Jesus Does Not Side With Either Political Party

Jesus is not a white male republican or man-bun-wearing social justice warrior. He came preaching the kingdom of God, not the kingdom of America. Still, we have people on both sides of the political aisle fully convinced Jesus is on their side. I don’t want to burst any bubbles, but Jesus does not side with either political party.

Democrats Republicans — Clay Banks / Unsplash

Before I explain in more detail, please don’t misunderstand. It’s important that Christians (especially pastors) fully engage in the political process. The antichrist seeks to spread his agenda largely through political influence. Now is not the time to allow deception or apathy to continue in the church. Nobody knows the day or hour of the Lord’s return, but we can’t deny these words from Jesus are starting to taking shape:

“At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come” (Matthew 24:10-14).

I have seen first-hand how politics is dividing the church. People who seem to have genuine faith in Christ are betraying each other. Friends who once shared so much in common don’t like each other anymore. Believers (including church leaders) are leaving the churches they’ve served in for years based solely on political ideology. Research shows that political tribalism is causing division for societies with advanced economies. Are these not the signs of the times?

Despite Our Biblical Convictions, Jesus Does Not Side With either Party

I’ll be the first to admit the temptation to mold Jesus into my own political paradigm. I have strong biblical convictions that heavily influence my politics. I struggle to understand how any “Christian” could support the other side. However, despite this powerful sentiment, I will not make the colossal mistake of assuming Jesus represents either political party. How could any believer come to such an arrogant and naive conclusion? Have we forgotten that Jesus is still King of kings and Lord of lords? Make no mistake, the sovereign God of the universe will never fit inside anybody’s limited political constructs.

One day Joshua was scoping out the land of Jericho searching for a way to penetrate its fortified walls. As the new leader of the Children of Israel, he was doing his best to obey the Lord’s instructions. Suddenly, he looked up and saw a mysterious man standing with a drawn sword in his hand. I can appreciate the concern that Joshua must have felt in that moment: Where did this guy come from and why is he standing in the fighting position? Joshua went up to him and asked, “Are you for us or for our enemies” (Joshua 5:13)?

Joshua didn’t mean any disrespect to the Lord, but the premise of his question was fundamentally flawed. He was stuck within a binary mindset that did not allow room for the sovereign God to reign supreme. The mysterious man replied, “Neither, but as commander of the army of the LORD I have now come” (Joshua 5:14). Knowing that he was in the presence of God, Joshua fell on his face in reverence. The unexpected response from the mysterious man (pre-incarnate Christ) was abundantly clear. Believers must align themselves with the agenda of the Lord, not the other way around.

Whose Side Are You On?

I know several well-meaning spiritual leaders who avoid politically charged topics like the plague. Convinced that any such endeavor is merely a distraction, these leaders fail to equip their congregations to properly discern the agenda of the antichrist. They are not empowering the people to vote based on sound biblical convictions. I am convinced that believers have a duty to engage in the political process, perhaps now more than ever. However, lest we become part of the problem, we must not forget the important lesson given to Joshua.

Joshua’s encounter with the mysterious man reminds us that God does not side with either political party. Therefore, instead of debating about which party Jesus supports, ask yourselve a more important question. Are you on the side of the Lord?