If you’re anything like me, you somewhat cringe when you browse news stories online, and see numerous posts unconditionally opposing or loving on some particular politician or organisation. Don’t get me wrong, I understand the importance of all of us engaging in the politics of the day, for it’s crucial for us to be the “salt and light” in our world, hoping to make our world a better place with God’s enablement, for God’s glory. And I admit, I’m still growing in my understanding of how we should best live out our faith in light of the political world we live in.
But in light of the political divisions in our society today, let me suggest to you at least two reasons why the approach of some Christians today appears to be troubling for me.
1) It’s troubling when it appears that Christians view the world solely/primarily through the views of a particular political party, politician, or organisation, rather than through the good news of Jesus Christ, who is Lord. When Christians view the world solely/primarily through the filter of some politician’s view or political organisation we should be alarmed. That’s not the way of the Christian. As a Christian, Jesus must be the Lord of our lives. Choosing Jesus as Lord, rather than some political party or politician, means that you live your life in light of the values of God’s Kingdom. Thus, your values regularly may not align with the sentiment of our day. Christians view the world through the lens of the good news of Jesus Christ.
Christians march to the beat of a different drummer. He’s a drummer who leads us to His mission even when it’s not popular. Even when the masses may not be following. It means we are called to care for the poor, the marginalized, newcomers to our nation, the people deemed too “immoral,” and the forgotten (e.g., Lev. 19:34; 23:22; Ps. 146:9; Luke 14:13; James 1:27). And if our politics are getting in the way of doing just that, we have to ask ourselves, who really is Lord? Is it really Jesus Christ? Or is it the values of our “anointed” politician or political party?
I’m asking God to help me to better hear and march to the beat of His lead in this politically charged world. I need the Spirit’s leading here. I admit that the other drummers around us can be quite loud and confusing. Can I encourage you to invite the Spirit to help you hear and march to the beat of Christ’s leading in our world? Even if it means straying from the political perspectives we have often aligned with?
So, this is just a friendly reminder—especially for my Christian brothers and sisters. Jesus is Lord. Not right-wing leaders. Not left-wing leaders. It’s Christ. Not Trudeau, Scheer, Singh, or Harper. It’s Christ. Not Trump, Clinton, Sanders, or Obama. Not CBC, CTV, BBC, Fox, or CNN. (And if you don’t live in Canada/U.S., I’m sure you can fill in who/what those other people/organisations may be in your society).
2) It’s troubling when Christians appear to be dehumanizing people based on their political views and lifestyle. Don’t get me wrong, there are some views and lifestyle choices that people express that I’m appalled by. But I know that we all fall short of what God expects of us, myself included (Rom. 3:23). However, Scripture makes clear that every human being out there is made in God’s image—regardless of whether we like them or not (Gen. 1:27).
So yes, we must follow Jesus over Trudeau, Scheer, Singh, Harper, Trump, Clinton, Sanders, Obama—or whoever. But each one of these individuals, their families, and those who follow them are made in God’s image. Life is sacred, and that includes their lives too. You say you hate them? Jesus loves each and every one of them deeply (John 3:16). Deeply. And Jesus says to even love your enemies (Matt. 5:44). You say they are to be cursed? Jesus would say bless them (Luke 6:28). As Christians, we’re called to pray for our leaders (1 Timothy 2:1-3). Are we quicker to show hate on facebook or twitter for leaders before we pray for them? Here’s the thing. If we start praying for our leaders, their families, and those who follow them, I think God is gracious and can bless them. And if these leaders reflect the God’s values of love, justice, mercy, and righteousness in our society, that will be best for all of us (e.g, Micah 6:8).
Don’t get me wrong, loving and praying for someone doesn’t mean we have to agree with all that they do. I mean, see my first point above—when values fail to reflect what is right, I think we can speak to that. But we need to be careful when we begin to see these political leaders as beyond God’s grace—whoever that leader is. Because here’s the thing, when we begin to think that those leaders are so stupid, despicable, and beyond God’s grace—we become like some of the scribes and Pharisees we see described in the Gospels who felt some people were just beyond God’s grace. Jesus had to fix that perspective (Mark 2:16-17). That’s why Jesus could sit, fellowship, and bring into his fold someone who was even a tax collector, one of the most despised people among the Jews of Jesus’ day. Nothing is impossible with God—and His grace and Spirit can reach and transform any one of us.
I realise some reading here may prefer that I pick a side here: a right or left-leaning political party. Maybe that’s what you came here to read. But I’m encouraging you to submit to Christ’s Lordship; for that approach will ultimately help us view the world through the filter of those important themes like love, justice, and mercy in a way that no mere human can do for us. And this may lead us to critique various sides of the political debate, which may include our own preferred political view. And this should even cause us to pray for people in leadership out of deep love and care for those who may not hold to your preferred political views. Because at the end of the day, God’s Kingdom comes before any other human kingdom out there.
The Smothers Brothers have a wonderful song on Youtube Josh. It’s called Who Do I Have To Hate For You To Like Me. Sums up a lot of things. Just add a worship band and away you go. You could put on some spandex add a few exploding pot lights, some fog and you can win the next Dove award.
Good to hear from you John. I can always count on you for both insight and humor. 🙂 I’ll have to look more into that song! Thanks.
Hi Josh, I made a mistake the song title is Who Do I Have To Hate To Be Your Friend.
Very thought-provoking Professor.
I believe and have said so from the pulpit many, many times, that in my opinion; churches are never called to speak for, against and in support of a certain politician or party, we are called as Pastor and Teachers and indeed in daily life as followers of Jesus to speak to moral issues from a Biblical perspective both inside and outside of the church.
A failure to do so, is an abdication in my mind of the idea of pointing people to the context of the need of the grace of God within the application of the justice of God which cannot be separate but are in fact in perfect harmony within the nature and character of God. Though I grant you not easily either completely understood and or explained.
This has the obvious element of Christian apologetics but I would also suggest that exhibiting the fruit of the Spirit in both our declarations and responses is not a choice to be made but an essential element to be incorporated. A discuss of the “Nashville declaration,”would be a current example I would site.
By nature conversation, opinion and argument are not a large distance from one another. For the context of your blog, they involve both the proponents and the opposition of any particular issue both inside and out of the church. This is where the variance of opinion also must be allowed always but from where I stand always in the context of soli scriptura of course, though therein lies a line in the sand as well.
I would suggest that it is indeed the believer’s responsibility to engage in political discourse outside of the church in order to fully be salt and light.
Jesus did with various people, the disciples did (and it cost them their lives) and Paul did with King Agrippa, with Roman authorities, Jewish religious leaders and indeed when it came to the first church leaders for the structures he was inspired by the Holy Spirit to give to set “the church,” in order.
My perception of Scripture also instructs us to “pray for those in authority over us,” and I furhter agree that I do not read where it is acceptable to cursing those in authority over us. Of course it could also be argued that God gives us the authorities we deserve for our obedience but that is more deep water to think about.
I sincerely believe that even in the areas you suggested, believers of goodwill and attention must be granted the right to a difference of opinion such as justice, protection, immigation, drug prevention and almost every other hotbutton issues.
And this side of Heaven in Western Culture where decisions on every public policy are made through the political process, I think it is not in fact optional but instead incumbent on every teenage, adult and senior who is a follower of Jesus to participate, to raise a voice and yes a standard, while recognizing that the carnal mind is at emnity with God of course.
A child cannot for the obvious reason, reason, so to speak and I would add should never be placed in a position of being a political pond or chip for anyone’s agenda Christian or otherwise.
If this is not done in a prayerful and loving way it is of no value and we sadly must also accept that freewill is not limited, even the freewill to do silly or worse hurtful things in the name of Jesus – see the Westboro Baptist folks and yet God still loves them too.
I strongly and wholeheartedly, affirm your assertion; that far, far to often believers are guilty of placing the non-believer beyond the hope of grace and redemption.
That is a not a Biblically supportable position to take in my view. In fact I think it is an horrendous view of both of those truly limitless attributes for which every follower of Jesus needs to remember and thank God for daily in their own lives and never ever diminish the potential for its application to “whosoever will,” may come.
To summarize, there is an old concept which many people could use a refresher course in which was and is, “civil discourse,” in every aspect and angle of the phrase.
Thanks for letting me run on with some thoughts!
Rev. G.A. Clark
Hi Rev. Clark, good to hear from you! Thanks for your comments here! I agree, it’s crucial that we speak to moral issues in our world today, part of being salt and light in our world. And I agree, “civil discourse,” is something that is so often neglected among those who are trying to argue for their position; something that can sadly often be lost in our politically divisive society. Thanks for sharing!
Well put Josh, I enjoyed reading this. It helps me try to choose from amongst all the available crooks on offer when it is time to vote.
Good to hear from you Dave. I’m assuming they won’t all be crooks though…let’s pray for them. 🙂 Thanks for your note Dave.