Navigating Political Disagreements in the Church
Why Do We Question Each Other’s Faith?
When fellow Christians disagree with us on significant political issues, it’s natural to wonder how they can support a cause that seems unjust. This skepticism can lead us to question their commitment to justice and, ultimately, their faith. But why does this happen?
Government and Justice
God instituted governments to establish a basic platform of justice for everyone created in his image (Gen. 9:5-6; 2 Sam. 8:15; 1 Kings 10:9; Prov. 29:4; Rom. 13:1-7). This means that conversations about politics are fundamentally about justice. As Christians, we care about righteous judgments, which is one way to define justice from the Bible.
Anger and Injustice
Anger is a God-given emotion for responding to injustice. When we hear about injustices, we should be angry. However, our anger can sometimes be misdirected or self-serving. We must be slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires (James 1:19-20).
Justification and Justice
The work of justifying a person by grace through faith creates a concern about justice. Our concern for justice demonstrates and gives evidence for our justification. This virtuous cycle is rooted in the Bible’s teachings on faith and deeds.
Self-Righteousness and Politics
We are naturally self-righteous and self-justifying, and fallen politics is fueled by such self-righteousness and self-justification. As Christians, we must recognize this tendency in ourselves and strive to seek justice, not to justify ourselves, but for the sake of love.
Wisdom and Politics
Most political judgments depend on wisdom, not on directly applying explicit biblical principles. Wisdom is a capacity of mind that combines the fear of the Lord with the skill of living in God’s created but fallen world in a way that yields justice, peace, and flourishing.
Navigating Complex Issues
Pick any contested political issue, and you’ll find that there’s a long way to travel between affirming biblical principles and determining how to balance them in public policy. This requires wisdom-based political judgments, not explicit biblical principles.
Viewing Votes as Strategic Calculations
Rather than treating votes as personal expressions of who we are, we should view them as strategic calculations concerning non-biblical matters. Recognize that different Christians will make different wisdom-based calculations.
Loving Others through Political Difference
In an increasingly anti-Christian culture, what’s important is how we respond to those who vote or believe differently. We must learn to make at least some space for them and encourage charity and forbearance. By doing so, we can love others through our political differences and demonstrate the unity of the body of Christ.
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