Time and again I have heard  one political party or the other claim sole rights to God. More often than not it is the Republicans, however I would be wrong not to add that there are many Democrats that claim that the Democratic party is at the heart of God. The truth is that as any human would, both of these parties (being human constructs) fail miserably to capture to whole heart of God. Each has it’s strong suit, and each flouts the will of God.

As political parties go it is a “pick your poison” situation. The Republicans are great advocates of conservative Christian value, but so often “miss the boat” when it comes to compassion for immigrants and taking care of the poor, the widow, the orphan, and the oppressed. The Democrats are often great champions of these groups (the poor, the widow, the orphan, the alien and the oppressed), while they also flout God’s commands as it regards things like Christian marriage and abortion. It seems as though these two have cut God’s heart in two and now claim that there half is all that there is.

I have not been very voiced about my opinions on the subject of politics because of the explosive reaction many people have had when I have dared to discuss it. There is a harsh truth in the center of this battle, we do not seek to serve God, but rather serve ourselves. We read what is in God’s word and we tend to use that which will serve us the best, which tends to be things we can agree with easily. The rest we throw away. That is how politics works. Politics works in this way because it is a system made by man.

This leaves a Christian with a choice, which party to choice, or choose no party. I have chosen no party, but I do not believe this is the necessary path to take. The fact is that there are many kind-hearted Republicans that do care about things that are often labeled “social justice”. There are also many Democrats that believe in good family values and support Biblical teachings of marriage and so on. The world pits us against one another, but this does not have to be the case. As Brothers and Sisters in Christ we can stand firm with one another and Change the world. The first step is to realize that there are genuine Christians in both of the major parties, and both desire the heart of God.

One things that keeps  coming to mind in all of this is the picture of Joshua on a hill talking to an Angel of the Lord in Joshua 5.

¹³ Now when Joshua was near Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing in front of him with a drawn sword in his hand. Joshua went up to him and asked, “Are you for us or for our enemies?” ¹⁴ “Neither,” he replied, “but as commander of the army of the Lord I have now come.” Then Joshua fell facedown to the ground in reverence, and asked him, “What message does my Lord have for his servant?”

We stand and ask, “Which party are you for Lord?” When we should be asking “What message does my Lord have for his servant?” We have become far to concerned with sides, and countries and boundaries, and have forgotten that we belong to the King, and this whole planet is His country. We have become hypnotized by the world. We can scarcely act in accord with our new nature, which is really just a renewed original nature. God made us to serve Him, not some political party or country.

In this vain, I have heard people say that they want to serve God and country. The fact of the matter is that God doesn’t take sides. Either way a conflict between two people goes God watched one or more of His precious creation be harmed or killed. We might as well as a mother to choose which child she wants to see die. God’s desire is for the conflicts to stop. He desires for us to be one, and to be one in Christ.

Perhaps some of you may read this and want to take me to task for speaking against political parties, countries, and even war. I hope you can see that God does not  distinguish between things as we do. He does not see American Christian over here and Chinese Christians over there. He sees His people. Those that are not His people He sees and desires to add them, ALL of them, to His fold. We are the only ones who make the distinctions among ourselves. Perhaps it is times for us to bow to God and quit playing politics. I do not mean that we remove ourselves from politics, but that we begin to try to see people and things the way God sees them, not behind the haze of the worldly, but in the light of His Word.

Until next time, May God grant you peace and understanding.

In Christ,

Perry Tripp