“If someone says, ‘I love God,’ and hates his brother, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen.” 1 John 4: 20 NASB
For over two years the Media has defined what it means to be Christian by people’s political and religious beliefs. Rarely, are we depicted as Disciples of Christ. Instead many articles and debates question who are the real Christians? Some have defined Christianity based on political and religious; if you are a true Christian you must ascribe to certain political and religious traditions.
I was struck this week by a question posed on a radio station on whether or not Christians who support President Trump are really Christians. Can Christians be characterized by their support or criticism of a leader or political party in lieu of their faith? There are many that argue they can because certain political and religious ideals are rooted in the teachings of Jesus Christ. I found this interesting because our salvation and adoption as God’s children cannot be secured through the law or our adaption to world systems.
Those of us who identify ourselves as Christian believe in Jesus Christ, that He died for our sins, was raised from the dead, and is alive today at the right hand of God our Father. We know “that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.” Romans 10: 9-10 (NASB)
Unfortunately, in the height of political debates and a politically charge environment we have succumb to defining Christianity through a political lens. We have this delusion that the party we belong to or the leaders we show allegiance to has some impact on our entrance into the Kingdom of God; or defines us as a disciple of Christ. This is just absurd, because you are trying to judge something that is spiritually rooted in God with something rooted in mankind.
Our salvation is not obtained by any work we do or what others have done. We cannot stand before God and claim that because we ascribe to a set of political and religious ideologies we are proven to be the Children of God. The only reason we can stand before God blameless, is because Jesus Christ died for our sins. He took our sin and punishment. We were graciously given Jesus’ righteousness in exchange and have been reconciled to the Father. There is no work we have done to earn our salvation, so we have no right to boast in our political and religious beliefs. The law cannot save us, so it is ridiculous to think adhering to certain religious and political beliefs and laws (defined by men) can save us.
The bible is clear that we can identify Christians (the Children of God) by the love that we have for one another. Jesus even said we would know people by their fruit. So if a person claims to love God but hates his brother he is a liar and Christ is not in him. If one claims to follow Jesus but is full of hatred they are not Jesus’ disciple. Whatever comes out of the mouth reveals what is in the heart. Whether we are ruled by love or hate speaks more to our faith in Jesus Christ than anything else, including our political party affiliation or religious sect.
Politics and religion will always reveal hypocrisy in man. Often time these belief systems run contrary to the person’s own behavior. Also, it is mostly used to sit in judgment of others and think too highly of ourselves. Boasting about our political and religious ideologies is rooted in pride and God hates pride. We are taught in scripture to hold our brother in higher esteem than ourselves.
Christianity is defined by humility. Jesus Christ, who is God, became man and walked amongst us. He took our sin and became the perfect sacrifice and died so that we might live. It is through Jesus’ resurrection that we have eternal life and power. There is no other name in heaven or on the earth that is greater than Jesus. Jesus is the only one who is deemed the Savior of mankind.
Our faith is not evident through our political and religious symbols and allegiance. Jesus said the world would know we are His disciples by the love we have for one another. We may disagree on the political and religious battlefield but even in our disagreement we are called to love.
For those that want to know how to spot a Christian, check their fruit (character). Jesus said you will know us by our fruit. If these things (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control, see Galatians 5:22-23) are not evident in a person’s character, then the Spirit of God is not in them and they are not known by Jesus.
21“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. 22Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ 23And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you who practice lawlessness.’ Matthew 7:21-23 NASB
Reflections 