As the general elections draw closer, the battle for votes is likely to intensify.

Nothing typifies this more than the fight by political parties for religious platforms and the hearts of the devout.

What is the role of the church in the election?

The church should not only guide its people about their spiritual duties, but also train them to apply Christian ethics to all areas of life, including civil, government, education, economics and law.

This implies that the churches will have to convince its members of the side effects of corruption, sexual immorality, abortion and drug abuse.

This also means that the church should be the moral conscience of the government, calling it to account to the people when it oversteps the mark.

However, many churches are contradicting themselves.

In North West for example, some church leaders invoke God's name to suggest that the ruling party was ordained by God Almighty to lead this country.

This is dangerous because it could be construed by ordinary people to mean that any opposition to the ruling party is opposition to the divinely-ordained order.

Amos Sekhaulelo, Newtown