Five Brief Thoughts on the Church and Today's Presidential Elections

On the day of what’s likely to be one of the most contentious and confusing Election Days in modern history, I’m anticipating all kinds of initial reactions. Social media will rage. Family members will be divided. Even riots may transpire. Then things will likely go back to normal - and that’s what I’m kind of afraid.

While I disagree with pundits who say 2020 is the most important election in U.S. history, I fully believe people are treating it this way. To be honest, I’ve been a lot more disappointed by people’s reactions to this political season than I have been by the politics themselves. That’s why I’m cringing a bit in anticipation of the results tonight or the next few days.

So with that in mind, I hope Christians can have a different perspective on what transpires from these elections. I know I’m going to try to be sober-minded as best as possible. So with that being said, I thought I’d share a few thoughts I’d hope others would consider during this unique week.

1. It’s Sometimes Good For “Our Guy” to Lose

I know for the elections, people are hoping that “their guy” wins and expect the worst if the other guy is victorious. For example, if Trump wins, some fear racism and COVID will continue to plague our country. If Biden wins, some fear socialism and anarchy will be unleashed. However, if God is sovereign, I’d argue that it might be good if your guy loses.

In his book Political Visions & Illusions, David Koyzis argues that while every political ideology captures some aspect of justice, they all fall short of achieving true justice. So what’s the solution? As Koyzis argues, “[I]t may be that, in God’s providence, the need for liberals and socialists to compromise may accidentally tend toward a justice that…nevertheless mitigates their worst features.”

In other words, if neither conservatives nor liberals are fully right or fully wrong, then it’s probably good to have a mixture of conservative and liberal presidents taking turns to lead this country. In this fallen world, the different ideologies tend to balance the justice scales and we rest knowing God knows when to do this (Dan 2:20-21). So while it’s frustrating to live in a two-party system, it might actually have a better chance at achieving justice than living in a single-party government.

2. Will Churches Still be Divided Over Politics?
Perhaps I’m too young to remember, but I don’t think I’ve ever seen churches and church leaders as politically divided as they have been in 2020. In the past, what separated churches from fellowship were topics like the Lord’s Supper, justification, inerrancy, and sexuality. While you’d wish the church would never be divided, at least they were divided over theological issues.

But what’s dividing churches today are questions involving Critical Race Theory, Black Lives Matter, and presidential qualifications. There are camps/tribes forming depending on where you stand on these issues. For example, if you affirm aspects of CRT, support BLM, and emphasize the character of a president, you are part of the “woke tribe.” If you’re critical of CRT, denounce BLM, and emphasize the policies of a president, you’re part of this developing “neo-anglo nationalist Christian tribe.”

While it’s understandable seeing the world divided over such political issues, it’s discouraging seeing God’s church also divided over them. After all, it’s our allegiance to Christ the King that unites us together - not a political ideology. And if find yourself looking for a church that’s more united in it’s political ideology than in Christ, then perhaps you’re not really looking for a church.

3. The Traditional Political Narratives Must Change

One major take-away I got from this election season is that way Christians approach individual political issues probably needs to shift. If not, we will likely fail to have any type of constructive dialogue. For example, when speaking about abortion, Christians tend to make this a single-issue matter and only emphasize the life of the unborn. But while this may be true, we also need to better understand how single-matter issues work and how to dignify the rights of women in such a conversation.

Another example is same-sex relationships. While before Christians would only speak about how same-sex relationships are wrong, I think this approach probably needs to change. We have to figure out a way to stay biblically true while also dignifying the life and rights of those who identify themselves as part of the LGBTQ community.

To be clear, I’m not saying Christians should ever abandon their orthodox views of sexuality or the unborn. Rather, the public conversations about these topics have evolved into predictable social scripts to the point where they’ve become cliches. People know what Christians are going to say about each topic before Christians even say anything. So just as the Apostle Paul shifted the way he spoke to Jews and Gentiles (1 Cor 9:20), we also need to shift the way we talk about these political issues.

4. It’s Encouraging Seeing Asian American Christians More Politically Involved
A few years ago, I lamented how Asian Americans don’t seem to care about politics - especially Asian American Christians. That’s because Asian churches tend to emphasize the Great Commission to make disciples (Mt 28:18-2) while ignoring the Great Command to love our neighbors (Mk 12:31). As a result, we often care far more about serving overseas rather than seeking the good and welfare of our local city and country.

But things seem to have shifted. I’m seeing Asian American Christians way more interested and involved than ever before. Perhaps we’re just being posers and copying what the majority culture is doing. Perhaps it’s due to the unprecedented platforming of Asian Americans, which gives us more ownership of this country. Or perhaps this is the beginning of a real intersection between faith and politics.

Whatever the case may be, it’s encouraging to see Asian American churches caring more about seeking justice and loving mercy. And they’re doing this not by simply “doing outreach” in the local park; instead, they’re getting involved in policies and government - God’s ordained means for people to receive justice (Rom 13:1-7).

5. Remembering Our Mission

This past Sunday, I was comforted hearing a message reminding me that no matter what happens today, our church’s mission remains the same: to preach the gospel and make disciples (Mt 28:18-20). The elections may change the circumstances of how we accomplish our mission, but it does not change the mission itself.

That’s because as Christians, our purpose in this world is far greater than the elections or what this country has to offer. So while we should never minimize the impact of political leaders and policies, we should also not be held captive to the results. God reigns. Christ is King. “He changes times and seasons; He removes kings and sets up kings” (Dan 2:20-21).

And in this I will find my rest and I hope you can find your rest too.