Is God a Republican?

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Here in America we’ve been trained to think that our Christian faith is measured by our political passion, and that being a good Christian means being a good conservative Republican, as if the two were synonymous. We are certain that God sides with us politically, and that surely God is a Republican Himself. Ironically, when I look at the life of Jesus and His apolitical example,  I don’t see any obligation for my own political involvement. In fact I have never seen or heard of a political view or candidate that is even worth comparing to the King of Kings and His Kingdom. And as for living here, the Scriptures seem to say that my purpose in America is not for politics, but to share the good news of the Kingdom of Heaven and to make fellow disciples of Jesus. And though I live here in America, I understand that my “citizenship is in heaven, and from it [I] await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.”

Consider this:

Outside the city walls of Jericho, Joshua meets a man with a drawn sword. The Israelites have cautiously and deliberately entered the land of Canaan, so you can imagine how Joshua might have felt being confronted by an armed man outside the enemy city. Joshua poses a question that seems reasonable to ask, “Are you for us, or for our enemies?” But the man’s response is one that neither Joshua nor anyone else would expect: “No.” This response doesn’t answer the question, “Israelites or Canaanites,” but instead gives a third alternative: This man does not choose sides, He is an entity unto Himself (very characteristic for the Son of God), for He is the “commander of the army of the LORD.” The question has been turned on its head, and the choice becomes Joshua’s instead: Are you for Me, or against Me?

Then this “commander of the LORD’s army” comes up with the most bizarre plan to overthrow Jericho: the Israelites are to march around the city once a day for an entire week, led by seven priests carrying the Ark of the Covenant. Then on the seventh day they march around the city seven times, and the priests blow the shofar and the people shout.  This plan is militarily unsound, it is physically impossible, but it is spiritually perfect.

Similarly, the “commander of the army of the LORD” gives us Americans a third alternative for taking sides. He does not answer our question “Republican or Democrat,” instead He asks if we are on His side, for like Joshua we are either for Him or against Him. Then He gives us the most bizarre plan, it is unsound and it is impossible. His plan is not to defeat the enemy with worldly conventions: political power, forced morality, or elections. Instead, He tasks us with deeds of love and mercy, the most unintuitive but spiritually perfect plan anyone could ever imagine.

Choose this day whom you will serve.

6 thoughts on “Is God a Republican?”

  1. Ryan,

    Thanks for posting. I find myself extremely sympathetic to your position. I am grateful not to be ALONE in this arena. I must tell you, I recently took a job in a paramilitary organization. We start our day with a pledge of allegiance to the flag. I have refused allegiance to the flag. I am not impressed by the line “…nation under God…” one bit. It is not sugar for the pill.

    It is, though, very thinly disguised idolatry. I have chosen to take a Daniel-like position. Thus far, I have not been challenged on it, and so I have been able to flourish (thank God!).

    So… I thank you for posting.

    Now… on a more theological (but I think related) front. I wonder if you have ever considered the symbolism of the “Legion” demoniac of Mark 5.

    I wrote my own layman’s commentary on Mark a few years ago. My exploration of that gospel leads me to view the whole book as deeply apocalyptic – ever bit as much as the book of Revelation, really. And so I find apocalyptic style symbolism all through.

    I do not mean to suggest that Mark is not a historical account of Jesus at all. I think real stuff in realhistory can, and often does, carry the freight of symbolism as well. And so, I think the demoniac there represents, symbolically, all of Rome. So… If you read Mark twice, once historically and then a second time symbolically, you get all the richness of both which makes it at least twice as rich! And if you allow that demoniac to stand in for Rome, you have the empire gashing himself with stones, living in the tombs, breaking chains, and being beastly and out of control to such a point that no one can bind him any more. And yet, he is running to Jesus, falling before him and crying for mercy.

    Then look at the demoniac in Mark 9. Sadly this son of the father (the meaning of the name Bar Abbas aka Barabbas) has a demon that the disciples are unable to cast out. Now, previously in Mark 6:13, the boys were casting out lots of demons – no problem! But this one is special. This one is stubborn. Whats up???

    Well, what if this demon symbolically represents a very Jewish demon. What if this one is the log-in-the-eye demon! Even the father says, “If you can…” to Jesus! Is that not a devils temptation coming from the mouth of the father??? Jesus is the true Son of God who comes to save that other son of God (ISRAEL). And the demon has often thrown the boy into the fire and into the water…. Fire? Hmmm…. Like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego??? Water? Hmmm… Like the Red Sea???? Just for starters???? Hmmm…

    So… if this were a Jewish demon and the Legion were a Roman demon, then they would be political demons after a fashion. The demons of Us and Them. And the Them demons coming running and begging for mercy. The Us demons come demanding and asking “Why cant your disciples…” and “if you can…”

    The Us demon only comes out by prayer, Jesus says. And we disciples just cannot run around casting it out.

    Just a thought….

    If you don’t accept it, I am okay with it. I think I am the only one to have said it. But I don’t really know that either.

    Anyway, Thanks for the post.

    Keep up the good work.

    X

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    Reply ↓

    • A thinly disguised idolatry indeed. One Saturday I was on my way to the transfer station when I passed a church with a small crowd of men out front. I wondered what they were all doing gathering on the front lawn on a Saturday afternoon. As I went by I could see that they were erecting a big new flag pole with an American flag. Instantly I thought of all the kings of Israel and Judah, even the good ones, who could never bring themselves to tear down the high places. Of these kings it is repeatedly written, “Only the high places were not taken away.” And then of Hezekiah who, “removed the high places and broke down the sacred pillars and cut down the Asherah. . .” When I saw the men on the church lawn, it seemed so clear that they were building a high place to their other god, the god of patriotism, the god of country, and it made me sad. If only the followers of Jesus would have as much passion about Him and His Kingdom as they do about this land of their sojourn.

      I really don’t think of myself as being anti-American, it’s just that I love America about as much as I do my nylon tent when I go camping. Happy enough to have it for the brief stay, but certainly not enough to call it my home. Rich Mullins says it well:
      “Nobody tells you when you get born here
      How much you’ll come to love it
      And how you’ll never belong here”

      Thanks, as always for your thoughtful comments.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply ↓

    • Yes, and that God has “seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus” (Eph 2:6). We are seated with Jesus now and are citizens of His heavenly kingdom now. . . not when we die, but today, in the present!

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