Should Christians get politically involved?

Many very sincere Christians are convinced they should not actively participate in the political activities of an increasingly secular world.  Citing Scriptures such as “You are in the world, but not of the world” and “... For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness?” and what communion has light with darkness?, they argue they should have no part of the world system.   They point out that the Bible teaches the world will get worse and worse and ask, “Why should we take part in something that is not going to last?”  Many pastors even teach that religion and politics don’t mix, so Christians should stay away from politics.  As a result, many Christians stay home on election day. 
While I understand their position, I must say I disagree with those Christians who take such a stance.  In fact, I believe that we, as Christians, are charged with the responsibility to participate to the fullest extent we can.  Why do I believe this?  To begin with, the Apostle Paul tells us in I Timothy 2 that we are to pray for kings and all who are in authority. This exhortation, which can easily be interpreted as a command, tells us that we are to be involved with government on a spiritual level.  Since we are to be spiritually involved through prayer, we need to participate on a physical level to put action into our prayers.  
Jesus gives us a very powerful admonishment in Matthew 5.  He tells us, “Ye {Christians} are the salt of the earth: ...”  “Ye are the light of the world.”  As such, we are to season and preserve the society in which we live by our actions and deeds.  One way to do this is to ensure those elected to public office will govern according to godly principles and precepts.  When elected officials pass laws permitting non-scriptural behaviors such as abortion, homosexuality, and the destruction of traditional family values, Christians have a responsibility to vote those officials out of office.  Scripture tells us government is established for the protection of those who obey the law (Romans 13:3-4).  But when elected officials establish ungodly laws, we cannot obey those laws.  As Peter said when called before the Sanhedrin, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you {government} more than to God, you judge.  For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.”  Fortunately, we live in a country which gives us the freedom to vote for those who govern us.  Therefore, we have not only the responsibility, we have a right to elect those who will protect our beliefs and values.
So how do we determine those who deserve our vote?  In the Old Testament, Jethro advised Moses to choose leaders to assist him in governing the new nation of Israel and gave several qualifications of those Moses should choose: “... provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place such over them, to be rulers ...”  (Exodus 19:21).  Moses was charged with the responsibility of picking the leaders then, but today it is the citizens of our nation, states, and cities who have that responsibility.  Let’s take a closer look at the qualifications for those who are to rule over us.
First, they are to “fear God.”  The Hebrew word translated fear means to be “morally reverent.”  Those who serve the people are to have a reverent attitude toward God.  That means they are to acknowledge Him and place His commands and precepts at the center of their behavior.  George Washington, our first president and the “Father of Our Country,” said, “It is impossible to rightly govern a nation without God and the Bible.”  On another occasion, he stated, “Let us with caution indulge the supposition that morality can be maintained without religion.  Reason and experience both forbid us to expect that national morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle.”  If an elected official fears God, that reverence of Him will be reflected in the laws and ordinances they support.  The knowledge that they will answer to a higher power for their actions will cause them to carefully consider their responsibility to God and the people they serve.  
The second qualification is that they be men and women of truth.  When any elected official lies or attempts to hide truth from the public, that official is no longer qualified to serve in office.  We often excuse such inappropriate behavior with words such as, “It just a part of the job” or “they have to lie just to get things done.”  When such behavior is tolerated, however, we are guilty of allowing unqualified people to rule over us and we are failing to be salt and light.  Thomas Jefferson once said, “Truth is certainly a branch of morality, and a very important one to society.”  If we cannot trust the words of those who are elected to serve us, we must elect others whom we can trust. 
     The third qualification of elected officials is a hatred of covetousness.  The Hebrew word translated covetousness comes from a word meaning “plunder.”  It suggests that covetousness has to do with dishonest and/or unjust gain.  Through unchecked spending and excess taxes, elected officials plunder tax payers.  Jethro told Moses to appoint those who hate covetousness to rule over us.  If we elect officials who fear God and speak the truth, their character will cause them to hate covetousness and will  keep them from taking advantage of their position to better themselves.  
     More importantly, men and women who meet these qualifications will serve the people rather than special interests, and they will be statesmen rather than politicians.  Those who truly meet these qualifications will understand they are God’s agents and will answer not only to the people, but to God Himself. 
     In this era of political corruption and abuse of position that is so common today, it is Christians who hold the key to changing the way our government works.  Americans have been blessed with a government that is “of the people, for the people, and by the people.”  If Christians will accept their responsibility to be salt and light in our nation, we will see our government return to the precepts and principles upon which it was founded.  I close with two quotes from the first Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, John Jay.   He said,  “Providence has given to our people the choice of their rulers.  And it is the duty, as well as the privilege and interest, of a Christian nation to select and prefer Christians for their rulers.”  The second quote is even more pertinent to modern America: “Whether our religion permits Christians to vote for infidel rulers is a question which merits more consideration than it seems yet to have generally received either from the clergy or the laity.  It appears to me that what the prophet said to Jehoshaphat about his attachment to Ahab [“Shouldest thou help the ungodly and love them that hate the Lord?”  2 Chronicles 19:2] affords a salutary lesson.” 
     May America move back to the position in which she can again receive the blessings of God.  If Christians will accept their responsibility to become salt and light and will seek out and vote only for those candidates who meet the Biblical qualifications given to Moses, such a move is possible.