Brothers and Sisters in Christ, Not Political Parties

Falwell was joking, but his comment that Hillary may be more feared by Christians than Satan is still a sad statement on American Christianity. Jokes aren’t funny unless they are at least a little true.

“I hope she’s the candidate, because nothing will energize my (constituency) like Hillary Clinton,” Falwell said. “If Lucifer ran, he wouldn’t.”

We saw a similar phenomenon in many liberal Christians who would have preferred a President Kerry to President Bush.

Christianity is an all-encompassing faith. If you are a believer, then your faith informs and affects every other part of your life. My driving is affected by my faith, because my lead foot problem is not merely me being a scofflaw for man’s laws, it’s a sin that offends God. (And yes, I still do speed occasionally. I’m pursuing holiness, I haven’t arrived yet. The difference is now I know it’s a serious matter, illustrating something about where my heart is and the condition of my relationship with God, and I deal with it from that perspective.) Parenting, my work ethic, clothing and entertainment choices, the tone in which I speak to my mother… no part of my life is unaffected by my faith.

So my politics are affected by my faith. I’m against abortion, in favor of eradicating radical Islam and have various opinions about various issues in the news. And being human, it irritates me that all my brothers and sisters in Christ don’t see what is painfully obvious to me on various issues. How can a sincere, devout Christian NOT SEE that [fill in the blank] is how we ought to respond? Are they not studying their bible? Do they not know [blank] scripture? Have they considered what [theologian, pastor, apologist] said about it? Why don’t they know [whatever fact] about this situation, didn’t they bother to find out or are they so partisan they just refuse to see it? In short, what on earth is wrong with those people!?

And yet… they quite likely think the same thing about me.

No political party or philosophy has a monopoly on Godliness. And when you factor in our very human tendency to shade things in the way most favorable to the opinion we’re already predisposed to, what you have is a certain tension within the Christian faith. I went to cantata practice where another alto had on a tee shirt with the sentiment, “Make levees, not war.” She’s certainly entitled to her opinion, but when I saw it, something just rose up in me that wanted to not just debate the point, but to crush her argument into oblivion. Based on what I’ve read on other Christian blogs, both right and left, I’m not alone in that sort of reaction.

I don’t want to argue with my brothers and sisters in Christ – not just about politics, but at all – in accordance with Paul’s wish for the Corinthians –

I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment.
(1 Corinthians 1:10 ESV)

and I think Matthew Henry’s commentary on that verse pinpoints the root problem.

In the great things of religion be of a mind: but, when there is not a unity of sentiment, let there be a union of affections. The consideration of being agreed in greater things should extinguish all feuds and divisions about minor ones.”
II. He hints at the origin of these contentions. Pride lay at the bottom, and this made them factious. Only of pride cometh contention, Proverbs 13:10.

We take these opinions on the great matters of the day so much to heart because we hold our earthly lives and activities too dear. The lens of our camera is focused in on the tight shot, but if we pulled that zoom back, what we are looking at seems much smaller. As it should, in the light of eternity. There won’t be Republicans and Democrats in heaven. There will be Christians who love the Lord.

[Added upon further reflection:]
I do think that Christians who are excessively partisan, like myself, exhibit a lack of spiritual maturity. The intense focus on the here-and-now political realities doesn’t further the kingdom of God at all. There’s a reason why there is no “modern Jonathan Edwards.” He spent nearly every possible minute studying, meditating on scripture, and praying. Could he have withstood the 24 hour news cycle and the temptations of CSI? We’ll never know for sure but I suspect he could have. Today’s American Christians, myself included, lack his level of discipline and consequently his spiritual maturity. In short, it’s easier to zoom in on immediate political realities than to widen our focus on eternity and how our chief purpose is to glorify and enjoy God.