Truth and Politics
During lunch at school, a classmate asks you, “Are you a Democrat or Republican?” During a break, your coworker or colleague asks, “Who are you voting for on Tuesday?” As you walk past your neighbor to go shopping, she asks, “What do you think about the immigrant caravan?” or “Do you support Judge Kavanaugh?”How should you answer these questions? What should you say? As you think about your answer, pause to consider that your response will affect your ability to share with your colleague, classmate, or neighbor what really matters – the truth about Jesus.In America we are losing the art of knowing how to have a meaningful conversation with people. We fail to recognize that our words in the present will affect our ability to speak with someone in the future. We are busy and impatient, with no time for thoughtful interaction, and we struggle to discuss anything with anyone with whom we disagree.
We fail to recognize that our words in the present will affect our ability to speak with someone in the future.
We bypass any interaction that exceeds the 280-character limit of a Twitter post, prefer Facebook posts of 40 characters or less, and refuse to read a news article beyond the first or second paragraph. When we do talk with people, we look for ways to shorten the conversation so that we can move on to something else.We are losing the art of conversation for another reason beyond impatience and attention span. We press all sorts of topics into one of two political categories, using labels such as: liberal or conservative, Democrat or Republican, tolerant or intolerant, progressive or traditional, and so on. This two-category approach teaches us to listen for buzzwords, catchphrases and viewpoints by which we may categorize or stereotype a person.When we do this, we stop listening to what another person is saying because we assume that whatever says, whether we agree or not, he believes everything that we say a Republican or Democrat, conservative or liberal believes. We call this creating a “false dilemma.” It is a way to polarize people by praising one side and demonizing the other. One party stereotypes the other party, one candidate categorizes the other candidate, and then popular opinion endeavors to shoehorn everyone else into one of the two sides.Sadly, believers allow themselves to be lured into this subtle trap. When we adopt this mindset, embrace this political model, and blindly identify with one side or the other, we drag the truth about Jesus right into the trap with us. We confuse the truth of God with politics and push away many people from the gospel. But it doesn’t have to be this way, because the truth about Jesus transcends political conflicts.
The truth about Jesus transcends political conflicts.
When you understand the truth about Jesus as your spiritual king and you commit yourself to teaching this truth to anyone in the world, this mindset guides you through the labyrinth and minefield of political opinions and feelings.We learn this important lesson from the way that Jesus conducted himself during his trial before Pilate, a Roman governor (John 18:33-38). In a dignified and gracious manner, Jesus avoided the trap of political polarization and by doing so, he presented the truth of God in an accurate and responsible way. He did not allow God’s truth to be defined and obscured by the political conflicts and agendas of that first-century world. By observing his words and behavior, you can evaluate whether you approach such challenges in a similar way or fall into the trap of political entanglement which obscures the gospel.
Jesus avoided the trap of political polarization and by doing so, he presented the truth of God in an accurate and responsible way.
Before we consider this moment from the hours leading up to the crucifixion, let me remind you of a principle which Paul taught later in the New Testament about being a witness for Christ. He said, “We give no offense in anything, that our ministry may not be blamed” (2 Cor 6:3). This means that he chose not to speak or act in a way that would cause an unnecessary obstacle or difficulty in someone believing the truth of the gospel.Paul did not say whatever he wanted to say and act however he wanted to act. Instead, he thought carefully about whether his words or actions would make it easier or more difficult for someone to understand and receive the gospel. The gospel itself is offensive. Paul calls this the “offense of the cross” (Gal 5:11). So regardless of what nonbelievers may think, you cannot change the gospel to be a more appealing message. Even so, you should evaluate many other factors about the way you speak and act which may cause unnecessary hindrances. Jesus did this before Pilate (especially regarding a volatile political topic), and you should do the same.
Avoid political entanglement.
In John 18:33-38, we find that the Jews attempted to lure Jesus into a political conflict with the Roman government. They reported that he claimed to be the “King of the Jews.” By doing this, they attempted to force Jesus into the false dilemma of being either ‘for’ or ‘against’ the Roman empire. The title “King of the Jews” would identify Jesus to Pilate as someone who opposed Rome. According to Roman law, subversive aspirations like these deserved the death penalty, which is precisely what the Jewish leaders hoped that Jesus would receive.You should understand that Jesus never denied this title outright because he was indeed the King of the Jews – the very king prophesied to the nation of Israel in the Old Testament (Isa 9:6-7; Mic 5:2). Furthermore, Pilate would go on to call Jesus by this very title (John 18:39), and the Roman soldiers would use this title in a mocking way as they beat him (John 19:3). Pilate would also affix this title to the cross as an official public record for the crime for which Jesus had died (John 19:19). Ironically, the Jewish leaders would ask Pilate to change the wording on this sign from “King of the Jews” to “He said, ‘I am King of the Jews,’” but Pilate refused to change his mind (John 19:21-22). Though he did this to provoke the Jews, he unwittingly emblazoned the truth about Jesus to the world. What the Jews refused to accept, Pilate announced to all.Since Jesus was indeed the King of the Jews, he did not say to Pilate, “I am not the King of the Jews” (which would be untrue). At the same time, he did not say, “Yes, I am the King of the Jews.” Why did he not say this? Because saying so would infuse his words with harmful political overtones which Jesus hoped to avoid for the sake of the gospel. That is why he avoided a yes or no answer and answered with a question instead.Answering this way avoided the political conflict which the Jewish leaders had hoped to stimulate. Though Jesus was the King of the Jews, he was not the kind of king that Pilate understood. So he asked, “Are you saying this out of your own thinking or did the Jews tell you to say this?” The Jews had given this accusation to Pilate, who had done nothing to prove or disprove it. So by asking this question, Jesus hinted that Pilate was being outmaneuvered by the Jews, his political nemesis. To avoid this perception of colluding with the Jews, he asked a different and more neutral question: “What have you done?” This new question allowed Jesus to answer the question in a nonpolitical way that shifted the focus away from the politically-charged title “King of the Jews.”
Jesus answered Pilate in a nonpolitical way that shifted the focus away from the politically-charged title “King of the Jews.”
Do you ever take this approach? Do you ever avoid a yes or no answer, but answer with a question or a different but related thought instead so that you can avoid unnecessary political complications? Apply this thinking to the scenarios I gave you at the beginning.
- During lunch at school, a classmate asks you, “Are you a Democrat or Republican?”
- During a break, your coworker or colleague asks, “Who are you voting for on Tuesday?”
- As you walk past your neighbor to go shopping, she asks, “What do you think about the immigrant caravan?” or “Do you support Judge Kavanaugh?”
Should you answer these questions with a yes or no? Or should you answer with another question? Should you offer a more thoughtful and nuanced reply that avoids saying something which would cause an unnecessary obstacle or difficulty in that person responding to the gospel?
Follow Jesus as your spiritual king.
Pilate’s second question was original to him and was not a question which the Jewish leaders had spoon-fed to him. He asked, “What have you done?” In reply, Jesus assured Pilate that he represented a kingdom that was not a threat to the Roman empire. This kingdom was not “of this world,” meaning that it was not an earthly, political kingdom like Egypt or Israel, Greece or Rome. To prove this claim, he noted that his followers had not engaged in combat to prevent his arrest. Roman soldiers had accompanied his arrest and could attest to this fact (John 18:3, 12).In response to this unusual explanation, Pilate questioned Jesus further. He asked if Jesus was the king of this unusual, nonthreatening kingdom. To this Jesus answered yes, claiming that he had been born for this purpose and that he had “come into the world” to be this king. As such, he was not enlisting a military force to fight against Rome. He had come into the world for a much different purpose, one which did not involve taking over the governments of the world at this present time.Friends, Jesus is a spiritual king, not a political one. He is not in competition with your president, your monarch, your prime minister, or your king. He is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords (Rev 19:16). No matter who leads your country, Christ is always higher and always in full control. And though he will someday rule over the world in a governmental way, that day has still not come.
Friends, Jesus is a spiritual king, not a political one. He is not in competition with your president.
Instead, he rules today from a heavenly throne in a spiritual way through the hearts of those who have believed on him by faith and are his spiritual children. After he resurrected from the dead, he sat down with full authority over all things in “the heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come” (Eph 1:20-21). Furthermore, he exercises this authority through the church (Eph 1:22).As believers who are part of Christ’s church, we carry out our lives with a mission of presenting and representing the gospel to the unbelieving world. As such, we are citizens of two kingdoms at once – an earthly, political kingdom and a spiritual, heavenly one. This “dual citizenship” status should not cause us to rebel against the authority of our earthly kingdom. Instead, it should cause us to think carefully about the way we speak and act so that in the realm of our earthly kingdom with all its political undercurrents we may represent the truth of God’s heavenly kingdom in a dignified and understandable way to as many people as possible. To do this, we follow Jesus as our spiritual, heavenly king as we simultaneously follow the rulers God has given us in our earthly kingdom.
Be a witness for the truth.
Jesus came into the world as a king who provided a direct witness to the truth of God (John 18:37). He also said that everyone who listened to his teaching identified with this truth and was “on his side.” The word hear means more than that merely hearing a voice in your ear; it means to hear and respond in a personal and purposeful way. It means to actually listen. This recalls what Jesus said so beautifully about his sheep at a previous time (John 10:2-4), that they would hear his voice and come out from among the other sheep around them who did not belong to him. Those who heard the teaching of Jesus and responded by following him in faith were a part of his kingdom.This description reveals to Pilate that the kingdom of God, over which Jesus is king, is not an ethnic kingdom; it is not a kingdom that people are born into in a physical way. It also reveals that the kingdom of God is not a political kingdom which expands by one nation taking other nations as prisoners of war and subjugating them by force. It is a peaceful kingdom that forms as people hear what Jesus said about God and believe him.Can you see how Jesus would have ruined the opportunity to have this thoughtful conversation with Pilate about the truth of God if he had immediately claimed to be the King of the Jews? If he had chosen to use correct but politically-charged words at the beginning of his interaction with Pilate? You and I should consider whether we choose our words with nonbelievers carefully or whether we ruin opportunities to share the gospel because we choose unnecessary, politically-charged words.
You should consider whether you choose our words with nonbelievers carefully or whether you ruin opportunities to share the gospel by using unnecessary, politically-charged words.
Sadly, in response to Jesus, Pilate revealed that he was not one of those people who would “hear” the teaching of Jesus. He asked, “What is truth?” but he did so in a sarcastic way. He did not want to speak further with Jesus about the truth of God. He wanted to bring this conversation to a close and solve yet another thorny political problem that was causing unrest in Jerusalem. He was more interested in achieving a political goal than he was in discovering the truth. About this sarcastic question, one commentator writes:
"For politically motivated people, truth is frequently sacrificed on the altar of expediency. Many politically oriented people pretend they are interested in truth. But Pilate summarizes his politically oriented life pattern with the haunting question: 'What is truth?' The implications of that question are exceedingly far reaching for any person. For Pilate that question was an attempt to resist taking Jesus’ statement seriously in his own life, but it did make an initial impact on his view of Jesus during this first interrogation session."[1]
Not everyone you meet will respond in a favorable way to the truth about Jesus. Even so, speaking to them about Jesus is not a waste of time. Jesus, who knows all things, knew how Pilate would respond, and yet he chose to have a thoughtful conversation with him anyway. Would you have done the same? This was not the first time that Jesus showed such care and compassion towards a person who would only go on to cause him more trouble. Do you recall the lame man at the pool of Bethesda (John 5)? After Jesus healed him, he never expressed thanks and he turned Jesus in to the authorities. In this case, Jesus lovingly and thoughtfully witnessed the truth to Pilate. Yet rather than release Jesus, Pilate would go on to order his execution instead.
Not everyone you meet will respond in a favorable way to the truth about Jesus.
Anyone who has believed on Jesus should follow his example. For the sake of gospel truth, you should avoid political entanglements and traps. You should avoid saying and doing things that place you and the truth about Jesus in a false dilemma. You should avoid words and actions which unnecessarily associate you with faulty political groups and agendas. As Paul said, “We give no offense in anything, that our ministry may not be blamed” (2 Cor 6:3). This means that he chose not to speak or act in a way that would cause an unnecessary obstacle or difficulty in someone believing the truth of the gospel.
You should avoid words and actions which unnecessarily associate you with faulty political groups and agendas.
To live this way, you might avoid identifying publicly as a Republican or Democrat – at least when you can help it. When your classmate, colleague, or neighbor asks for you political affiliation, it may be best to avoid giving an answer. After all, just because you vote more consistently for one party over the other or prefer one candidate over the other doesn’t mean that you support everything those people or parties represent.Once you publicly identify with a party (which our U.S. political system wants you to do), then you identify with whatever that party or candidate represents – the good and the bad – and your mission to reach people for Christ merges with your political identity, confusing people about the nature of the gospel and the truth about Jesus. Was Jesus a Democrat or a Republican? A traditionalist or a progressive? He was none of these things in any public way. And though he was “the King of the Jews,” he chose not to identify himself this way to Pilate so that he would be able to speak the truth of the gospel instead.Do you follow his example and avoid the political trap of choosing a side? Though you may vote in a certain way, this does not mean that you publicly align yourself with all the agendas and values of that candidate or party. As a believer, you should carefully avoid any public associations or affiliations, whether expedient or not, which will obscure the truth about Jesus which you represent. Don’t be like Pilate and allow your political agendas overshadow the truth of God.
You should carefully avoid any public associations or affiliations, whether expedient or not, which will obscure the truth about Jesus which you represent.
Also, you should follow Jesus as your spiritual king. To do this, you should live according to biblical principles regardless of political stereotypes and expectations that surround you. When you follow Jesus as your spiritual king, you will continue to obey the laws of human government. Jesus provides you with a perfect example of this. Even though he was the “King of the Jews,” he taught his followers to pay Roman taxes (Matt 22:21). Paul doubled down on this expectation for every Christian in his letter to the church at Rome. In doing so, he extended this principle to every other law of human government (Rom 13:1-7). This means that you should obey every law that your local, state, or federal government enacts, whether you like the law or not and whether your government is friendly towards Christians or not.The only exception to this biblical guideline is that you should refuse to obey government laws and officials in any instance which requires you to disobey what God teaches (Acts 4:19; 5:29). If a governmental law bans you from gathering together with your church for worship and Bible study, then you should politely disobey this law in a nonviolent manner because God clearly teaches you to assemble as a church (Heb 10:25). In most cases, however, you will not face such a dilemma. Following Christ as your spiritual king will shape you into a model citizen of any earthly kingdom. You will become a citizen who is loving toward your neighbor and who cares for your world.
Following Christ as your spiritual king will shape you into a model citizen of any earthly kingdom.
Furthermore, you should be a witness for the truth. In your daily life, you should make the gospel your public identity. I want to be known to the world as a Christian far more than I want to be known as a Democrat or Republican. By identifying as a Christian, I do not guarantee that everyone will like me and receive me. But if they dislike, reject, marginalize, or mistreat me, they will do so for the truth of the gospel and not for political, periphery, or petty matters of opinion and preference (1 Pet 1:13-17). Do people know you as a person who conducts yourself and speaks according to the truth of Jesus? Or do they know you as a person with worldly, earthly ambitions or as someone who is pro-this or anti-that in the world of hyped-up political agendas and polarizing personalities?In the end, Pilate returned to the Jewish leaders outside his palace. To the waiting crowd, he announced that he had found not reason to charge Jesus with a capital crime. To Pilate, Jesus was nothing more than a nice man who was not a threat to the Roman empire.As you know, this will not be the end of what happened. Pilate would soon interact with Jesus in a more excruciating way. Yet knowing what would happen, Jesus had taken the opportunity to witness the truth of God to this man in a thoughtful, compassionate way.Is this how you interact with the nonbelievers around you at work, at school, and in your neighborhood or community – regardless of their political affiliations and preconceptions? Do you work hard to avoid unnecessary hindrances to the gospel so that all that remains is for people to receive or reject Jesus on his own merits through the testimony of your life and the witness of your words to them? I pray this is the case. Jesus rose above the political infighting of his day and presented himself as a king for all people, not just the Jews.So, during lunch at school, a classmate asks you, “Are you a Democrat or Republican?” During a break, your coworker or colleague asks, “Who are you voting for on Tuesday?” As you walk past your neighbor to go shopping, she asks, “What do you think about the immigrant caravan?” or “Do you support Judge Kavanaugh?” How should you answer these questions? What should you say? As you consider the example of Jesus, pray for wisdom to answer in such a way that you will be able to share with them what really matters – the truth about Jesus, unclouded by political misunderstandings.
[1] Gerald L. Borchert, John 12-21, vol. 25B, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman, 2002), 243.
