3 Political Questions Every Christian Must Ask
With a presidential election in a matter of weeks, so much proverbial ink has already been spilled on the relationship between Christians, the Church, and politics. In fact, over the last two decades, the atmosphere of the perpetual campaign has kept this issue front and center year-round. While the policy implications and character ramifications loom large, I’m most interested in how political power and drama capture our imagination. My greatest concern is not that Christians sometimes support bad policies and immoral candidates, although that is noteworthy. I’m more concerned that some Christians seemingly love American politics more than the kingdom of God. I fear some look to politicians more than Jesus, and I confess that temptation at times surfaces in my own heart as well.
Personally, this fear takes root in two haunting scriptures. In 1 Samuel 8, the Israelites ask the prophet Samuel for a king, and he feels deep rejection. However, the LORD tells him, “It is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king.” On a heart level, the adoration of human leadership possesses a dangerous ability to rival our affection for God. This plays out over and over again in Israelite history and climaxes in the passion of Jesus. A fickle, obstinate people follows political power to a tragic end. In John 19, as Pilate tries to let Jesus go, the people astonishingly cry, “We have no king but Caesar.”
Clearly, the outcome of this and any election matters. Certainly, the policy and leadership implications matter a great deal. But more than that, the great dilemma for Christians shows up in the heart. For the Christian, our greatest affection, loyalty, and hope must be to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. In my life, three tough questions have helped me discern my heart.
1. Am I an American who happens to be a Christian or a Christian who happens live in America? International travel forced me to ask this question as a teenager, and it’s only come more into focus with age. When I travel abroad and meet international Christians, I experience a deep camaraderie. When I encounter immigrant Christians in the United States, I sense a deep solidarity. When I compare this to my relationships with nominal Christians or secular folks in America, I realize this. I have much more in common with Christians from other nations than a non-believer in America. As this truth settles in, I realize something about my identity. Before anything else, I’m a Christian. It’s primary. My American identity is real but further down the list. Paul reminds us in Philippians 3:20 that “our citizenship is in heaven.” I may be a citizen of the United States, but before that, I’m a citizen of the kingdom of God. That must always come first.
2. Do I ever disagree with and call out my preferred political party? For many, politics has become a team sport. They’re just rooting for red and blue jerseys. All my life, I’ve known biased sports fans who actually believed their team did no wrong, and the referees were always against them. We see this in politics as well. We demonstrate we have a higher authority by expressing differentiation from our preferred political party. We must measure them by godly, biblical standards, and when they fall short, we should say it out loud. If my preferred party or politician does not value human life, I must be willing to call them out. If my preferred party or politician makes a mockery out of truth, I must be willing to call them out. If my preferred party does not treat others as they would like to be treated, I must call them out. No doubt, the list could go on. If we can’t call out what Jesus calls out, we should ask serious questions about who we’re truly worshipping.
3. How does my news/social media feed spiritually shape me? Political news and commentary have reached an omnipresent level. From cable news to social media to talk radio and now podcasts, political talk stays with us all day. Many wake up to politics by flipping on cable news or scrolling the news feed on their phone over breakfast. They listen to news or talk radio on the way to work. They take in a political podcast over their lunch break, and then listen again on their way home from work. The day ends for many by watching a political commentary show or scrolling the news feeds one more time. This level of consistent engagement shapes us. Slowly over time, it teaches us what is important and what is not. It teaches us how to think about certain issues and ultimately how to behave. In short, it does for us what spiritual practices once did.
In Deuteronomy 6, Moses tells the people to share God’s commandments with their children at home and on the road as well as the morning and evening. They literally decorated their homes with God’s commands to create an omnipresent atmosphere. Growing up, I learned from numerous godly adults that the key to thinking and behaving properly centered on channeling the Holy Spirit by filling my day with prayer, bible reading, spiritual practices, and people who shared those practices. By engaging the omnipresent God through these rhythms, my life took a Christ-like shape. In our hyper politicized climate, political news and commentary function as liturgy. They surround us, and we often fail to critically engage with how they form us. We’ve allowed these means to form us as good progressives or good conservatives. But are we being formed into the image of Jesus?
Throughout this season, I’m most struck by the reactions of friends who are not believers. Outside of Christianity, they’re puzzled by the ways that believers of all stripes fail to live up to the example they see in Jesus. Two thousand years later, they play a Pilate-type role. Pointing to Jesus in mild confusion at our behavior, they say, “Here is your king.” Will we answer, “Yes, Jesus is our king” or “We have no king but Caesar”? In my life, I’ve had to face the hard truth that I’m not immune from political idolatry. I’ve had to ask some hard questions, alone and among friends, and do some real soul searching. As Christians, let’s commit to this hard work together. May our hearts be fully devoted to Christ.
