Making a religion of politics?

Next Tuesday we, the people of these United States of America, will elect a President who will, regardless of who it is, will bring horror and delight to the country in equal measure. The awfulness of the recent conversation, the ugliness of the political ads, the stress created between friends and family members will most likely not diminish, only increase!  Politics, it seems to me, has become our new religion.  The expressions of devotion reflect a kind of absolutism once reserved for convictions about the nature of God Himself.

Christian friend, let me urge us all to reflect and realize that politics are no substitute for the Gospel of Christ and the power of the Spirit for the salvation of the world. 8 years ago Russell Moore (Editor of Christianity Today) wrote what is even more true today - “the most important lesson we should learn is that the church must stand against the way politics has become a religion, and religion has become politics.” 

Christians are first and foremost, of Christ and in Christ. It is to our shame that we let our convictions about the state of the economy, immigration, environmentalism, or gender rights bring division and hatred among those who are called to be brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus. In this electoral cycle I have heard and read this sentiment more than a few times -  “He could not possibly be a Christian. Look at who he supports.”  I’ll be blunt in my response- knock it off!  Our relationship to God, our Heavenly Father, is not determined by an R or D on our ballot! 

If we believe that legislation can redeem sinful humanity and transform sinners into saints we been seduced by an empty hope!  We have created an idol, a false god.  That is not say that Christians should be disinterested in politics or neglect their citizen responsibility to vote.  We ought to care about public policy and how it forms our culture and effects our lives. Christians, just like everyone else, have ideals that they would like to see written into law.  (And, Christians will think differently about many things.)

We who love Jesus have a high and holy calling to be messengers of the Kingdom Come, to be those who share the joyful truth that God has reconciled us to Himself in Christ Jesus.  Our mission is not to write better laws.  The world will be changed, not by our political power but by our humble service which demonstrates the Gospel.  Moore wrote that our privilege is to “maintain a prophetic clarity that is willing to call to repentance everything that is unjust and anti-Christ, whether that is the abortion culture, the divorce culture, or the racism/nativism culture. We can be the people who tell the truth, whether it helps or hurts our so-called ‘allies’ or our so-called ‘enemies.’”  A prophet speaks on God’s behalf with holy authority born of an intimate relationship with God.

I will pointedly ask – when you make those ripping statements on Facebook, when you hurl hateful comments at the ‘other’ side or when you seethe with rage about some imagined insult for ‘your’ party– is that the result of time before the Throne of Heaven and a profound experience of the Holy, or is it an expression of the preferences of Self?

Want to lose the election angst? Trust God profoundly to do what He promises – to guide, to keep, to direct. Then, pray fervently for His wisdom to be made known to your mind and heart.

When we make our politics our priority, we sin like Esau of old, exhanging true treasure of our salvation for trinkets of little lasting value. Right or Left in our convictions, we cannot afford to become so closely aligned with one party’s agenda that we lose our ability to represent the One who is the Hope of the World.  I am a Christian first, an American second, and my political affiliation comes in a distant third. How about you?  Are you my brother or my sister in His family?

The word from the Word is a reminder of our true identity. I am His, He is mine. 
In Christ, “You are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light.  “Once you had no identity as a people; now you are God’s people. Once you received no mercy; now you have received God’s mercy.”

Dear friends, I warn you as “temporary residents and foreigners” to keep away from worldly desires that wage war against your very souls.”  (1 Peter 2:9-11)

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(Video of this blog at this link)

 

Father God,  preserve us in this time of change.
Call us into Your holy Presence.
As we kneel humbly and gain the assurance of
The salvation and Your love shown us in Christ Jesus,

Help us to rise to love others to wholeness.
Forgive us for making our politics into a religion,
For giving devotion and fervor rightly reserved for You
To lesser things.

Make Your Church beautiful, a place of clear vision of what is true and best.
Transform us into people of hope, full of amazing, courageous, and bold love.
Jesus shine brightly in us and through us. Amen