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Church and Politics

The primary command for followers of Jesus is to love. Even when it is difficult and even with people we strongly disagree with. Especially if we have strong convictions that are different from someone else’s. Jesus himself spent time with and befriended the poor and outcast as well as the rich and political.

Because we don’t live in the first century, it can be difficult for us to truly appreciate how provocative it would be to see Jesus not just around, but actually befriending these people. If Jesus were here today and befriended people like Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, Bill Gates, Donald Trump, and Joe Biden, how do you think it would make you feel? There is no doubt in my mind that Jesus’ relationships with certain people would challenge all of us.

The question for us is whether or not we are willing to love people like Jesus did; even people we strongly disagree with politically and/or ideologically.

In Matthew 10:1-4, we see a list of the 12 disciples. In this list, we see Matthew the tax collector and Simon the Zealot in the same group. The Zealots were a group who essentially wanted to oppose Roman rule by any means necessary. These people would have been fierce rivals in the Roman world. Before following Jesus, people like Simon the Zealot would not have a problem killing people like Matthew the tax collector. Yet these two found something greater to unite them: Jesus.

This doesn’t mean that we should not engage in the political processes of our community and our country, but it does mean we cannot place them above our allegiance to Jesus. As followers of Jesus, we must remember:

• Politics are a means, not an end (Jesus is the end)
• When politics are an end, people are the problem
• When people are the problem, they become enemies to defeat instead of a family to love

Politics, policies, and politicians make a big difference in our lives and in our futures. Therefore it is not surprising that we can have really strong convictions on what we want to see happen. But even in those convictions we must remember that how we vote is not as important as how we love.

There are a lot of varying reasons why faithful Christians may vote differently. To tie one’s faithfulness to Jesus with how one votes over how one practically loves those around them is to miss out on what Jesus truly calls us to do.

In Matthew 5:43-48 Jesus shows us what it looks like to really love people. It’s easy to love the people who think and vote like you, but are we willing to love those who don’t? If I were to paraphrase Jesus’ teaching here for our political moment, I would say something like this:

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your political opponents.’ But I tell you, love those who believe differently than you and pray for those who don’t vote like you, so that you may be children of your Father in heaven. For he causes his sun to rise on the Republicans and the Democrats, and sends rain on the Democrats and the Republicans. For if you love those who vote like you, what reward will you have? Don’t even the lobbyists do the same? And if you greet your political allies, what are you doing out of the ordinary? Don’t even the left and right wing-leaning news outlets do the same? Be loving, therefore, as your heavenly Father is loving.”

As followers of Christ we must remember that what unites us is greater than what divides us. Jesus loved his enemies, and if we want to follow Jesus, we will too.

So vote, engage your political process, and have conviction. But do so in a way that is loving and kind, and always remembering that those who vote differently than us are not our enemy, but people to love.

Today’s reflection

What do you think it looks like to hold fast to your convictions yet still practice love and humility towards those you disagree with?

Going Deeper

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