Jesus changes us and we change the world through our kingdom behavior, not our political affiliation. God doesn’t need our help.

Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.”Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only’” Matthew 4:8-10 | NIV. 

In September 2021, Christianity Today ran an article entitled, “‘Political Evangelicals’? More Trump Supporters Adopt the Label,” by Kate Shellnutt.  She quoted historian Thomas Kidd, who opined, “the possibility that Americans began calling themselves evangelical simply because they backed president Trump ‘should be of concern to all pastors and committed churchgoers.’” I know it certainly worries me.

Evangelicalism is apparently assuming an entirely different identity and the ripple effect is shaking the Body of Christ. People are proudly proclaiming themselves “political evangelicals,” an apparently self-identification with a political gospel. Instead of proclaiming the Good News of freedom from the penalty of sin and striving for the advancement of God’s kingdom on earth, political evangelicals are supporting a politician and working to accomplish a purely political agenda.

They decry violence directed against the unborn, yet support policies that marginalize the living. They dream of a world in which America was “Christian” and life was good and fight against anything that might tarnish that ideal. Sadly, when you drill down far enough, bigotry, misogyny and self-interest become obvious. Politics, rather than profession of faith has become the door to the community of faith called “political evangelical.” Entire churches have embraced secular kingdom values over those of Scripture.

Political evangelicals have ignored or distorted Christ’s teaching while claiming the moral high ground. There is no evidence of God’s love and grace in their words or actions. Some of the big mouthpieces of American evangelicalism sold their birthright and evangelical credibility for a bowl of maggot-infested stew when they hitched their wagon to Donald Trump. When they did, Jesus was no longer the primary focus of their ministries. It seems that they might have forgotten the kingdom to which they profess allegiance. They knew who and what Trump was prior to the 2020 election, yet they chose to muddy the reputation of Christ to curry the favor of Caesar. For now, Caesar has been sidelined, but his deadly legacy remains.

Beginning with his initial mishandling of the virus, including minimizing the threat and suggesting preposterous remedies, the last president poisoned the well of responsible public health. His words created a political impediment that has contributed to the deaths of nearly 800,000 of our family members, friends and neighbors. He suggested the virus was a hoax, but was first in line for monoclonal antibody treatment of his “hoax” and to receive the vaccine. The monster he created turned on him recently when he was booed for encouraging his audience to get vaccinated. Public health issues should never become political talking points. Talk is cheap. Lives are precious. 

COVID became political when President Trump and his unqualified advisors realized how badly they had mishandled the only real challenge his administration faced. He waited too long to act. So, he returned to what works for him. He gaslighted America by pretending COVID didn’t exist. He wished it away while calling himself a wartime president. His wartime presidency has resulted in more American deaths than died in both World Wars, Korea and Vietnam, combined. Even worse, smart people are refusing the vaccine because of misinformation, unfounded conspiracy theories, and bad theology.

I read recently that many pastors admit they are afraid of taking a stand against moral compromise for political gains for fear they will lose their job. (So much for suffering for the truth of the gospel.) Other pastors, those who refuse to compromise their faith, are leaving or considering leaving the ministry because of what they perceive to be a toxic, political environment in what is intended to be a place of peace and worship.

Speaking  of fear, the primary motivator of political evangelicalism is fear. In the period after World II, it was fear of godless communism. Now it is fear of an overreaching government. Instead of being a sobering reminder of the horrific cost of the last civil war (620,000 dead), the January 6, 2021 insurrection is now spurring calls for another splintering of our nation. This week Newsweek reported, GOP Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene suggested using “Second Amendment rights” on those trying to implement what she referred to as “tyrannical government.” 

It was not the first time she insinuated use of arms may be a legitimate means to accomplish desired outcomes. The Newsweek article went on to quote her as saying, that she hopes to “never see a civil war in this country.” And yet, that is exactly what she implied. Her speech sounded more like John C. Calhoun then it did Abraham Lincoln. Just two days ago she renewed her call for what she termed a “national divorce” between Republican and Democrat-run states.

Recently I heard of an insurrectionist who boasted about how much ammunition has been hoarded by anti-government groups. When I heard that, I immediately thought to myself, they might have bullets, but the US military has tanks and planes. But a federal military response to an internal threat may be less certain than we might expect. Since the end of the draft we have created what can only be called a “military class” consisting of almost three generations of military families, many from areas currently leaning toward Green’s “national divorce.” If a national conflict should arise, one can’t help but wonder which side our military would choose.

The words of Joshua are as pertinent today as when he spoke them. “And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the LORD, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD” Joshua 24:15 | ESV. Genuine Jesus-followers are faced with the same choice today. Which will you choose? Jesus said, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away” Matthew 24:35 | NIV. His words focused on reconciliation with his father, love, peace, mercy and social justice. Genuine Jesus followers are striving to be like him through loving and serving others while exhibiting the fruit of the Spirit. When the smoke clears, only God’s kingdom will remain. Time spent on political pursuits will prove meaningless.

This is not the time for fear. It is the time for self-examination and repentance. It is time we turned away from the god of politics. Jesus proclaimed his kingdom was not of this world and that his followers could not serve two masters. We can certainly call ourselves political evangelicals, but if we do, we might just as well call ourselves antichrist. There is little, if anything, of Jesus in political evangelicalism. He expects his disciples to display his character of loving humility and self-sacrifice.

We are charged with three things, none of which is political. We have been directed to: love God; love others and share a gospel of freedom found in Christ, alone. Time spent attempting to change public policy is wasted. In the new heaven and new earth all that will matter is who is in and who is out. Our focus should be on loving others into the kingdom of God, not running over them using the name of Jesus. We should be spreading the gospel, not silly conspiracy theories. Everything we do should be a reflection of God’s love in us demonstrated through our words and actions.