Don’t politicize Jesus?
As we approach the 4th of July, let’s explore 7 undeniable ways Christianity has always been—and will continue to be—intimately connected to politics.
Image by Rathnahar Sriom on Pexels
A while back, we were having dinner with friends in a local restaurant when we heard a woman at the next table complain—very loudly—about her pastor. She didn’t want to hear about politics from the pulpit. She said that he should stick to talking about the gospel. After all, that’s why she goes to church.
This woman made another curious comment. She exclaimed that they “shouldn’t politicize Jesus.”
Don’t politicize Jesus? Well, it’s a little late for that. Look at the announcement that the prophet Isaiah made about the coming Messiah:
“For a child is born to us,
a son is given to us.
The government will rest on his shoulders.
And he will be called:
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
His government and its peace
will never end.
He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David
for all eternity.
The passionate commitment of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies
will make this happen!”
Isaiah 9:6-7 (NLT)
Wow. That’s a lot of polarizing speech about someone we feel shouldn’t be political.
We know that this passage talks about both Jesus’ first and second coming to earth. Jesus indeed rejected the idea that He had come to lead the charge to free Judea from the rule of the Roman Empire. He didn’t deny it would happen, but just not at that time. See Acts 1:6-7.
Politics, according to the Cambridge Dictionary, is “The relationships within a group or organization that allow particular people to have power over others.” It’s human nature for individuals and institutions to jockey for position.
As a result, wherever there are people, there will always be politics.
As we approach the anniversary of our country’s independence from the British Empire, let’s acknowledge the role that politics plays in the spiritual life of our country. Below are ways that religion and politics are intricately intertwined:
7. At its core, the Gospel is about who will rule the kingdoms of the world.
During the infamous temptation of Jesus recorded in Luke 4, the devil offered Jesus authority over the kingdoms of the world. A point that is often lost on us—THESE KINGDOMS WERE SATAN’S TO GIVE AWAY.
The nation of Israel, Jesus’s country of origin, experienced a slew of kings who “did evil in the sight of the Lord.” It’s easy to understand why Isaiah, in the passage above, presented the Messiah as the righteous ruler who will establish His kingdom with righteousness and justice forever.
Satan is the god of this world. His evil desire has always been for more power over individuals, regions, and nations. Throughout history, the institution of government has fallen prey to his demonic influence.
We’ll discuss this concept in more detail below.
6. The Bible has a lot to say about governance, political leaders, and justice.
During the 40 years the people of Israel spent in the desert they weren’t walking in circles—they were establishing a new government!
The Ten Commandments found in Exodus 20 form the basis for our legal system in the United States and many nations throughout the world. God provided the rules of don’t kill, don’t steal, and don’t lie as the way governments can create order, enact justice, and protect their citizens.
These rules were so successful at keeping the peace that the Israelites did not need to erect jails or even institute a police force during the 40 years they spent in the desert.
As a result, our founding fathers used the Old and New Testaments as the blueprint for our Constitutional Republic. You can read more about this here.
5. Jesus’s life and ministry were profoundly impacted by the political conditions of His day.
According to scripture, the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem, a city in central Israel. But there was a problem. Jesus’s parents had settled in Nazareth, a town 90 miles to the south. There was no practical reason for Joseph to relocate his expectant wife to a town where he had no family and no job.
However, a federal mandate required Joseph to move. The leader of the Roman Empire, Caesar Augustus, wanted to conduct a census to collect more taxes from his citizens.
If it were not for the law enacted by a pagan rule, the Messiah would have been born in Nazareth, and not Bethlehem See Luke 2:1-8.
A few years later, Jesus’ family fled to Egypt because of political persecution in Israel. When King Herod learned that the “King of the Jews” had been born as predicted by an ancient text, the vindictive and sadistic king determined Jesus to be a threat to his throne.
Additionally, the extensive road system throughout the Roman Empire helped spread the gospel during Jesus’ day because of the ease of travel. This City-state covered most of modern-day Western Europe—including Spain, France, England, and Germany. It also connected parts of Asia, including Syria and Saudi Arabia, and a section of northern Africa, which included Egypt.
Even though Jesus didn’t have access to modern transportation, imagine being able to travel through Europe, Asia, and Africa without passports or border crossings. This infrastructure even included a sophisticated network of post houses and roadside inns. Read more about this here.
4. God and government stand in opposition to each other.
Governments worldwide strive to overthrow God's rule in the people's lives; the government wants to become their provider, judge, and savior. In the case of authoritarian rulers, only Christianity stands in their way.
On May 9, 2022, Tucker Carlson addressed this phenomenon:
“Christianity has been the single greatest force for human rights in history. In fact, the Western understanding of human rights, our understanding of human rights, all of us, atheists included, is based on Christianity. That's where it comes from. Christianity is the reason we don't have slavery, segregation, and children working in factories. Christians did that.
Totalitarians always hate Christians. The Soviets killed the priests first, so did Mao Zedong in China. During the Spanish Civil War, the Communists subjected a statue of Jesus to a symbolic execution in front of a firing squad. It was one of the first things they did within weeks of the war breaking out. Shooting Jesus. It tells you everything.”
Similarly, when our FBI investigates the Catholic Church to find extremists—as reported by the House Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government—it indicates that, even in our country, Christianity is viewed as a threat. Read more here.
Do you want to know what the top 3 ways that politics have influenced Christianity, and the other way around? Catch next week’s post. If you are not currently subscribed to “What in the World?” please subscribe below to receive more articles like this.
Thanks for reading! Enjoy 4th of July weekend, and remember to always pursue the truth.
Great essay! Happy Independence Day!