A House United
“Our country has never been more divided.”
We have heard this a lot recently and as true as it is today, violent polarization like we have endured for several years now is a reoccurring reality that dates back to the birth of our nation. The issues change – taxation, slavery, communism, war, civil rights – but almost every generation of our country has seen some degree of socio-political division. But what place does this division have in our churches? As Christians, we must always look to the Word of God and be filled by the Spirit of God - who gives us love, power and self-control (2 Timothy 1:7) - as we express the unchanging ethic of God’s Kingdom.
There is a lot on the line, culturally speaking, this election year and there are important issues that will practically impact our lives and the lives of our neighbors. Our vote and political engagement matter as much as they always have, but the in-fighting, demonization and division in our country has no place in our churches. Here are 5 reasons why…
1. We are First and Foremost Citizens of God’s Kingdom. As it turns out, our faith is undeniably political in nature. As children of God, we belong to His heavenly Kingdom, “a better country” that He has prepared for us (Hebrews 11:10-16). This means that however grateful we are for where we live, our allegiance is not primarily or ultimately to the United States. Despite how much we align and agree with one side of the political aisle or the other, its policies, practices, and principles will eventually diverge from those of God’s Kingdom (John 18:36). This does not mean we cannot take pride in certain cause-based affiliations. And It does no't mean that we do not participate in the policymaking of our temporary home where they align with God’s Word. On the contrary, a strong case could be made that if we have the opportunity for our voice to guide legislation toward what we believe to be for the good of our neighbor and human flourishing, then we have a stewardship we ought to take seriously (Jeremiah 29:7). While there are moral issues on the ballot that transcend politics, such as the sanctity of human life from conception and the image of God in man as seen in male and female genders, this dual-citizenship approach prevents us from being overly militant – for or against – regarding any one political party or candidate. Refusing to put our hope or our joy in our country’s political results also discourages the brash association with polarizing outlets and voices that are inflammatory to our Christian neighbor who is just trying to apply our common faith differently than we might (Colossians 4:5). While our heads are in the clouds, with our eyes on heaven, our feet must also be on the ground. We are to faithfully engage in the democratic process, vote our conscience with conviction – all with an emphasis on building and advancing God’s Kingdom. We should pursue justice and social good where we live (Isaiah 1:17) as long as we are seeking first His Kingdom (Matthew 6:33) with a desire to see His will be done in and through every aspect of our lives. (Matthew 6:10).
Hebrews 11:14-16 – “…they are seeking a homeland… they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city.”
2. We are Products of Grace. We have been shown - and continue to receive - such radical grace by God. So, it is only natural that we show grace to others (Matthew 18:33, Luke 7:47). As a result, we do not insist on total agreement as a condition for loving and showing kindness and respect to our neighbor. We once lived how we thought was best before God so patiently loved and saved us. The fact that Christ died for me, “while I was still a sinner” (Romans 5:8), gives me perspective and compels me to show this grace to someone who sins against me or disagrees with me on important issues. This is especially challenging when we are unsettled by the moral implications of their position. But grace allows us to admit that it’s possible to understand and apply certain complex social policies and that there is an angle on some subjects I have not yet thoroughly considered (Ephesians 4:2). This does not mean we ignore the “speck of wood” (Luke 6:42), in our sister’s eye where there is in fact moral compromise on a particular issue, it just means that we engage humbly (Galatians 6:1). And when it comes to the decisions and convictions of another we ought to give the benefit of the doubt, be slow to make accusations, and even slower to come to conclusions regarding the attitude of their heart (1 Corinthians 13:7), as we are painfully aware of our own shortcomings despite our sincerest intentions. Instead of anger and judgement, may we demonstrate a godly sympathy and patience for someone we believe is misguided.
Ephesians 4:2-3 – “…with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”
3. We Know Our King is in Control. There is a reason the most repeated command in Scripture is, “Fear not!” (Isaiah 41:10). As fragile and finite beings we often need this reminder, and we need it now more than ever. Much of the political outrage and anger that I’ve witnessed seems to come from a place of fear – fear of downstream or long-term policy effects on our neighbors, fear of how certain ideologies will impact our own lives, or fear of how the name of Christ and the Christian faith will be further misrepresented and defamed (Psalm 46:6-7). Each of these factors warrant concern, but our fear of the unknown combined with a sobering lack of control over future things just results in anger and demonizing the opposing side. Lashing out is the only way to cope – that is until we remember…He’s got the whole world in His hands (See Isaiah 40:12). Our King will not be surprised by the outcome of this presidential election and His plan will not be hindered in the slightest. But our confidence in God’s control goes even further. We even believe He providentially appoints all rulers and those in authority (Romans 13:1), so to worship our Heavenly King is to honor and be respectful of those in positions of earthly authority. If Peter can say “honor the emperor” when the emperor was none other than Nero, the great persecutor of the early church, then it’s safe to say we have no excuse but to speak honorably about whomever holds the position of president (1 Peter 2:17). Even when we cannot respect the individual or find anything admirable about them personally, we can speak carefully and constructively about them and pray for their best, knowing they only have power permitted to them by God. The belief that our sovereign King will accomplish His purposes and make a way to strengthen and purify His Church goes a long way in discouraging polarizing and divisive speech. After all, He has overcome the world, and we are overcomers in Him (John 16:33, Revelation 12:11).
Psalm 46:6-7 – The nations rage, the kingdoms totter; he utters his voice, the earth melts. The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah
4. We Keep the Main Thing the Main Thing. This does not mean that secondary things are unimportant, just that they are not, after all, the main thing. The need to keep an emphasis on the Gospel has been relevant since the birth of the Church and is responsible for preserving the faith through the generations (1 Corinthians 15:1-5). The religious, social, and political tension American Christianity feels today is significant, but it is a fraction of what the New Testament Church navigated. The only hope they had of surviving issues like false-teaching, persecution, debates about worship, and gentile conversion was their focus on the Gospel. The other factors were not insignificant; they required wisdom and guidance. On one occasion, a who’s-who of Apostolic leadership was needed to decide the right course of action within the Jerusalem church (Acts 15:19-20). They briefly affirmed the Gospel truth of salvation by grace and wisely applied practical advice – all while resisting the urge to water-down differences of cultural tradition or religious conviction. Their diversity highlighted their unity they shared by faith in Christ. And while there are many forms of diversity, perhaps the most underrated expression of diversity in the church today is a diversity of thought – certainly not because the faith needs to be made more inclusive, but because our socio-political allegiances have become so narrow, so partisan (John 14:6). Unity in Christ is not necessarily uniformity in the pew, and there is not always one right way to apply our common faith to the complicated socio-political spheres we live in. As long as we have a shared emphasis on the Good News of Jesus and a mutual submission to the authority of God’s Word, then we have plenty of reason to enjoy unity despite disagreement on important topics. We might even learn something about our own convictions if we sat down to talk to someone with whom we disagree politically but have far weightier, eternal, things in common, namely that we are joint heirs together with Christ Jesus and partners on Gospel mission (Philippians 2:1-2).
1 Corinthians 15:1-5 – “…I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures...”
5. We Anticipate Spiritual Attack. The more oblivious to the Devil’s divisive schemes, the more susceptible we are to them. And to the degree we deny or downplay his power to destroy churches and relationships, the more susceptible we are to him (2 Corinthians 2:11). We hear often how “the left” and “the right” are “opponents.” That may be the case in the sense that they are running a campaign and that there will be a winner and a loser. But the danger here is to consider the other party or the other candidate themselves our enemy. That role is already taken, the Devil is repeatedly referred to in Scripture as our enemy, our adversary, our opponent. He is deceitful. He is cunning. He is powerful. And he has us right where he wants us if we don’t realize that his goal is to distract and divide the church of Jesus Christ (1 Peter 5:8). But we know better; we know that we don’t wrestle against flesh and blood, but against demonic rulers in the spiritual realm (Ephesians 6:12). My brother in Christ and I have a common enemy and so if we waste time fighting against one another, we miss an opportunity to partner together on the Great Commission for the sake of the Kingdom of God. Nothing unites like a common enemy because it puts our differences in perspective to the point where we realize there is far more at stake this election year than picking the right candidate or, what it seems we are supposed to be more concerned about, preventing the selection of the wrong one. The ends do not justify the means – how we engage politically is, for us, just as important as the political results we care about so much. We are caught in the middle of what feels like political warfare at times, and we can be sure that a spiritual war is raging behind the scenes. It will take fighting together to maintain the marks of love (1 Corinthians 13:4-8) and the fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) toward those within and toward those outside of the church.
2 Corinthians 2:11 – “…So that we would not be outwitted by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his designs.”
In his letter to the Christians in Rome, Paul is writing about loving and serving one another, and tucked right in the middle of Chapter 12 is this timely reminder… “If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all” (verse 8). The kindness and hospitality described in this section of Romans should theoretically leave absolutely no room for division, but alas Paul is realistic; he knows that at the end of the day, the individual reader can only control their own attitude, speech, and actions. And the same is true for us in our churches today; we must commit to doing what we can to live peaceably with all, especially those who belong to Christ as we do. And so, we ask for God’s help, who wants unity in His church more than we ever could, and we remember the prayer of Jesus in John 17 that we would be “one” and He and the Father are “one.” This is a tall order and requires spiritual power and spiritual protection only God can offer us! So, let’s pray for a greater sense of unity that is worth fighting for (Ephesians 4:1-6). And now more than ever, may our love for one another – contrasted by so much anger and hate around us – prove to world that we are His disciples (John 13:35).