We live in interesting times. Our world is growing with increasing speed and dexterity. We can hardly keep up with technological advancements. While much can be appreciated in the realm of progress and information and technology, there is often a blind eye turned away from the suffering consequences due to our focus on politics, speed and urgency. The suffering results can be equally physical as they are spiritual. And with 24/7 global news and politics always within seconds from our televisions, computers and smart phones - our fear and anxiety are regularly being intensified. In the process, our souls can become damaged. But your soul was created to love - to love God and to love others. When your soul loves, it is healthy.

As a pastor, I have a command to watch over souls in the Church (Hebrews 13:17, ESV). Let me be clear for a moment. I am specifically addressing brothers and sisters that proclaim and profess faith in Jesus Christ - aka Christians.

The world can never be transformed by power politics. Ever. At least not in the sense that it looks like the Kingdom of God (the dome in which God is King). I believe what is needed is less faith in politics and more faith in the power of the Gospel to change the world through the transforming of hearts. This is why Jesus didn't commission his disciples to run for office but rather to walk in the ways that he trained them and modeled for them. Jesus didn't charge his disciples to campaign for presidents and political leaders, but instead his followers are to proclaim a new birth. Jesus commissioned twelve disciples - not twelve politicians.
The greatest lie the Church can ever believe, is that any worldly empire, nation or worldly leadership can be the answer to the problem of evil in our world. It only takes someone a few minutes of research or five minutes of watching the daily news to see the brokenness of our world. And at the root of most of those reports, speeches and articles is a seed of deceit. A lie. A half-truth soaked in the ideologies of the principalities and powers. The principalities and powers, or demonic forces of the unholy spirit, which desire our allegiance. It is an allegiance to the lie that the world can be overcome by money, politics and power. Tolkien knew this truth well when he wrote about the ring of power:

Perpetual news watching and analyzing damages your soul. Albeit, there is a difference between being aware of what is going on in the world around us and being consumed and mesmerized by it.  As followers of Jesus Christ, we are to have total and unwavering faith and trust in his lordship. It is about being thoroughly loyal to Jesus. Patriots are loyal to their country. Many are loyal to political parties. Most are loyal to friends. What are Christians loyal to? Who are Christians loyal to?


There is a moment in the The Lord of the Rings when Frodo learns that he possesses the Ring of Power. After learning about it's history and evil corruption from his companion Gandalf - Frodo wishes to hand it over to Gandalf. Gandalf replies:

Power tends to corrupt. The same truth applies to us today as much as it did to the early Christians. Politics is about power over others. Thankfully, Jesus gave us a new way of arranging the world. Jesus exemplifies this on the cross - "Father forgive them for they know not what they do". Love, soaked in forgiveness, is the answer to the problem of evil in this world. One way is about power, the other way is about love. The two cannot mix. Jesus reminds us that he is the way, the truth and the life.

In the book of Acts, Luke describes for us the loyalty and allegiance the Christians had:


The early Christians claimed Jesus as their only emperor.  They pledged allegiance to the Kingdom of God. Today, in our world, we hear about, "America the Beautiful", and to be clear, there are many beautiful things about the country I live in (United States of America). This is my home. This is the place in history that I am commanded to live out the Gospel of Jesus Christ. And yet, at the same time, the book of Revelation shouts a different warning that any glory or honor we give to Babylon (metaphor for all earthly empires) is glory that only belongs to God himself. 

We are to be "faithful unto death" (Rev. 2:10). In fact, so much of the book of Revelation is about this. St. John, the author of Revelation, warns the Christians that the empire (which includes ALL empires of the world - past, present and future) will seduce them with counterfeit majesty. We are not to be lured and seduced by the shock and awe of worldly power or be astonished by her jewelry. We are not to be faithful to the golden eagle, but we are to be faithful to the slaughtered lamb.

Political passion among Christians stems from a shallow view of the Church. If we don't really believe the Church is real and effective - the faith which testifies that God is bringing redemption to the nations - then we put all of our hope in a political process which can lead to fueling rage and misguided passion. 


Political processes and political parties come and go. If you still think or believe that politics is the most effective way to get things accomplished in the world - answer this question: How would congress respond to the politics of Jesus? If Jesus addressed political leaders with his truth about who God blesses (The Beatitudes; see Matthew 5), how would they respond? What would they do? How would they act upon the words of Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount? Simple: They couldn't. Acting on Jesus' words would completely undo their system. The Jesus Way and the politics of power do not mix.

The enchantment of nationalism, news, politics, and power reveals the deep longing all of us have for community. A yearning for harmony. But instead, despite all best intentions, being loyal to those non-eternal truths expose our ability to dance with the unholy spirit. The unholy spirit is the spirit of accusation, blame, and finger-pointing. Creating an Us versus Them mentality. We are to be soaked in the fruit of the spirit (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control). That is the Good News of Jesus! Our character should reflect that!

If you damage your soul by allowing love to whither because of being so entranced in politics and news, you would have been better off to have never gotten yourself engaged in politics in the first place. 



The greatest truth the Church can ever believe, is that Jesus Christ is Lord of Creation - right now! Christ is always with us. He is infusing his love and glory all around us. Let us learn to put our loyalty in Jesus Christ, the slaughtered lamb.

Grace and peace,
BT

(The artwork is Heartache and Poetry 37 by Jaime Best, 2015)