Would Jesus Jump on My Political Bandwagon?

     My parents warned me, “Never discuss sex, politics, or religion because they’re explosive.” Alert: I’m talking about two of them here.     
     I’m a Christian, I’m thankful to be an American, and like you, I’m concerned about the spiraling down of our culture. That’s why some Christians yearn to make America great again. But would Jesus jump on this bandwagon? Building up a country wasn’t his priority because he declared his realm isn’t in this world. When his supporters sought to make Israel great again by crowning him king, Jesus shunned their efforts. And when offered all the kingdoms of the world, he turned them down.
     “Evangelicals claim to follow a Savior who relinquished worldly power,” historian and evangelical John Fea says. “Yet they continue to place their hope in political candidates as a means of advancing an agenda that confuses the kingdom of God with the United States of America.” I’ve done that, too.      
     In contrast, Jesus’ early followers understood that our primary citizenship is God’s kingdom, while nationality is our secondary citizenship. They perceived that we are aliens and strangers here, and that our hearts should long for God’s heavenly country.    
     But you say America is an exception because we’re a Christian nation? Evangelical theologian Michael Horton disagrees. “The only Christian nation in the world today is the one gathered ‘from every tribe and language and people and nation’ (Rev. 5:9) to be addressed by its king.” Horton points out that Jesus commissioned his followers “…to proclaim the gospel, not political opinions; to baptize people in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, not in the name of America or a political party; and to teach everything that he delivered, not our own personal and political priorities.”
     Then how should we Christians function as American citizens? I look to Billy Graham here. He learned that aligning himself politically was negative in representing the gospel. Therefore, he warned the religious right not to seek political power. “I came close to identifying the American way of life with the kingdom of God,” he said. “Then I realized that God had called me to a higher kingdom than America.” Graham declared he would no longer be “closely identified with any particular party or person. We have to stand in the middle in order to preach to all people, right and left.”      
     For me, this means gratefully exercising my privilege to vote for those I believe will do the best job, while not granting unquestioning loyalty to any politician, party, or platform. Then I’m free to embrace what is right and to call out what is wrong.      
     Scripture exhorts me to display the fruit of God’s Spirit - love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control - a stark contrast to arrogance I may be tempted to exhibit in my zeal. Therefore, I shouldn’t excuse or applaud lying, bullying, name calling, and mockery from either side of the political spectrum, even when it’s used to advance a goal I support. I am to walk humbly, reflecting God’s heart by seeking justice and mercy for society and wholeness for individuals.      
     So would Jesus jump on my political bandwagon? I don’t think so. I am to jump on his - a quiet revolution in hearts that leads to a contagious reform in culture.   
     Interestingly, when we Christians seek first God’s kingdom, we’ll be good Americans, too, by fulfilling our nation’s motto: “In God We Trust.”
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     Image from Clipart Panda with text added.