Would Jesus Choose Unity or Polarization

Christians and Politics The example of Jesus

To ask, would Jesus choose unity or polarization may seem at first blush an easy question because it’s clear that the Bible does teach believers to be set apart from the world. But to engage in the sort of political fighting we are witnessing is not reconcilable with the Jesus of the Bible. In the present political environment, we have a very difficult question: shall we unify or polarize?

Every four years, The United States voting population divides itself into two roughly equal camps. Over the past nine elections, the average vote margin between the winner and the second-place candidate is 4.71%. You would have to go back to Abraham Lincoln’s election in 1860 to find a third-party candidate that won. For over 100 years, we have been a two-party nation. That naturally gives rise to a certain amount of division. However, quadrennial division need not lead to the deep polarization we are witnessing.

To gain votes, political candidates today routinely lie or spin their qualifications. It is not uncommon to see political candidates calling their opponents vile names and making horrible accusations about them, usually with no supporting evidence. These habits of name-calling and dissembling make their way from the highest levels of leadership in our country into the media and into the average man on the street. This is polarization based on tribalism and not on policy. It does not challenge policies but people. It denigrates people.

What would Jesus say about such hate-mongering? Would he endorse hateful speech in his followers?

Jesus said, “God is love”  (1 John 4:8). “Love your neighbor” (Matthew 22:39).

Sadly, political division does occur within the body of Christ despite the fact that Paul rebuked such division:

But avoid foolish controversies, genealogies, dissensions, and quarrels about the law, for they are unprofitable and worthless. As for a person who stirs up division, after warning him once and then twice, have nothing more to do with him” (Titus 3:9, 10)

As we have previously said, Christians can and should exercise their right to vote and their right to petition the government for redress. Our faith should inform and control our political decisions. Our chosen candidate ought to be judged by their adherence to Biblical principles. But we have no right to demean brethren who are opposed to our chosen candidate. There is no room for division in the church.

You probably have no interest in who the next president of Turkmenistan may be. I know I don’t. Likewise, my interest is first and foremost in the Kingdom of God. As Christians, we are first and foremost His subjects, and His kingdom is not of this world (John 18:36). Therefore, anything that harms or does a disservice to His kingdom must be rejected.

The growth of the church has never been tied to the secular government. Indeed, her most rapid growth was during Roman oppression. However, each time the church has blended with the secular government it has suffered. So we should avoid entanglements that make it appear that the church is aligned with any political party. Churches that invite political candidates and issue statements of support on behalf of the church do so foolishly.

Jesus cares most about only one polarization: That between the sheep and goats at the end of time. Let’s follow his lead.

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