During the Christmas season, I was in conversations where the topic of Jesus and politics came up. At first, it was an uncomfortable place, and my initial reaction was, really? Can’t we enjoy the season without involving politics? However, the idea, the concept of Jesus related to politics, or vice versa, intrigued me enough to consider if there was a deeper and perhaps indeed a contemporary meaning, because ultimately, it seems to me, the deepest issues facing humanity are spiritual in nature and will require spiritual solutions.
So, I offer the following for consideration.
I do believe that there are definite political events surrounding Jesus himself beginning with His birth. However, I don’t believe that Jesus Christ involved Himself with the politics of His day. Even though He had a strong interest in government, and had significant differences with the Saducees and Pharises, He chose not to become involved in any of the political factions of the day, either in the Jewish government or in its overseer, the government of Rome. Regardless of the nation in which one resides, respect for that nation’s leaders is part of the responsibility of a true Christian.
As Christians, we are to be ambassadors of the government that Jesus will set up when He returns to earth (Ephesians 2:1; 2 Corinthians 5:20). Ambassadors are representatives of one government, living in another. Christians are sojourners and pilgrims in the nations of this world (Hebrews 11:13); yet they, like the apostle Paul, may also be citizens of these nations. This means that those of us who call ourselves “believers” should understand the enormous responsibility we have in selecting candidates to represent us and then get them elected. When writing to Titus, Paul commented on respecting government leaders. Paul told Titus, “Remind them to be subject to rulers and authorities, to obey, to be ready for every good work” (Titus 3:1).
Jesus was not a socialist. Jesus was not a Republican or a Democrat. In fact, the politics of Jesus transcend any human political party or idea. What did He speak about when He drew crowds by the hundreds and thousands? Surely the politics of Jesus would have come out then. He certainly had the opportunity to start a political movement if He so desired. He clearly did not.
No political platform or ideology can truly solve mankind’s problems. The deepest issues facing humanity are spiritual in nature and will require spiritual solutions. We must never stop praying for the leaders of our nation, our state, our county and more importantly, each other.
In turn the mission of a Christian is to be ambassadors of Jesus Christ—an advance emissary of His kingdom, His coming government. Christians should submit to the government and laws of the nation in which they live as long as the local laws do not conflict with the laws of God (Acts 5:29).
As our elected county GOP leader, I will make it a personal decision, a key objective, to find and support candidates who meet the criteria in Acts 5, not just for now, but long term.
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