–– Warrick Jubber

Listen and subscribe: YouTube, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify.

For those living in Africa, crime is an unrelenting reality that significantly impacts life through the constant threat of violence. Despite the promises of politicians, criminals are exploiting ineffective governance in many African countries to target the weak and vulnerable. Against the hope of the victims and the longings of Christians who understand God’s standards of righteousness and justice, Africa seems to be plunging into greater depths of criminality.

According to the 2023 Global Organised Crime Index, criminality is on the rise in Africa with the Democratic Republic of Congo, Nigeria, and South Africa leading not only the continent but also breaking into the top ten worldwide. 

For many, their hope for a solution is fixed on better governance as well as the promises and policies of political parties as they campaign for votes. According to the Electoral Institute for Sustainable Democracy in Africa, twenty-four of the fifty-four countries in Africa are planning democratic elections this year, with the majority voting to decide both their presidents and national assemblies.

For believers, this raises two important questions—what is the Christian’s responsibility during elections, and what is the Christian’s hope during elections? 

The Bible answers the first question of the believers’ responsibility by teaching that Christian citizens should exercise their right to vote, not only as participants in the democratic system but also as those who hold the rulers in government accountable. Believers must cast their vote for a government which will uphold justice by punishing criminals and protecting the innocent so that they can flourish in the land.

However, there are two reasons why Christians shouldn’t set their hope on the government even while fulfilling their responsibility to vote in the elections. 

Firstly, a democratic government will always be flawed because it reflects the flawed character of the nation’s majority. When the people are in rebellion against God, their government will represent their wickedness. Proverbs 29:2 warns that “When the righteous increase, the people are glad, but when a wicked man rules, people groan.” 

When the citizens of a nation vote wickedly and foolishly, Christians should expect God’s judgement on their country through wicked rulers. As John Calvin wrote, “A wicked prince is the Lord’s scourge to punish the sins of the people.”

Believers can only expect a change in the outcome of elections when God changes the hearts of the people through the gospel and the moral influence of the church. 

Secondly, even if the majority of people vote wisely and righteously, Christians should still not fix their hope upon the government because they will only experience the full and lasting solution to crime they long for under Christ’s government. 

This reality raises the second question of a Christian’s hope during elections. The Bible answers this question in Psalm 10. In the Psalm, David describes living in a country of criminals. He complains that fraud, extortion, cruelty, violence, and all kinds of injustice prevailed in his land. Believers in crime-ridden countries can certainly identify with David’s complaints as they face the daily experience of violent crime and an absence of justice. 

However, there is a key observation that points to the believer’s true hope in elections. As David wrote his psalm, he was the king entrusted with the sword to punish the criminals and defend their victims, as Romans 13:4 teaches. Despite this, David didn’t look for a solution in better policies or more effective policing. He looked for a better solution in God’s justice.

David knew that, at best, anything he could do as the ruler of Israel would only bring about limited, temporary restraint of the restless evil that resides in the hearts of the wicked. The criminal chaos that plagued Israel couldn’t be solved by the king, nor will it be solved in our day through the government.

As John MacArthur wrote, “It’s foolish to expect human institutions to produce the kind of righteousness and justice that only God can effect. We can’t look to government to uphold or enforce our biblical standards for living.”

David fixed his hope on the coming kingdom of God in which He will break the power of the wicked and bring an end to their oppression, according to Psalm 10. David knew that the solution to crime is not better government, it is God’s government as He sends Christ to reign on earth.

The Bible teaches us that the believer’s hope is in Christ’s government and the justice He will bring when He rules over the nations.

As Christians in Africa face the daily realities of crime in their countries, they should pray and participate in elections as those who want to be ruled by righteous and wise leaders, but they should only expect to experience the peace and justice which they long for when Christ returns to reign in His kingdom.