmental leaders act/be?

 

If you were to take or be in a governmental position, would you seek to be faithful, responsible, and honest?

Why?

 

Dan. 11:1; Esther 2:21-23 What did Daniel do for king Darius, and Mordecai do for king Ahasuerus?

 

Do you or would/will you encourage and/or protect your political leaders?             How, and why?

 

1 Kings 15:11-13                                What did Asa do to Maacah?                                                           Why?

 

Since we live in a republic rather than in a monarchy, how can and should we get rid of corrupt governmental leaders?

 

Would you impeach, pressure to resign, or vote out of office a corrupt governmental leader if you were able to?           Why?

 

Esther 4:6-16         What question does Mordecai pose to Queen Esther in verse 14?

 

What does he imply by that question?

What does Mordecai encourage the queen to do in verse 14?

 

                Just like Mordecai wanted the queen to speak to the king about the taking of innocent Jewish lives, are you influencing government leaders to speak up about the taking of innocent unborn human lives?                    Why?

 

In spite of the possible cost of her life, what does the queen decide to do (vs. 16)?

Are you willing to pay any cost there may be to your reputation or career in order to influence government leaders regarding some moral issue/cause?                              Why?

 

What does Esther petition the king for (7:1-6; 8:3-6)?

 

Do you petition government leaders for the lives of unborn babies or other moral issues?                   Why?

 

How does Mordecai get involved in a moral cause (8:7-12; 9:20-23)?

 

Gen. 41:15, 16, 38-49, 56, 57           How does Joseph promote God before Pharaoh?

 

What kind of relationship did Joseph have to Pharaoh and over the land of Egypt (42:6; 45:7, 8)?

 

How did Joseph’s political position benefit people (50:20)?

 

Do you see how the political involvement of godly people can both influence government rulers as well as benefit the welfare of people in general?                Will you get politically involved?                     Why?

 

Ex. 3:10; 5:5-9; 6:5-7, 11; 8:1; 9:1, 13           Who was the one who initiated Moses’ involvement to influence a government leader?

And what does God tell Moses to do?

 

                Are you willing to confront political leaders who are discriminatory and/or oppressive in their treatment of people or their inhibiting of people’s freedom to serve God?                   Why?

 

Do you care enough to find out what the various candidates believe and support?

Do you care enough to vote for the best and moral candidates for governmental positions?

Do you care enough to encourage your family, friends, neighbors, coworkers, etc. to vote for the best candidates and to educate them on the issues and candidates?                 If not, can you really and fully be the light and salt in the earth (Matt. 5:13, 14)?

Why?

And if not, why aren’t you following the godly, biblical examples set before you in Scripture, and get involved?

 

What will you do to help insure that we have rulers who qualify for Prov. 29:4, 14?

 

Jer. 29:7               What were these deported Jews in exile in Babylon to do, and why?

 

                If God told the prophet Jeremiah to tell His people in exile in a pagan nation this, how much more should we who live in this country, which is our homeland, be praying for and seeking the welfare of our city. The question is, are you doing so, and how?

 

                Is voting for the best and most moral candidates for mayor and city councilmen one way of doing so, and why?