How Jesus Transcends Our Politics

Moving beyond anxious negativity to a more peaceable way of being

Few topics stir up stronger opinions and feelings than politics. However, research shows that becoming politically worked up, opinionated, and self-important can have the opposite effect of what we intend. Instead of persuading others, we end up pushing them further away from us and our point of view.

During a previous year’s election season, a friend of mine posted the following on his Facebook page:

Dear person passionately pushing your political agenda on Facebook,

Congratulations, you have convinced me to change my vote! Thank you for helping me see the light!

Appreciatively yours,
No one.

Why do politics bring out the worst in so many of us? What are we actually accomplishing? Are we focusing on loving God and loving others, or are we more concerned with proving we’re right? What’s happening beneath the surface?

Even sermons can sometimes divide us. Once, I preached to a large, urban congregation about Christian responsibility toward the poor. The following week, I received two emails about the same sermon. One accused me of being a right-wing extremist, while the other was convinced I was a left-wing Marxist.

I shared the emails with Tim Keller, my boss and mentor at the time. Tim advised me to learn from the experience but not to worry too much about the criticism. In fact, he said, it might be a good sign. For preachers, Tim explained, the longer it takes people to figure out our party preferences and allegiances, the more likely it is that we are preaching Jesus as opposed to partisan dogma.

What Would Jesus Be?

When it comes to politics, Scripture doesn’t suggest that Jesus would fully align with any party viewpoint. Jesus is neither exclusively conservative nor liberal—yet, he embodies aspects of both.

On one hand, Jesus is more conservative than the far right. He teaches that "not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished" (Matt 5:18), and warns that anyone who alters his Word will not share in eternal life (Rev 22:18-19). He stresses the importance of evangelism, conversion, and being "born again" to enter the Kingdom of God (John 3:5). These are core values of conservative Christians.

On the other hand, Jesus is more liberal than the far left. By repeatedly saying, "You have heard it said... But I say to you..." (Matt 5-7), he challenges long-held traditions and introduces a new vision for anyone willing to embrace it. He subverts the cultural norms of his time, advocating for unity between Jews and Gentiles and prioritizing service to the poor (Eph 2:11-22; Luke 4:18-21).

In these ways, Jesus embodies a very progressive message.

The World’s Politics

When we look at the trial of Jesus under Pilate, we get a glimpse of how worldly politics operate.

In worldly politics, power is often contaminated and misused. Pilate knew Jesus was innocent but felt trapped, prioritizing the approval of the crowd over justice. His verdict to condemn Jesus illustrates a truth: without the guidance and conviction of the Holy Spirit, when conscience and public opinion clash, the crowd usually wins. When that happens, corrupt criminals walk free while the innocent suffer.

Worldly politics also distorts the truth. The crowd twisted Jesus’ teachings about the Kingdom of God to portray Him as a political threat. How easy it is to fall into the trap of political spin! Many of us, even as we claim to follow the truth, can find ourselves actively or passively participating in it:

“On one side of the aisle, our candidate is viewed as the solution to all problems, incapable of wrongdoing. On the other side, their candidate is seen as the root cause of every problem, incapable of doing anything right.”

Having political leanings isn’t inherently wrong. Even among Jesus' disciples, Matthew the Tax Collector and Simon the Zealot held deeply opposing political views, and Jesus accepted both into the Twelve. But when political leanings harden into blind partisan loyalty, it conflicts with the Spirit of God.

A prime example of partisanship in the Bible is the crowd that pressured Pilate to crucify Jesus instead of the insurrectionist Barabbas.

I’m not saying it’s wrong for Christians to support a political party. Christians have freedom in nonessential matters, including political leanings, which are often shaped more by personal circumstances than by rigid principles. Committed Christians in one zip code who believe the Bible from cover to cover can cancel out the votes of Christians in another zip code who believe similarly. Caucasians and people of color, rich people and poor people, millennials and baby boomers, all have political leanings that are governed by their situation and life stage.

Politically speaking, both the left and the right have valid points, as well as unique and in some ways glaring and even abhorrent flaws. For this reason, unwavering, unquestioning loyalty to any political party is not the way. Our ultimate loyalty must always be to God.

On the Lord’s Side

When Joshua met the angel of the Lord before battle, he asked, “Are you for us or for our adversaries?” The angel’s response was simple: “No, I’m not.”

Rather than choosing sides, the angel identified himself as the commander of the Lord’s army, saying, in effect, “I’m on the Lord’s side.” He was engaged in a different battle altogether, one that transcended human politics. His kingdom was not of this world, and while his ways and priorities might occasionally align with ours, they are ultimately higher.

This highlights the real question we should be asking in politics: not whether Jesus is on our side, but whether we are on His.

That doesn’t mean Christians have to avoid politics altogether. Jesus’ disciples came from politically diverse backgrounds. Simon the Zealot and Matthew the tax collector were on opposite sides politically—one opposed the government, while the other worked for it. Yet they lived in community together, united by their loyalty to the Kingdom of God.

Their allegiance to God surpassed their earthly political differences. Likewise, our loyalty to Jesus and His Kingdom must always outweigh any allegiance to an earthly agenda. The closer we are to Jesus, the more we’ll feel “at home” with those who share our faith, even if they differ in politics, than with those who share our politics but not our faith. If we find this isn’t true, we might be giving to Caesar what rightfully belongs to God.

What better year than this one to reflect on where our hearts stand on these matters?