In recent years, particularly in the USA, but also in other countries,
Christians have become more and more drawn into politics and
political issues. I believe this is making the Christian faith more
and more hated - not for the gospel's sake, but rather for taking
political stands that Jesus never asks us to take.
Christians are now known for all the things they bitterly "rail"
against. They rail angrily against taxes, against the president,
against immigrants, against the Democrats, against refugees.
They launch into bitter tirades on issues such as health care
and gun control - as though they would gladly blow away anyone
who disagrees. They portray themselves as the biggest supporters
of armies and killing and big business in the entire country. Just
listen to them talk. It is about as far from Jesus as you can
possibly imagine. Once you start playing on this field you need
to remember that politics is the devil's arena. It is dirty, ugly
and divisive - and we are called to keep out.
It used to be that liberal journalists would at least tolerate the
Christian faith - even if begrudgingly. Now they tend to see
Christianity as the "enemy" - because we have taken political
stances against them on multiple worldly issues. Christianity
as a faith is no longer renowned for "healing the broken-hearted
and setting the captives free" - nor for the gospel that we
proclaim. We are now known for the angry political issues and
causes that we agitate about.
Jesus refused to have anything to do with political power. He said,
"My kingdom is not of this world." And the early church was the
same. Can you imagine them starting a "letter-writing" campaign
against Herod or Caesar? Never! They were too busy preaching
the gospel.
But today's believers are inviting widespread hatred of the Christian
faith - not for spiritual reasons but rather political ones. And that
hatred is getting worse and worse every year. We have needlessly
made ourselves the "enemies" of so many that we are called to reach.
These Christians have wrapped the Bible in the flag so tight that
no-one can tell the difference any more. They are actually
preaching "another gospel". It is the gospel of politics and
nationalism - where Christianity embroils itself in the partisan
issues of the day - and angrily snarls at any who dare disagree.
It is the gospel of the "flag mixed with Jesus".
What has all this fighting, railing, crusading and bitterness
actually produced? Tons of bad fruit, tons of hatred for Christianity,
and very little actual change. That is because Christians are not
supposed to change the world through politics. We are supposed
to change men's hearts through the gospel. That is the only thing
that will actually do the job. We have abandoned our calling. We
have become utterly distracted from our mission in the earth.
And we are reaping nothing but hatred from the very people we
are called to reach. The modern "politicized" church of flag-
waving uber-patriots is the very opposite of all Jesus stood for.
We are preaching another gospel - another Christianity altogether.
I believe the American church stands under the judgment of
God for this false gospel. It is just as bad as the 'prosperity'
gospel which also came out of America and infected the whole
world. And I call on all U.S. Christians to STOP IT NOW.
True Christians are supposed to be "sojourners" and pilgrims in
the earth, giving their allegiance to no particular country but the
kingdom of heaven. It is high time we left all this agitating to the
rabble-rousers - and simply do our job. Preaching the gospel to
the poor. Healing the sick. Binding up the broken-hearted.
Proclaiming the acceptable year of the Lord.
No more Fox News. No more right-wing talk radio. All that stuff
exists only to rile people up, make them mad, and drive the
ratings higher. There is nothing "Christian" about it at all.
To every believer I say: REPENT of this "political" gospel -
this "political" Christianity - and never return to it again.