Can believing in Jesus heal politics?
When you think of the political atmosphere all over the world right now, it kind of makes you wonder if politics will ever calm down, even just a little bit. Will people learn how to treat those they disagree with, with more respect? Since I’m always talking about learning to think, pray, and love like Jesus, here on the podcast, I’m wondering: Is believing in Jesus enough to heal all these political problems we’re facing today?
The basic answer is: Yes. But it’s not enough just to say you believe in Jesus. Some of the people who claim to believe in Jesus are adding to the problem instead of healing it.
A while back, I responded to a friend’s meme on Facebook which attacked a politician from the “other” party. I have learned that it’s pretty much impossible to change someone’s political leanings, especially in a social media post. And that’s not what I was trying to. But I felt this meme referred to something that happened years ago and took it 95% out of context in an attempt to portray what an evil person the opposition was.
Hey, I don’t mind if someone disagrees with a politician’s policies. That’s only normal. That happens all the time. But to purposefully misrepresent something is using a lie to attack them. I do have a problem with that.
Telling lies is not the way of Jesus
Let there be honest disagreements on the issues. Let there be honest discussions where both sides actually listen to each other. I know, that’s easier said than done. But when you use outright lies or take things wildly out of context to denigrate someone you disagree with, you’re only defaming your own integrity.
When you tell lies about someone, you’re actually using one the devil’s favorite and most often used tools. If you think that works to your advantage, go ahead. But I don’t recommend it.
Consider yourself forewarned. Jesus made it clear that telling lies is the work of the devil. He says of the devil. He says of the devil,
He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies. John 8:44 NIV
If you’re telling lies about someone, you’re actually working for the devil instead of God.
When I posted my objection to the meme’s misleading tactics, another friend jumped into the Facebook comments defending the meme and agreeing how terrible this particular politician was.
Now if you’re in the United States and you’re a Republican, you’ll assume it was a Democrat bashing a Republican. If you’re a Democrat, you will assume it was a Republican trying to smear a Democrat.
If you’re in a different country, you can substitute the political parties there.
Does believing in Jesus bring healing to politics?
Isn’t it just amazing that we can see when someone else plays dirty but we justify it when we, or someone we align with politically, do exactly the same thing?
The conversation could have escalated very quickly. But that’s not where I wanted to go. My friends are genuinely concerned for the welfare of the country. And so am I. And I knew that’s where they were coming from. After a couple of responses back and forth, I simply added this question in the comments:
“What do you think is going to heal the great problems our country faces today? That’s what I’m interested in.”
Here’s the response I got: “Jesus, only Jesus.” I couldn’t agree more. Jesus definitely has the answers.
Can believing in Jesus heal our country?
Is believing in Jesus enough to heal our country?
Most Christians would immediately answer yes. And so did I. At first.
But the more I’ve thought about it, it seems clear to me that believing in Jesus is not enough to heal this country, or any problem large or small.
You’re probably thinking: Hey wait a minute, James. Don’t you think believing in Jesus is important?
Yes, of course I do. But here’s my point. Just believing in Jesus is not enough, however much people claim it is. Just believing in Jesus does not necessarily include living your life the way you should.
Well, let’s back up just a little bit. I guess it actually depends on how you define believing in Jesus.
How do you define believing in Jesus?
If you want to define “believe” as a faith that goes down deep into your heart and completely transforms the way you think and act in regard to your fellow man, even including those pesky politicians you disagree with, then I’ll agree with you, believing in Jesus is enough.
However, if you say you believe in Jesus but you don’t live your life the way he wants you to, and you go around telling lies about people and publicly express hatred toward the people you disagree with politically, then I will have to say that version of believing in Jesus is not enough to solve any problem, big or small, and never will.
Jesus was very firm on this point. He said,
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.” Matthew 7:21 NIV
“Who does the will of my Father.” Let that sink in a bit. Just believing in Jesus and calling him your Lord, but not putting your faith into action by obeying God’s will, is not enough. At least according to Jesus.
Are you a sheep or a goat?
There is also that famous parable of the sheep and the goats, those who lived their lives according to God’s will taking care of the less fortunate, and those who believed in Jesus but did not live their faith by helping others.
Jesus makes a big distinction between saying you believe in him and proving you believe in him by caring for others. He said to those who didn’t minister to those in need:
I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’
“They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’
“He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’ Matthew 25:42-45 NIV
We all like to think of ourselves as sheep. But how will Jesus see us?
I bring all this up because there are people on both sides of the political spectrum, politicians and civilians alike, who say they believe in Jesus, but their actions often have little if any resemblance to being Christlike.
Is believing in Jesus enough?
When someone says they believe in Jesus and wrap themselves in religious language, but does not actually follow Christ in their daily life, personally and professionally, what they call believing in Jesus is actually causing problems instead of solving them.
We have to put our faith into practice.
Now, here again, you may be thinking: Hey James, what about Paul and Silas’s comments to the Keeper of the Prison in Philippi:
Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household. Acts 16:31 NIV
He doesn’t say you have to do anything.
And there are other similar passages where believing in Jesus appears to be all that’s required. For example, this often quoted passage,
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast. Ephesians 2:8, 9 NIV
Not saved by works
Sometimes when I say it’s not enough just to believe in Jesus, there are a few folks who misunderstand and think I’m saying we are saved or justified by our works, that salvation is works based. That’s not what I’m saying at all.
The book of James puts it this way, and this is what I was talking about earlier when I said it depends on how you define faith.
… faith without deeds is dead. James 2:26 NIV
Paul is not saying that dead faith will save you. He’s talking about a living faith that obeys and follows Christ in daily life.
And when Paul said to the Jailer, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved,” that was the first step of a continuing faith that would practice the precepts of Jesus. The jailer actually immediately followed up on that. He took care of Paul and gave him something eat.
And Jesus himself said to many people, “Your faith has made you whole.” It sounds like faith in Jesus is enough to heal and save us.
What kind of faith saves?
But let’s take a closer look at those healings and what kind of faith those people had. When a woman reached from the crowd to touch the hem of Jesus’s robe and was healed, Jesus said,
“Take heart, daughter,” he said, “your faith has healed you.” And the woman was healed at that moment. Matthew 9:22 NIV
Now, look at her faith. It was not the kind of faith that left her on her bed back at home or her prayer chair. It was a faith that propelled her to take action, to seek and reach out to Jesus.
The same goes for the fellow whose friends carried him on a cot and let him down through the roof of the house where Jesus was. Jesus saw their faith. What kind of faith was it? It was not a passive faith that simply said, “I believe Jesus can heal me.” It was a deep conviction to do whatever it took to get to Jesus and ask for healing.
Faith is not simply saying you believe in Jesus. It means you will follow him and obey his commandments. Faith includes and requires action or it is not worth much. As James says, that kind of faith is dead.
Let’s get back to how believing in Jesus heals politics
Now, let’s bring this idea back to the political arena. Believing in Jesus with an active, living faith that impels you to do God’s will, is the only kind of faith that will help heal our problems, individually and collectively.
I have Christian friends on both sides of the political spectrum. Each camp thinks it is right and closest to what Jesus would want. And each side is convinced the other side is doing the work of the devil.
It isn’t enough to claim you are a Christian, to say you believe in Jesus. You must live your faith. I have rarely seen such hatred come from any other source as I have from people who call themselves followers of Jesus and then spew out venom toward others, even fellow Christians, they disagree with politically or theologically, or whatever.
Once again, the book of James offers a stern rebuke for this sort of thinking.
With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. James 3:9, 10 NIV
Instruction by Jesus
Jesus said we should love our enemies. He did not say we should lambaste them, point out every tiny sin, or tell lies about them.
Jesus said we should bless those who curse us.
What would happen in your country, any country, if all the politicians and politically opinionated people on both sides, who say they believe in Jesus, would actually do this?
I invite you to think of someone who is on the exact opposite of the political spectrum from you and take time to love and bless them the way Jesus would want you to, with no strings attached, no ulterior motives. Just love and bless them. And reach out to them if led to by God.
Go into the closet of prayer, in the privacy of your own heart. Let there be a transformation in your heart. Then let that show up in your public life.
I don’t care how right you think you are or how wrong you think they are in the sight of God on a particular issue. That doesn’t matter for this prayer. Jesus’ command to bless and love is unconditional.
Believing in Jesus means loving and praying for your political enemies
Please take moment right now, and more many more moments, later and often, to love and bless your political opponents.
And by the way, when Jesus said to pray for those who oppose us, I don’t think he meant to pray or work against them. I’ve heard of well-known preachers who prayed for politicians they disagree with to die. That is the absolute opposite of what Jesus is talking about.
If you are concerned about the political situation in your country, please, please, please, pray for those you disagree with. Do not curse them or tell lies about them. Bless them. Love them.
This doesn’t mean you agree with their ideas, but you treat them with love, the love of Jesus, which you say is in your heart.
Jesus in not here on earth today as a flesh and blood person to do what he did 2,000 years ago. He expected and empowered his followers, you and me, through the Holy Spirit, to continue and increase his work.
How will you follow Jesus?
Will you love and bless your political foes? Will you listen to them and try to understand their position instead of believing and sharing snarky memes based on lies, or worse?
Will you actually treat others the way Jesus wants you to? What’s it called? Oh yeah, the Golden Rule.
If all those who call themselves Christians will love and bless their enemies, yes, even the political ones, the way Jesus wants us to, it will revolutionize the world.
Believing in Jesus is enough…
…if you are actually following him.
Salvation does not come from Republican or Democrat policies. And whatever policies are in place, whether you agree or disagree with them, cannot prevent the salvation of Christ breaking forth upon you and your country.
Living your faith in Jesus
You say you believe in Jesus. Put all your faith in him and his message of Truth and Love. Let it be an active faith of praising God and ministering to those in need, and loving your enemies.
Jesus didn’t come to give political deliverance to the faithful. Rome was still in charge politically when he left the earth. He came to bring something much better, the kingdom of heaven.
How does all this affect your personal life? Believing in Jesus and actually following him, especially in this realm of politics, and political opinions, and all that stuff, it makes you less opinionated. You’re not so bothered and reactionary to the news, especially those you disagree with because you see from a higher perspective, God is in charge.
You find more peace in your life, which is a direct result of genuinely believing in and following Christ. And this brings healing to the political scene partly because you quit adding anger, hatred, and condemnation to the conversations you’re part of, whether it’s in person or on social media.
You can reach out to and interact with people you disagree with in the spirit of love and a compassionate heart.
Digging deeper
If you’d like to dig into this topic more about how to pray about the political situation and b ring healing to all the divisiveness in the political scene, there are a couple of previous episodes you’ll enjoy.
264 – Finding Peace During Political Turmoil
240 – How Would Jesus Heal Political Division?
Is believing in Jesus enough to heal political problems? Absolutely, if we are truly following him in our thoughts, motives, and words, our prayers and actions, but not otherwise.
How will you take your faith in Jesus into the political arena and bring healing?
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James Early, the Jesus Mindset Coach, is a Bible teacher, speaker, and podcaster. He conducts Bible workshops online and in person. His focus is on getting back to the original Christianity of Jesus by embracing the mindset of Christ in daily life. Contact him here.
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Bible verses
John 8:44 NIV
44 He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.
Matthew 7:21 NIV
21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.”
Matthew 25:42-45 NIV
25 I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink,
43 I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’
44 “They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’
45 “He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’
Acts 16:31 NIV
Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.
Ephesians 2:8, 9 NIV
8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—
9 not by works, so that no one can boast.
James 2:26 NIV
26 … faith without deeds is dead.
Matthew 9:22 NIV
22 “Take heart, daughter,” he said, “your faith has healed you.” And the woman was healed at that moment.
James 3:9, 10 NIV
9 With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness.
10 Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be.
