Jesus Has No Political Affiliation, His Bride Shouldn't Either
We have been charged with delivering a message of hope in a broken world. With being a living reflection of life the way God intends it to be lived, representatives of Christ. Unfortunately, we have bought into a lie that has believers in America undermining their own cause.
Growing up in a country that was not our own, I was taught to not get involved with the local politics. It wasn’t because I was a foreigner, and shouldn’t have an opinion. I already had a far more important message to share, and shouldn’t dilute that message with trivialities. Even worse, wearing my views on such controversial and divisive a topic could alienate people who needed to hear the more important story I had to tell.
I am more and more convinced that this should be the approach of believers everywhere. This is not a call to not participate. By all means vote if you want! Just don’t talk about it. The only thing worse than the past several months of vitriol and fear from my contacts on social media who are supposed to be believers and above such vitriol and fear, is the response from those same believers today. Half are expressing decidedly un-Christian responses to something that was really out of their hands; the others are expressing sudden trust in God that sounds hollow after all the talk leading up to the election.
Perhaps it is that lie we have chosen to believe. The one that tells us we decide our own fate in America. That, if we just work hard enough and believe hard enough and convince enough people to follow our lead, we will determine who is in charge. (Last I checked, we don’t truly vote for President in the U.S. at all, and unless you live in a few key states your vote doesn’t really affect the Electoral College that much anyway.)
Imagine the approach of a giant, devastating, deadly storm. Would the best response from the Church be to run around, screaming in fear, railing against the coming destruction, begging people to do something to try to save ourselves? Or would it be better to trust God, remain calm, and share with everyone you knew the most important thing they could possibly hear.
The current situation is no different. For decades now, the church has willingly taken her eyes off Christ and played the worldly game of politics. The worst part is we have convinced ourselves that it is what Christ would have us do.
Growing up in a country that was not our own, I was taught to not get involved with the local politics. It wasn’t because I was a foreigner, and shouldn’t have an opinion. I already had a far more important message to share, and shouldn’t dilute that message with trivialities. Even worse, wearing my views on such controversial and divisive a topic could alienate people who needed to hear the more important story I had to tell.
I am more and more convinced that this should be the approach of believers everywhere. This is not a call to not participate. By all means vote if you want! Just don’t talk about it. The only thing worse than the past several months of vitriol and fear from my contacts on social media who are supposed to be believers and above such vitriol and fear, is the response from those same believers today. Half are expressing decidedly un-Christian responses to something that was really out of their hands; the others are expressing sudden trust in God that sounds hollow after all the talk leading up to the election.
Perhaps it is that lie we have chosen to believe. The one that tells us we decide our own fate in America. That, if we just work hard enough and believe hard enough and convince enough people to follow our lead, we will determine who is in charge. (Last I checked, we don’t truly vote for President in the U.S. at all, and unless you live in a few key states your vote doesn’t really affect the Electoral College that much anyway.)
Imagine the approach of a giant, devastating, deadly storm. Would the best response from the Church be to run around, screaming in fear, railing against the coming destruction, begging people to do something to try to save ourselves? Or would it be better to trust God, remain calm, and share with everyone you knew the most important thing they could possibly hear.
The current situation is no different. For decades now, the church has willingly taken her eyes off Christ and played the worldly game of politics. The worst part is we have convinced ourselves that it is what Christ would have us do.
Jason, Lance B. was bragging on you and family and I have been following your comments and thoughts for awhile. Great article on the election and the church's tie to political parties. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteThank you, tto!
ReplyDeleteInteresting. I've been thinking for awhile that as Christians we need to be involved in politics, in as much as having a voice that directs towards the Godly path, but as you say, there is a line between being involved or participating and playing the worldly political game. I guess we need to remember that we are first and foremost citizens of a heavenly nation, and that is where our real loyalties lie.
ReplyDeleteHey, Phil. You provoke a little bit of a tangential thought from me here. I was reading somewhere that in Australia voting is compulsory.
ReplyDeleteIn the States it is a right, but people are weird about it. It is the only right that they try to make you feel guilty about not taking advantage of it.
I mean, owning a gun is also a right in the States, but you don't have many people walking around saying, "You need to own a gun, man. Soldiers died so that you could have the right to own a gun. You are not a good citizen if you don't have guns!"
Here in Germany, when people vote about anything they report three things, Yes votes, No votes, and abstentions. I think acknowledged abstentions are a powerful expression of opinion.
People always dog on Christians in history who voluntarily chose to exclude themselves from certain aspects of the political world. Their approach may not have been the best way to do things, but I think the way the church in America currently participates is definitely not the right approach.
I think sharing our worldview and stories on a personal level is a more powerful way to effect change in the world than simply using the political system.