I recently came across an article that really broke my heart. Rebecca Bennett, a democrat nominee for Congress in New Jersey, made a statement that is truly sad. She said:
“I grew up in the Presbyterian Church. And after Trump got elected, I stopped going to church for the first time in my life, because I was like, ‘I cannot sit in this room of people.’ At the time, I was stationed somewhere that was pretty conservative. I was still in the military at the time. I was like, ‘I cannot sit in this church full of people who voted for Trump.’ And then, ultimately, I decided, they do not get to decide what Christianity looks like.”
- You can read the article at https://washingtonstand.com/article/dem-house-nominee-stopped-going-to-church-over-trump-voters
- Another article sharing her quote is at: https://freebeacon.com/elections/new-jersey-dem-running-in-house-district-trump-carried-said-she-stopped-going-to-church-because-she-could-not-stand-being-around-people-who-voted-for-trump-audio-shows/
WOW! This is a pretty difficult statement for me to get my mind around. My struggle is not based on the fact of her political point of view. Even if I disagree with her politically, that should not be a reason to break fellowship with other believers. What a person is saying when they make a statement like that is that their political beliefs are more important than what the Bible teaches.
It is true that biblical teachings do point a person in certain political directions, but there are foundational concepts that underlie everything – including political preferences. One of those is the unity of the body of Christ. The New Testament, in particular, is very direct regarding the kind of unity Christians should have toward one another.
- 1 Corinthians 12:12-27 tells us that just as a physical body has many parts, the church consists of diverse individuals functioning as one.
- Ephesians 4:1-6 tells believers to maintain the "unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace" with humility, gentleness, and patience.
- Galatians 3:28 speaks of the ultimate spiritual equality in Christ, where societal, cultural, and gender divisions no longer separate believers.
- Colossians 3:12-15 tells believers to "clothe themselves with compassion" and let love bind them together in perfect harmony, with the peace of Christ ruling in their hearts.
- Romans 12:4-5 states that while we have different gifts and functions, we are all individually members of one another in Christ.
So what is Bennett actually saying? She is saying that her political beliefs are more important to her than maintaining unity in the body of Christ. She is filtering her beliefs about God and the church through her political preferences.
It should be exactly the opposite. She should be viewing her political beliefs through the teachings of the Bible.
This does not mean she has to be a Trump supporter. While I agree with the overall direction Trump is leading, there are numerous things that I also disagree with him about. And its not just policy issues. Sometimes I which he would guard his tongue a little more. But I don’t carry my political agreements or disagreements with me into the fellowship of the church. My relationship with my brothers and sisters in Christ is more important to me than how we think about politics.
That said, a person’s political beliefs can provide clues to their spiritual condition. A person who approves of political policy that contradicts what the Bible teaches is giving an indication that there is some kind of spiritual problem that probably needs to be worked out. The Bible clearly reveals that:
- Abortion Is Wrong - God created life and has revealed that the taking of innocent life (such as a baby in the womb) is contrary to His will.
- Sex Outside of Marriage Is Wrong - This includes both heterosexual and homosexual relationships.
- There Are Only Two Sexes - This is a biological reality that has profound spiritual implications for Christians as they live out their faith.
- Euthanasia and Assisted Dying Is Wrong - The reason for this is the same as the reason why abortion is wrong.
- Basing Society on “Secular” Values Is Wrong - Society will operate based on some set of values, and advocating for non-biblical ones will damage society and the individuals who live in it.
The fact that a person advocates for non-biblical beliefs and is not willing to fellowship with people who hold opposing political beliefs is not proof that a person doesn’t know Christ, but it could be an indication of that – or at least that non-biblical beliefs are the guiding principles of their life.
Just because a person claims to be a Christian does not mean that they actually hold a biblical worldview. There are many people whose religious identity is based on other things such as culture, heritage, or geography, rather than the actual teachings of the Bible. Christians need to be aware of this fact and sensitive to people’s actual beliefs. With that, they should also be ready to share the truth of the Gospel when the opportunity arises.
Freddy Davis is the president of MarketFaith Ministries. He is the author of numerous books entitled The Truth Mirage, Rules for Christians Radicals, Liberalism vs. Conservatism, and his latest book Shattering the Truth Mirage and has a background as an international missionary, pastor, radio host, worldview trainer, and entrepreneur. Freddy is a graduate of Florida State University with a BS in Communication, and holds MDiv and DMin degrees from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. He is a popular speaker, particularly on the topic of worldview and its practical implications for the Christian life. He lives in Tallahassee, FL, with his wife Deborah.
You may also contact Freddy at Leadership Speakers Bureau to schedule him for speaking or leadership engagements.
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