Most Chrsitians in America believe in what is called the Rapture: the idea that at any moment Christians all around the world will be instantaneously “raptured” or “snatched up” into heaven by God. Accompanying this idea is the belief that the world is going to get worse and worse leading up to the rapture. There will be an increasing decline in morality; an almost total abandonment of true religion; chaos worldwide and dramatic political upheaval. Simply put, the current craziness of our world today is the harbinger that Christ is about to return at any moment – certainly within our lifetime, but most likely within the next couple years, weeks or even days. This doctrine I believe has the power to have a profound effect on the worldview of Christians specifically as it pertains to politics and voting. Here’s how:

If the world is certainly going to hell in a handbasket, and if Jesus is literally about to snatch the church away from this world, why would we invest any effort into culture or politics? As it is commonly stated that it is foolish to “polish the brass of a sinking ship.” If Jesus is coming back tomorrow afternoon the list of things to do is very limited: basically shout the gospel from the rooftops until he comes. Not only is there no time for casual activities, but there’s also no time for wholesome, godly, constructive activities such as: reading books, planting a garden, building homes, writing songs, starting schools or businesses or striving to redeem our state and the culture we live in. 

As a new Christian I took the rapture and its corresponding end-times belief system to heart. I think this is one of the main reasons why I used to not vote. Why would I vote? I thought, “It doesn’t ultimately make a difference. Things are going to get worse and worse anyway. This world is not my home. We just need to get the gospel out to the world before Christ returns, etc.” 

Over time I have seen another possibility from the Scriptures, namely Post-millennialism, or A-millennialism. What both of these views share is the belief that the world is actually going to slowly but surely become more and more Christian until ultimately the world as a whole will be discipled, which will culminate at the 2nd coming of Christ. I like the way Doug Wilson describes this: “In other words, the Great Commission will be successful in history.” Not only will all of the people groups of the world as a whole be converted, but also the governmental structures and systems of the world will also be redeemed. The world will become a Christian world. 

Now, how does this viewpoint affect the mind of the Christian as it relates to politics and voting? Well, if we have the promise that Jesus is already the King of all the Kings and that he is the ruler of the nations (Rev. 1); that he is going to save the world (John 3:17); that all authority has been given to Jesus in heaven and on earth already (Mat. 28:18-20); and that he is committed to partnering with the global Church and all Christians to redeem the world: then the time to get involved is now. In this system the harbinger of Christ’s coming is that all enemies are placed under his feet (1 Cor. 15). So, it’s not the ungodly passions of the world that attract the coming of Christ for judgment, but rather the passion of Christians redeeming the world and presenting it to Christ at his coming.   

The point of this article is not to defend in detail the postmillennial view over the premillennial view (maybe a later time some more analysis will be given), but my goal is to show that these different systems do exist in the minds of Christians and they do have an impact on how we view the world and live in it. 

Whether you are premillennial or postmillennial there is no absolute guarantee that Jesus will come back in your lifetime. It has been 2,000 years, it may be another 10,000 before he comes again. Either way there is nothing in Scripture that would negate the possibility that you might experience the greatest revival that has ever happened in history; that your country might become the most Christian nation that has ever existed.

So, pray, then go vote.