We’re less than 24 hours from the presidential Election Day, and I’m very excited about watching the results unfold tomorrow night. I already had plans to get a new television, but made sure it arrived in time to have big-screen viewing on election evening – for me, this quadrennial occurrence is as much spectator sport as any major, world-class championship game. But with all of the excitement, I can’t help but feel a deep burden for seeing Christians do a much better job proclaiming something that matters far more than whether a preferred candidate reaches 270 electoral votes: The Gospel.
It’s tended to get buried because of politics, especially in our current polarized political climate. Republican Christians pit themselves on one side; Democrat Christians, on the other (not to mention other offshoots of these parties that I will refrain from naming to avoid potentially misclassifying them). Then there are so-called Independents, who still tend to lean one way or the other. Christians on both – or all – sides often marvel how the other side could possibly profess Christ yet support “x” policy or have “y” view (although I think it’s fair to say that, at least on some level, these claims are made to varying degrees depending on political position).
I have spent significant time in Christian circles that are either overwhelmingly Republican or predominantly Democrat, and have been an outsider in both. That’s not to say that I don’t lean a certain way (I do) – or that I haven’t at times vocalized my political opinions – but, growing up as a first-generation American, with parents who grew up in another country, my family did not have a tradition of belonging to a particular party as many Americans do. On some level, my sensitivity to the tendency for Christians to become overly partisan at the expense of The Gospel is a result of my own experiences interacting with politics and faith.
I became most disturbed by the often vitriolic comments that came out of professing Christians’ mouths vilifying “the other side” (whichever that is) during the 2008 presidential election campaign cycle. For example, I remember Facebook becoming a breeding ground for public, incendiary exchanges between many of my Christian-school classmates who had known each other since elementary school, but were now on opposite sides of the political spectrum. I even found myself posting a couple comments about the party of a candidate whom I was not supporting that drew fire and, in retrospect, I would not have made.
But, on a positive note, that election I remember one Christian settling a difference of political opinion with another Christian on Facebook by noting that Christians of varying political positions are connected by the fact that our true citizenship actually is not in this world, but in heaven. That’s the beginning of where I want to land: encouraging fellow believers not only to remember during election season that our citizenship is in heaven, but also that it’s our job to take as many people with us.
Message Mix-Up
Often, we don’t realize how our partisanship can affect our witness and responsibility as Christians to share the good news. The Gospel is defined as Jesus dying and rising again on the third day - providing eternal life to all who believe - according to the scriptures. Our good works are a way for us to live out God’s purpose for our lives and show the fruit of the Holy Spirit in us. But, as noted in 2 Corinthians 5, sharing The Gospel is the job – or the “ministry of reconciliation” that all Christians are given on this earth. That’s above everything else we do – our occupation, hobbies, and yes – our political parties or positions. Second Corinthians 5: 20 says this about our God-given ministry of reconciliation: “Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God” (ESV). That’s the message to which we’re supposed to be dedicated at all times.
When we become so tied to a political position, we can not only vilify other Christians and show the world division in The Body where we are called to unity, but also start to create another Gospel: that if people don’t share our political positions, they cannot enter the kingdom of God. Yes, there are issues that God calls us to take a stand on, but in the political arena, there is often more than one way to take a stand for a particular issue. Further, God may give us a heart for one issue, while another Christian may be more focused on another, which can cause us to vote differently even if we may actually share many of the same views. Additionally, there are other areas where we can legitimately, based on Scripture, hold more than one view. When we give our political positions the same inerrancy as the Word of God, we become idolaters - and are just plain wrong.
Also, when we become too partisan, we can begin to see a candidate as a kin of savior for our nation or even the world, when it is only God who saves. When we became too wrapped up in a candidate, we can feel a sense of hopeless when he or she loses. We forget that God is sovereign, over everything, and establishes leaders – presidents included. It also then becomes hard for us to do for our leaders what Scripture calls us to do regardless of outcome – pray for them specifically.
Further, when partisanship overtakes us, it tends to show by the hateful words that we spew at others who disagree with us. The bitter partisan climate that we are in calls for us to vilify the other side, while The Gospel requires that our conversation be full of grace, seasoned with salt. When we’re too partisan, what comes out of our mouths ends up being no different from those who do not know Christ – and can be even worse when we claim to be overcome by hateful partisanship in Jesus’ name.
Moreover, being carried away with politics also gives Christians a bad reputation and limits our effectiveness when we do take unpopular stands for the right reasons. Jesus warned His disciples that the world will hate them, just as they hated Him. As Christians, we must take a stand for righteousness, even when it's not in vogue. Often, the world can’t understand why we take certain positions that are the result of having a biblical, countercultural worldview. But because the world will hate us at times does not give us a license to present our positions hatefully, with an “us versus them” mentality. Yet many Christians espouse this attitude – with non-Christians and other Christians, and, in turn, dishonor God and fail to be witnesses for Him.
Voting for Jesus
What does proper conduct for Christians look like this presidential election week, and beyond? The Bible has an answer for that too. The New Testament provides guidance on how we are to share our faith and interact with believers and nonbelievers, including how to navigate politics. In the New Testament, the early church audience was at times under oppressive governments and communities that often maligned them for their faith. They were probably tempted to dishonor those around them, but apostles such as Paul and Peter, moved by the Holy Spirit in their writings, encouraged them to conduct themselves blamelessly. In providing more evidence of Scripture’s continual relevance to the present day, Peter gave this instruction in 1 Peter 2: 12, 17:
"12 Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.
17 Show proper respect to everyone: Love the brotherhood of believers, fear God, honor the king."
Further, 1 Peter 3:15 says, “But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.”
It really does not matter what the world does, we are to take a stand for Jesus, and be "nonpartisan" - and kingdom driven - in out pursuit of sharing The Gospel with others.
Further, as the Facebook friend I mentioned earlier said in reaching out to a fellow believer on the other side of the political aisle, we should all remember that our citizenship is in heaven. The apostle Paul said those very words, and more, in Philippians 3:20-21:
“ But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.”
Because ultimate victory is heaven, we have a hope no matter what an election outcome, and we are to share this undying hope with the world. A human, political candidate can let us down, but God never fails us.
Kingdom Perspective
In (not-so-short) short, we must always choose The Gospel over worldly political institutions, parties and opinions. And whenever we get carried away and allow our partisanship to prevent us from living out our faith – loving the world and other believers and sharing The Gospel, we pick The Gospel. In the short term, this may mean that, over the next couple weeks, we may need to take a step back from some conversations, news or social media outlets or e-mail messages and reassess our loyalty, and speak lovingly to others, believers and nonblievers, in the face of hate. Far more important than proclaiming our political positions is promoting eternity with Jesus.
I think often when perspectives like the one in this entry are shared, Christians can get defensive and point the finger at believers belonging to other political parties as the culprit and not do any personal reflection. I pray that as you read this, you’ll consider not just how Christians you disagree with may have put partisanship over The Gospel, but how you and others with whom you agree may have as well. We all have the potential to go astray in this area – myself included, and I think it’s important to constantly be checking ourselves and not just criticizing others. This may be something you’ve already done at least once this election season, but it doesn’t hurt to do it again!
Let’s remember to keep a kingdom perspective as we go to the polls tomorrow (and even if we’ve voted early!), spectate on election night, and after the results are announced. As Christians, we may lean left or right, but, for the Love of Jesus, let’s unite by voting daily for the ultimate Commander in Chief – the King of all Kings, who belongs to no political party – and, in fact, rules over ever manmade establishment. To him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
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