When Politics Becomes Bigger Than Jesus
By Pastor Steve Goode | Northside Baptist Church
I've been around long enough to watch political seasons come and go.
I've seen people become excited about candidates. I've watched people become discouraged by election results. I've seen friendships strained and families divided because people could no longer disagree without becoming angry.
And as a pastor, there's something about all of this that troubles me.
Sometimes Christians begin talking about politics with more passion than they talk about Jesus.
Now, I believe the issues facing our nation deserve thoughtful attention.
But I've also become convinced that we need to regularly examine where we're placing our hope.
Because there's a serious spiritual danger when something temporary begins to occupy the place in our hearts that belongs to the eternal.
Our Savior Doesn't Run for Office
Philippians 3:20 reminds us that our citizenship is in heaven.
That ought to change the way we look at everything happening around us.
The president is not our Savior.
Congress is not our Savior.
The governor is not our Savior.
And no political party can accomplish what only Jesus Christ can do.
Politicians can influence laws and public policy. Government can protect rights, administer justice, and provide necessary services.
Those responsibilities matter.
But government cannot forgive sins.
Government cannot regenerate a heart.
Government cannot reconcile a sinner to a holy God.
Only Jesus can do that.
And when we begin treating political victories as though they are the ultimate hope for our nation, we've misunderstood the nature of our greatest need.
Winning an Argument While Losing Our Witness
Jesus said His followers are the salt of the earth and the light of the world.
In Matthew 5:13–16, He describes the influence His disciples should have through lives that reflect the goodness of God.
I wonder sometimes what people see when they look at Christians during election season.
Do they see kindness?
Do they see truthfulness?
Do they see people who care about justice and human dignity?
Or do they see anger, sarcasm, insults, and an unwillingness to listen?
Let me ask an uncomfortable question.
What good is winning an argument if, in the process, we damage our opportunity to share Jesus with the person we're arguing against?
That doesn't mean we should avoid difficult conversations or abandon biblical convictions.
It means our convictions ought to be expressed with biblical character.
You cannot justify dishonesty simply because it benefits a political position you support.
You cannot excuse cruelty simply because you believe your cause is important.
And you cannot treat someone made in God's image as worthless merely because they disagree with you.
Christians Can Disagree Without Becoming Enemies
One of the beautiful things about the Church is that Jesus brings together people from different backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives.
We don't all have the same education.
We don't all have the same personal history.
And we don't always reach identical conclusions about how particular policies should address complicated social problems.
But we share something infinitely more important.
We belong to Jesus Christ.
Our fellowship is grounded in His death, burial, and resurrection.
We ought to be able to discuss difficult matters without allowing those disagreements to destroy Christian love.
In fact, humility should be one of the identifying marks of believers.
Micah 6:8 calls us to act justly, love kindness, and walk humbly with God.
That includes the way we participate in public conversations.
Don't Confuse Your Nation With God's Kingdom
I love my country, and I'm thankful for many of the freedoms we enjoy.
But America is not heaven.
Its leaders are imperfect.
Its institutions are imperfect.
And its future will never be secured merely by human wisdom.
Our ultimate hope rests in the Kingdom of God.
That truth doesn't make us indifferent toward our nation.
It gives us a healthier perspective.
We can work for justice without pretending we can create heaven on earth.
We can support worthy causes without treating their advocates as sinless.
We can acknowledge what is wrong without giving ourselves over to despair.
And we can remain hopeful because our Savior has already accomplished what no earthly leader ever could.
Remember Who We Represent
The next time you find yourself in a heated conversation about politics, ask yourself one question:
"Am I representing my political opinion more passionately than I'm representing my Savior?"
That's a question worth asking.
Because long after an election is over, our neighbors will remember how we treated them.
And I pray they will remember something more than the position we took.
I pray they will remember that they encountered someone who genuinely loved Jesus Christ.
Pastor Steve Goode
Northside Baptist Church — Greensboro, North Carolina
northsidegreensboro.com