Balancing Personal Faith and Politics

Recently, as a new fellowship writer for Faithful Democrats, I have been contemplating the role politics plays in religion and my obligation to be both an ambassador for Jesus Christ and a stalwart supporter of the Democratic Party – even when there are platforms the Party may embrace that I find questionable.

Recently, as a new fellowship writer for Faithful Democrats, I have been contemplating the role politics plays in religion and my obligation to be both an ambassador for Jesus Christ and a stalwart supporter of the Democratic Party – even when there are platforms the Party may embrace that I find questionable. To name a few issues, the Democratic party embraces a women’s right to choose abortion but the church (I use the term "church" as the body of Christ of which all believers are and as the general consensus of the Catholic church, Evangelicals, and most Christians – not all) strongly defends the life of the defenseless fetus.  The Party has liberally embraced the homosexual lifestyle as individualism and is moving in the direction of gay marriage – while the Bible declares that lifestyle to be wrong. And, I, as Democratic Christian, have also felt ostracized in that the Democratic Party, as a whole, seems to have an allergic reaction if anything smells of religious content. The Party normally avoids Christians like the plague. It is almost an oxy-moron to claim that you are a Christian and a Democrat. Yet, I believe Christians who see the role of government to protect the rights of citizens, provide for the less fortunate, and see the government as a vehicle to solve some of society’s ills gravitate to the Democratic Party and find those set of beliefs compatible with their version or denomination of Christianity. In that same context, society’ ills can be attributed to the fallible nature of the human condition, which most Democrats seem to embrace rather than reject.

I believe that embracing the human condition is essential to understanding the role that government should take, the role of the citizen, and the role of the Christian citizen. I believe embracing the human condition is also the major reason there is a massive divide on the role of church and state, party affiliation, and even the beliefs and foundations of the church.

Most Christians can easily agree that human beings are, by nature, imperfect. The Bible and society teaches us it is wrong to lie, cheat, steal, covet, lust, etc… Yet, all of humanity, by nature, do all of these things we know to be wrong. You can draw the conclusion that since human nature is flawed; we cannot be close to God because God is flawless and cannot abide sin or failure. In fact, we as Christians believe that because human beings are so imperfect, God sent his only begotten, perfect son – in the person of Jesus Christ – to die a horrible death, sacrifice his perfect blood, and then rise from the dead in a perfected body so that we (humans) can live and be close to God. This is also a testament to the endless love of God for sinners. When God looks at humans he does not see the imperfect; He sees the perfection of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. The Bible says that there is "none righteous, no not one" while at the same time humans are called to "be ye holy for I am holy." This is simply not logical unless you contend that holiness has been supplied to you through someone else: Jesus Christ. Christ said that "I am the way the truth and the life and no man cometh unto the Father but by me." Hence the reason Jesus is known as the Messiah. Those who accept the Messiah are "born again" as described by Christ’s visit to Nicodemus. The Holy Spirit or the nature of God enters into the believer and "old things (old natures) pass away" and a new, Godly nature become dominate in life. This new Godly human exhibits the "fruits of the Spirit" with "love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, and faith." We are now perfected humans in God.

Now for the hard part.

There are those who believe in Jesus and reject their human nature as if it is a disease.  The Apostle of Paul said that he had to (metaphorically) "crucify" himself daily because his human nature was incompatible with God. These believers reject themselves, strive for holy perfection, and come to view sin and human nature with disdain. Thus they tend to view humanity with disdain as well.  These Christians tend to be radical in their beliefs, extremely conservative in their lifestyle, and view all the world and culture as going to hell. (Muslims have the same problem in their community as well.)  Then there are those who choose to embrace humanity, view sin as a bi-product of the human condition, and accept sin and imperfection as a part of life. I call them the "God loves us just the way we are Christians." I would like to point out that Jesus was of this persuasion.  It was He who rejected the religious community and dined with tax collectors and sinners. It was He who said that ‘he that is without sin cast the first stone" when defending the harlot.

Now, I have said of this to make a point. The love of God is boundless and extends to all people, of all political persuasions, and to all horrible sinners – no matter what. And God has given us the independent thought to choose to be the kind of Christian that we believe we are meant to be. When God created humans from the dust of the universe he not only breathed into man a living soul but created man in his likeness.  Part of that likeness is the very human nature of independence.  This is a direct attribute of God given to humans because who can be more independent than God. God has endowed humans with independence to sin or not to sin, to think or not to think, to develop governments, policies, personalities, and lives.

Simply stated: I am an ambassador for God and my political persuasion is based on my life’s decisions and independent choices.

 I am a Democrat and a Christian. I profess and try to live a life that I believe to be right and pleasing before God. I am not perfect… I sin all the time. But, I understand that God still loves me no matter what and I say that I am sorry for my short comings all the time. I am a Democrat because I have a certain view of government… how it works, what it is meant to be in the lives of its citizens, and the policies enacted. Sometimes my Christian values go hand in hand like when Jesus gave the Sermon on the Mount and said "blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven" or "turn the other cheek" or ‘judge not lest ye be not judged" or God’s charge to Adam to take care of the earth. Sometimes my values and the values of my party do not match. When this happens, I choose to espouse my Christian values over my political persuasion.  The key is independent choice and being a voice for both Christ and your beliefs.  I believe God respects both.  Remember, there are certain rules laid out in the Ten Commandments that humanity is obligated to live by so that society can thrive. But, I am not sure if God wants the U.S. or Israelites or any country to destroy the Canaanites, Philistines, or Persians like in the Old Testament. I don’t believe stoning is an acceptable form of discipline for adultery, rebellious children, or blasphemers no matter what Leviticus and Exodus say. There are different laws for different times and societies. God gives us some guidelines for society and then lets humanity choose. I like to live by the verses that say "Oh man, what doth the Lord require of thee but to do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with your God" and "do unto others as you would have them do unto you."

I like it that God loves humanity and understands human nature or else why would he have created us. (Maybe cosmic humor.) I like that the Democratic Party seems to open its door to humans of all persuasions and fight for the equality of all peoples: Christians, Muslims, pro-choice, pro-life, homosexuals, heterosexuals, meat-eaters, vegetarians, etc…

I will speak up for my faith and my political party. I will defend both when they need to be defended and will speak out against them when I know them to be wrong. I will also understand when people speak out against me or have different beliefs. I will not judge someone for their lifestyle but will try to extend the love God has given me to them.  I will understand humanity and the failures of being human. This is the only true way to be an ambassador for Christ.