The Foundation of Christian Politics

[Gary Petty] About three times a week, I receive a religious journal containing articles written from all kinds of different Christian viewpoints. On a regular basis, authors filled with righteous indignation explain how Republicans can't be authentic Christians. And then there are the responding articles explaining in great detail why Democrats must repent because they aren't real Christians. Both sides quote the Bible to prove that they are the true representatives of God. Both sides claim to base their views in the truth revealed through Jesus.

What is the solution to this Christian political division? What is the foundation of a Christian view of politics?

The answer can be found in a story about Jesus when He was confronted by different views on political power. The leaders of the Jewish government had sent Jesus to Pontius Pilate, accusing him of terrible crimes. Pilate asked for an explanation of the accused exact crimes. The answer from the Jewish leaders was, well, ambiguous. If He were not an evil doer, we would not have delivered Him up to you. Pilate perceived that the issue was one concerning Jewish religion, not Roman law, and told them to judge Him themselves.

They answered him, it is not lawful for us to put anyone to death. The response of these Jewish leaders to Jesus' message was that they wanted Him to be executed. Pilate entered the Praetorium where Jesus stood under guard and demanded, are you the king of the Jews?

You see, if Jesus was proclaiming to be a king, then He could be accused of breaking Roman law. Jesus answered him, are you speaking for yourself about this, or did others tell you this concerning Me? Pilate responded with what's really apparent frustration, am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priest have delivered you to Me. What have you done? And what Jesus says next is the answer to the political and cultural wars between Christians, so listen carefully.

Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight so that I should not be delivered to the Jews, but now My kingdom is not from here.

Pilate had the ammunition to condemn the Jewish preacher. He asked, are you a king then? Jesus answered, You say rightly that I am a king. 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.

Now I want you to think about this for a minute. Throughout Jesus' ministry, He proclaimed the gospel or the good news of the kingdom of God. And here He's saying He's the king. The message He was spreading throughout Judea was about worshiping God, about loving neighbor, about being pure in heart, all in the context of the kingdom of God, a kingdom, a political system of government.

Pilate understood the violent power of Roman politics. He now stands before a man who has no armies, no economic system, no grand governmental institutions, and He claims to represent the truth that He is the king of an otherworldly kingdom. Pilate responded with a question that summarizes the human desire and frustration to no meaning and the ultimate answers about reality and life and death. He said to Jesus, what is truth? When Pilate had said this, he went out to the Jews and said to them, I find no fault in Him at all.

This remarkable confrontation between what was seen as a lowly Jewish itinerant preacher and a powerful Roman governor forces a decision on anyone who wants to discover the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Jesus declared that He was a king of a kingdom. Unlike the visible kingdom of Rome, His is a kingdom beyond this world, and He came into this world to teach people this truth. He had come into the human realm to bring God's power and rule into their lives.

Pilate decided that Jesus posed no threat to Rome. He was actually willing to let Him go. But in the end, He submitted to political pressures, and Jesus crucified.

This story shows different ways of dealing with political truth. We see that one is the way of the Jewish Sanhedrin. They knew of God and believed in the prophecies about a king who had come to establish God's kingdom on earth. They knew these prophecies. They looked forward to them. Jesus claimed to be the prophesied Messiah, the king. But He was nothing like what they expected. He wasn't overthrowing Roman rule. In fact, He spent much of His time condemning the Jewish leaders for their self-righteousness and for not understanding the real meaning of the kingdom of God.

What did Jesus mean by claiming that He was a king from somewhere else? When you study His teachings, you find He reveals this otherworldly kingdom's power. It is the rule of the Almighty Creator God and how it can change everything in your life.

Then there's the political truth of Pilate, who lived in a world where truth was relative except in the realm of power. You see, the Romans tolerated different religions, different philosophies, and exerted little control over the individual's religious practices or morality. They encouraged trade and mingling of different cultures as long as Rome benefited from it and there was peace. The Roman ideal was the oxymoron of tolerance enforced by subjugation.

In this story, though, we find a third way of determining political truth, found that Jesus' audacious claim to represent an otherworldly kingdom and that He is the revelation of all truth.

This means that believing the gospel of Jesus Christ includes accepting the ultimate reality of the God who sent Him into our physical realm to define truth. If you come to really accept that God reveals truth through Jesus Christ, you will discover His gospel challenges everything you believe and do in life.

Jesus as King issues a challenge to you even if you are a churchgoer who has simply accepted what you've always been taught about Jesus. It is time to truly understand Jesus as King.

It is not that the kingdom of God exists outside of human experience. God is the Creator of all things, both in the spiritual and physical realms. He rules over all His creation, but Satan is also real. And human beings created with free will must learn to choose between good and evil and to choose to submit either to the rule of God or the rule of Satan in their lives. It really comes down to it's that simple. And this isn't because Satan somehow overthrew God's kingdom. It's because God, the sovereign God, allows it.

For a limited time God has allowed Satan limited influence over humanity. Jesus came into this world to announce that as the Son of God, His first coming, His first step into Satan's realm is to begin the restoration of God's complete hands-on governance of His creation. During this time of Satan's influence, God still interacts in human history. We know this through biblical prophecy. And He calls those who want to live under His rule now to be representatives of His kingdom to the world around us.

This means that those who respond to God's call are citizens of the Kingdom of God while living in occupied territory. We are truly sojourners and pilgrims on the earth.

And this is why no human government can create unity, peace, fairness, justice, or stop crime, poverty or war.

Revelation, there is a prophecy of a heavenly declaration at the return of Jesus Christ. And here's what it says, The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever.

You see the gospel of Jesus Christ? That's a political message. When Jesus Christ returns as King, there's going to no longer be any Democrats or Republicans or Independents or Socialists or Communists, no dictators. Just one King who rules with the authority and power of the Almighty God.

And you know, this is going to sound a little outrageous in our postmodern society. There will even be only one religion.

Stripped of Satan's influence and all human attempts to explain God, God will reveal Himself through the new King.

Jesus claimed to be a king. And the New Testament writings claim that biblical prophecies about the Messianic King in the Old Testament apply to Jesus Christ. Either this is true, or the New Testament is nothing more than the fantasies of a mentally ill man and the delusions of his followers.

If you want to understand and respond to Jesus Christ as King, we have a number of videos and study guides to really help you. Go to ucg.org/BT498 to watch a video of the Shocking Teachings of Jesus: The Gospel of the Kingdom.

And read or order your free copy of The Gospel of the Kingdom study aid. The site also includes other videos on the exciting news of Christ's return.ucg.org/BT498.

Jesus' claim is true and He is returning. To accept Jesus as your Savior, the way to know God, and to serve Him as the coming King will mean that you will live the rest of your life out of step with society. That's the reality of what it means to be a Christian. And this doesn't mean you're going to live your life as a recluse. God actually expects you to interact with others as a representative of His kingdom.

Jesus Christ came to reveal this truth. If you are ready to accept what He teaches, then you will begin to understand why God made you and the incredible future He has planned for those who live beyond the platforms of political parties and become citizens in the kingdom of God.

So remember, if you want to understand and respond to Jesus Christ as King, we have a number of videos and study guides to help you. Go to ucg.org/BT498 to watch a video, The Shocking Teachings of Jesus: The Gospel of the Kingdom, and read or order your free copy of The Gospel of the Kingdom. It's a study aid that will really help you with this subject.

This site also includes other videos on the exciting news of Christ's return, ucg.org/BT498. This will help you understand this incredible truth. ucg.org/BT498