Using Christianity for Political Purposes

From the get-go, let me state that I have no problem with Christians engaging in politics and having political discussions. In fact, under the American political system, the nation’s citizens are its rulers. We are the ones who decide the laws and policies that will be enacted in the country. We don’t do it directly, of course. Since we are a constitutional republic, we elect people to represent our interests and values in the various halls of government. As our representatives, these elected officials are beholden to the citizens who elect them. 

Without a doubt, it is a lot of work to keep track of the votes of legislators and the policy initiatives of people in executive government positions. But Christians in America actually have a stewardship responsibility before God to do exactly that. From the very beginning of mankind, God placed stewardship (management) responsibility on mankind to take care of His creation. That applies in every area of life that we have the ability to influence. It applies to our families, our material possessions, the environment, and, in America, the political and social environment. 

Of course, not everyone is a Christian, and many do not adhere to Christian beliefs and values. As such, sometimes people who are not Christians end up overwhelming those who are when it comes to electing political representatives. When that happens, it is more likely that non-Christian values begin to dominate society. And that is exactly the situation we find ourselves in right now. Most of the evil laws and policies that are being enacted in our modern day are being implemented by elected representatives who got into their position because non-Christians outvoted Christians. Some estimates have it that as many as half of the people who claim to be Christians don’t even vote. These are people who do not take seriously their stewardship responsibility before God. 

But in recent times, another dynamic has come into play. Not only are a large number of Christians not voting, but there are many who claim to be Christians who are actually perverting the Christian faith itself for political purposes. 

One of the most visible organizations as of this writing is a group called “Evangelicals for Harris.” While these people claim to be evangelical Christians, they are actually a left wing political action group. In saying this, I am not pretending that I know the spiritual condition of the individuals in the group. I do not know whether or not they are actually saved. Only God knows that. What I do know, however, is that while they claim to be evangelical Christians, they are not promoting the Christian faith based on the teachings of the Bible. 

The very core of evangelical Christianity is that the Bible is our ultimate authority source. And based on the Bible’s teachings, the purpose of our lives is: 1) to live in a personal relationship with God based on the sacrificial death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and 2) to share with others how they can also know Him. When it comes to politics, our engagement should be focused on what God has revealed to be His purpose for government – promoting laws and policies that create order in society, and providing objectively true justice as defined by biblical teachings. 

Evangelicals for Harris do not do any of that. First, you will be hard pressed to find where they point to Jesus as the only way people can enter into a personal relationship with God. The purpose they tout is strictly political, not spiritual. Second, the policies they advocate do not promote order in society and actual justice. They focus almost entirely on social justice issues as defined by left-wing political leaders – policies such as abortion on demand (even to the point of right before birth), gender ideology, use of puberty blockers and gender surgery on minor children, access to healthcare, support for DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion), defund the police, open borders, man-made global warming, and other left-wing political priorities. 

Their reasoning is that these kinds of policies show that Christians “love their neighbors.” In other words, they define the priorities of Jesus using the political policies and priorities of naturalistic philosophy, rather than the purposes of God as revealed in the Bible. 

To be sure, there are plenty of people on the other side of the political spectrum who prioritize political activity over the purposes of God. They also don’t consider that there is an overriding spiritual priority, and focus only on the political. While that is just as wrong, motivation wise, as those who promote non-biblical policies, at the very least they are advocating policies that are consistent with biblical teachings rather than opposing them. 

To be clear, God’s way involves having both right motives and right actions. God wants us to, first and foremost, live in our relationship with Him, then to live our lives in the world based on the values and principles He has revealed to us in the Bible. That is how Christianity is supposed to work. It is not a political tool.

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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