Is Jesus a Democrat or a Republican?
Disclaimer this is a longer reader, about 10 to 15 minutes! It is my hope that this post illuminates God’s word and brings clarity to your understanding when it comes to God and Politics.
– Pastor Eb
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“Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; and a man’s enemies will be those of his own household.”
These were the words spoken by Jesus Christ in Matthew 10:34-36. Harsh words by our savior isn’t it? Seemingly divisive, intolerant, extreme, and inflammatory.
“I did not come for peace but a sword?” What is Jesus declaring war on? “To set a man against his father and a daughter against her mother?” I thought he came to unite us, to bring peace. It’s quite a contrast from what many Christian leaders are preaching today and far removed from modern Western Christianity. So what did Jesus mean?
In looking at the political and religious structure at the time of Jesus there were three distinct groups, the Sadducees, the Pharisees, and the Essenes. In ancient Judaism, there was no sharp distinction between religion and politics. All three groups were concerned not only with religious behavior but also with the political issues of their day. These religious leaders like the Pharisees were also a part of the Sanhedrin which was the Supreme Court of the Romans. These religious leaders had not only amassed a great deal of power by the Roman government but they had become corrupt by the culture of their time. When Jesus entered the scene, he had stepped into a perfect storm of political and religious making. Much like what we are seeing today. I’ve even heard it said, “Never mix politics with religion.” The problem with that statement is that Jesus did exactly that and He expects us to.
Jesus came bearing the sword, the insignia of heaven which was the word of God. He declared war on those who had corrupted the word of God. Leaders who were leading people astray and devouring the sheep for religious and political gain. Who were trampling the word and by doing so causing people to stumble. Much of the sins brought about in Roman culture had come through the political process. Jesus made it His mission to expose them. He would say things like, “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You travel over land and sea to win a single convert, and when you have succeeded, you make them twice as much a child of hell as you are. “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead and everything unclean. “You snakes! You brood of vipers! How will you escape being condemned to hell? Therefore I am sending you prophets and sages and teachers. Some of them you will kill and crucify; others you will flog in your synagogues and pursue from town to town.” (Matthew 23:15,27,33-34)
Jesus was prophesying that those who would stand up for the true word of God and be bold enough to declare it would not only suffer persecution, but many of them would pay with their life. Now let me once again remind you, Jesus is not talking to the religious leaders only, but he is also talking to the politicians of his time. And if your still not convinced let me ask you a question. What happens in an election? We choose, we elect and we appoint. The words choose, elect, and appoint are mentioned over 100 times in scripture. God himself is a God of and over government, did you know that? (Romans 13:1)
He instituted the nations and kingdoms of the world and is actively involved in the political process of who He elects and approves to be in power. (Acts 17:26-27) Does that mean we are spectators to God’s dealings in this area? No! On the contrary, we can influence God’s decisions based upon who we elect or choose to rule over us. Simply put, a people who abide in God and in His words, who love truth and are actively involved in sustaining, applying and protecting the essence of God’s word, God will bless and honor with righteous leaders. (Deut 28:1-2) But when we stray from God as individuals and ultimately as a people or nation and seek our own will and desires apart from God’s word and counsel, He grants us what we have asked and judgment shortly follows. (Hosea 4:6-9)
Now here is where the rubber meets the road if you are a true follower of Jesus Christ. Can we have political views outside the considerations of our Christian faith or more specifically outside of God’s word? The answer is no. Why? Because politics are a central part of policy. Policies are the instruments or mechanisms by which laws derive from. Those laws will either draw us closer to God or farther away from God. The founders of America understood this and made sure to mirror the Bible within the founding documents. The crucial section of the Declaration says: “We hold these Truths to be self-evident, that all Men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness. I often say that the constitution doesn’t give us any rights, it simply affirms the rights God has already given us. Now follow me for a second. Did you know that every law is connected to morality or some form of a standard? The word, “political platform” means, a document stating the aims and principles of a political party. Did you catch that? “Principles.” What are principles? A principle is defined as a basic truth, law, or assumption. A rule or standard, especially of good behavior.
Now to simplify all this. The word of God is the expression of his character, nature, and personhood. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:1,14) Jesus didn’t only come to die on the cross as a sacrificial lamb for mankind but he also came to testify to the truth that had been corrupted by the so-called religious leaders of His time. We see this when Jesus was facing Pilate, the representative of the highest political authority on earth and he said, “For this, cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.” (John 18:37) Did you hear Jesus’s words? “Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.”
In light of everything you just read, here is the question;
“Is the policies of the Democratic party compatible with scripture?” The obvious answer is a resounding, no! Why? Oh Lord, where do I begin? To say, “I am a follower of Jesus”, or “I love him”, means you obey Him and His word. (John 14:15) And I know many of my Democrat friends may be upset at my next statement. “I believe if you vote or have voted as a Democrat, you need to repent before God.” Please hear me! In the area of politics, that drive policy, that birth forth laws, laws that undermine the word of God and cause people to suffer and stumble and falsely secure them; to that end, I like Jesus say, I did not come for peace, but I have come with the sword. The sword is the word of God. The word is supreme. The same word in which he says, “I place my word above my name.” (Psalm 138:2) So let me elaborate. And what I am about to say, in spite of what you may be feeling right now, I say it for love and with love.
When we, as followers of Jesus Christ elect politicians who have outright trampled the word of God under their feet and have called evil good and good evil. Who have mocked all that is Holy and have legislated laws that are in direct violation of God’s word. Leaders who are morally bankrupt and devoid of any truth, but are filled with lies. Leaders who are endorsed and celebrated by an ungodly culture to include the vilest and most abhorrent individuals in the entertainment and music industry. Leaders who by virtue of their filth have enacted laws that are incomplete rebellion and defiance of the Holy scriptures. When you cast your vote, which is a choice, for these types of individuals who represent an abandonment of God statutes, laws, and principles, you have chosen man over God, sin over righteousness, truth over truce, color over covenant and convictions over comfort.
Jesus said, “You will know them by their fruits, Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22 Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name? And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!” (Matt 7:16,21-23) Listen to the words of Jesus, you who practice lawlessness or in this case empower those that do. You are guilty by affiliation or association. What fellowship can light have with darkness? What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? (2 Cor 6:14-16) You are empowering them to act on your behalf, that is what voting means. God is love but He is also justice and there is no justice without judgment. How can we elect people who have no moral compass and are devoid of the words of life, to bring about justice for us? Only God can do that by using people who still revere and obey His word. Or have we forgotten about the flood. You only have to read 7 chapters into the Bible to understand that God will not be mocked, whatever you sow, that you will reap. (Gal 6:7) When His anger is aroused and the cup of His wrath runneth over, who shall escape His judgment for judgment begins in the house of God? (1 Peter 4:17)
Have we forgotten about the abominations of Sodom and Gomorrah? How God’s response to the rebellion of a people who abandon the natural order of God’s decree? He turned the entire city to ashes and spared only a single-family. (Gen 19) God legislated the law to keep us from sin but today while claiming Christ, we elect officials who legislate sin to keep us from the law. The law is not the problem, it is the evil heart of men who, drunk with the culture around them have failed to discern good vs evil, darkness vs. light, righteousness vs unrighteousness. (Romans 7:14) Still to this day in many Christian homes Obama is celebrated and touted as a great leader. This is the man who lit the White House in rainbow colors in celebration of the 2015 Supreme Court decision of sanctioning same-sex marriage. The rainbow which signified a covenant with God and men that he would never destroy the entire world again with water, over the sins that today we are endorsing. What your Bible calls an abomination. And why is it that we still celebrate a man who declared war on God?
Consider this! What political party or individual member affiliation has brought about the following; in direct violation and defiance of God’s written word?
- Removed Prayers out of schools – 1963 (Violation: Psalm 33:12)
- Legalized Abortion – 1973 (Violation: Luke 1:41)
- Legalized Gay marriage – 2015 (Violation: Gen 2:24, Romans 1:26)
- Pushes the LGBTQ Indoctrination – Current (Violation: Romans 1)
- 10 Commandments Removed from Courts – 2015 (Violation: Ezek 11:20)
- Push to pack Supreme Court w/ungodly men –Current (Violation Ex.18:21-22)
- Push to bring about a one-world government – Current (Violation Acts 17:26)
- Push against conservative Biblical values – Current (Violation The Bible)
- Pushed the lie of separation of church and state – Current (Violation Psalm 33:12)
These are just a few of the policies the Democratic party has run on for decades. Many of these are mentioned in scripture as sins that are an abomination to God. And every year they make it crystal clear where they stand and quite honestly when I look at the church overall I am bewildered and saddened to see what I see. While we are seeing society unravel due in large part to these radical demonic policies we still have Christians electing people who will bring about much worse in the days to come if elected. Notice I am using the word Christians because this post is primarily for those who claim they are followers of Jesus Christ. We are the watchman on the tower for the rest of the world. (Isaiah 49:6) If we fail to let our light shine, then darkness overtakes us. What we see happening in society is a direct responsibility of a sleeping church with their sleeping leaders who have become drunk with the wine of this culture and have endorsed what God had detested. Out of fear of persecution and reprisal have remained silent while the Kingdom is being besieged. We are called to defend these truths entrusted to us. (2 Tim 1:13-14)
This is not about politics; it’s about maintaining the integrity of the Word of God. It’s not about a man running a race, it’s about the man Jesus Christ who completed the race and now sits at the right hand of the father. It’s not about supporting a party or defending a platform, it is simply about supporting those who support the laws, morals, and principles of the Bible and the faith in which you lay claim to. Our hedge is his word. Abiding in his word is we’re we stay protected. We destroy the word, we destroy our hedge and ultimately ourselves. I am motivated by love because love without truth is not love and truth that isn’t loving will not be heard.
I leave you with a quote from the word of God, in which I place my trust, hope, and love.
“And I heard another voice from heaven saying, “Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues. For her sins have reached to heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities.” (Rev 18:4-5)
- Date - October 31, 2020
- Author - Eb Penha
