Exiles: The Church in the Shadow of EmpireMuestra

Living as Exiles

There’s a saying that goes, “The gospel is political but not partisan.” In other words, Scripture should determine how we view political questions today. But Scripture also warns against letting our hearts become co-opted by the kingdoms of this earth.

I’ve come to believe that, for Christians in America, allegiance to either the Republican right or the Democrat left is toxic. It divides the church, destroys our witness, and brings profound joy to the Devil, who’s always looking for creative ways to derail the kingdom of God.

The dual-allegiance “God and country” view is also dangerous. Not only does it cut against the grain of Scripture, in its more extreme forms it is idolatry. I’m not talking about submitting to governing authorities or being good citizens. The Bible clearly teaches that. I’m talking about allegiance. I’m talking about being more passionate about political values than Christian ones, or not knowing the difference. And while the slogan “God and country” might evoke images of right-wing Christianity, the problem of dual allegiance exists on both sides of the political aisle. The Jews living under Babylonian or Persian rule, or Christians living under Roman rule, would find our undiluted patriotism quite odd.

What if we adopted a different kind of political identity and considered ourselves “exiles in Babylon”? Like the Hebrew exiles before them (Jeremiah 29:7), the Ephesian Christians were called to seek the good of their city. But they weren’t called to prop Jesus up next to Artemis (or Caesar) to form a dual allegiance. Shalom would be manifest in Ephesus when the church carried out the divine mission to be a light to the nations, to practice the upside-down values of Christ and become a faithful presence in the city. Yes, this might affect your job, your bank account, and your reputation. High-status people might look down on you for hanging out with immigrants and women and slaves. The gospel might interrupt your vision of making Ephesus great again. But the call of Christians was to embody an alternative way of life under the lordship of King Jesus. The same call exists for us today.

In light of the gospel, what does it look like to embody an “alternative way of life” in our relationships, our churches, and our perspective on politics?