Whose Side is God on Anyways?
Examining God’s position on polarizing issues
I was always fascinated by the Civil War. I guess I romanticized it after watching many movies and documentaries about it. However, the older I get, the more I struggle with it. After having visited Gettysburg a couple of times, I lost the fascination with the “pageantry,” the tactics, the sheer dumb luck, the weaponry, and the epic nature of the battles. I guess at some point, my heart shifted.
Standing on the same rocks that once had blood spilt on them—the blood of one American spilt by another—changes you. I still watch the movies and documentaries, but now, more so to simply try to understand how it could come to that. How did brothers, fathers, sons, daughters, neighbors, friends, and pastors end up facing off on a battlefield so horrifying, body-mangling, and soul-destroying? How could the “United” States go so far down a dark road that it would just tear itself apart at the seams? Sadly, I feel I’m starting to get a glimpse as to how that happened in the cultural political climate that is 2020.
I have also been fascinated by World War II. It too was romanticized for me in film. Like the American Civil War, the heroism and patriotism and fighting against “evil” just sparked something in me to be drawn again to study it. In doing so, I fell upon the quandary, “How could the Germans be so blind to what was going on? Or did they actually support it?” How could one people so hate others as to commit such despicable, detestable atrocities?
But one thing in my “hobby-study” has stuck out like a sore thumb. In both wars, all sides were praying to the same God (even singing the same worship songs). All sides were seeking the same God’s help. All sides were seeking the same God’s power. All sides were assuming God was on their side. Like a punch to the gut, I saw things from a different perspective. I took my eyes off my curiosity and found myself glaring down into the blinding realization that we all expect God to take our side. In any debate, in any arena, on any battlefield, in any argument, in any fight, we pray that God would go before us.
We pray that He would slay our enemies before us or give us a mighty hand to slay them ourselves. We pray that He would fit us with the best weapons, be they swords or arguments, bullets or words, to destroy our enemies. We pray that He would show the world His backing of our cause and avenge our brethren before us.
And so often we assume He is going before us. We assume that since we, in our mind, are fighting a righteous fight, then He is on our side. We assume that we are taking up the right cause if our cause seems right in our eyes. We assume that if we have at least one position consistent with scripture, God must be for us.
There is a glaring problem with all this. Our sides are NOT God’s side. Our causes are NOT God’s cause. The Lord doesn’t take sides—He IS a side. God doesn’t support a cause—He is the cause (by that I’m not suggesting any concept of Calvinism or predestination—just simply that God is the only Just and Right cause for all people, and any cause that isn’t 100 percent in line with God is not His cause). He doesn’t join you; you join Him. He doesn’t support your cause—you support HIS. You are either for Him or against Him (Matthew 12:30).
He is for us when we are for Him, He loves us when we are not, but He is not going to fight for you when you are in the wrong—even if you may get some things right. He is not going to fight your battle if something in your battle is contrary to His character—even if part of what you are fighting for is consistent with His character. He is not going to go before you in battle if He has not called you to that battle. He is not going to empower you to lay waste to your enemies if your cause was not first His cause.
God is Truth. You either stand for Truth or you don’t. There is no room for half the Truth. You either stand for the WHOLE Truth or you don’t stand for Truth at all. I am in no way assuming that any human has or knows the WHOLE Truth, just suggesting that our feeble attempts to get God on “our side” vs “their side,” particularly in political squabbles, is erroneous because neither side stands for that complete Truth. I am stating that it is foolish to arrogantly assume that any one group stands for the Truth and no one else does when no one can know the fullness of God’s Will and Truth.
If I said, “The Truth is 2+2=4, 4+2=7, and 7+2=10,” then I don’t know Truth and my statement is wrong. I don’t get brownie points for getting “2+2=4” correct. My statement is still wrong even though a small portion may be true. A set, formulation, system, ideology, or philosophy of truth is either all true or it is simply false (That’s not to say that it doesn’t contain some truth, but that as a whole, it is the sum of its parts, and as a whole, is judged by its parts; thus, even if just one tenet of the whole is false, the whole is rendered insufficient, inadequate, and thus false). God is not interested in what is false. I cannot stand on partial Truth. We cannot stand on partial Truth. And God is not about to empower us to stand on what is false.
If we cannot stand on partial Truth, and we cannot know the complete and perfect Truth, then how do we stand at all? That is my point! We don’t stand. We bow—in humility. We drop to our knees and pray that God would make up for our insufficiency, our inadequacy, and our falsehoods. We cannot stand on our own and God doesn’t stand by us. WHEN we stand, we stand by God through the power of His Spirit. The true Worship of God is the recognition that He is infinitely more than what we can quantify and qualify, thus ascribing to Him precious value beyond our comprehension. To assume one knows the Truth of God or stands for God is to fall horrifyingly short of truly knowing Him. It is only by His power that we can stand at all.
So, while we don’t get credit for the incomplete truths of our own reasoning in faith, we do get credit for our humility in calling on the name of Christ to make up for our feeble attempts at understanding that Truth. When we pray, “Lord, I believe, help my unbelief!” (Mark 9:24), it is then our prayers are answered, because it is then that we recognize that we are set free, not by the truth we think we know, but by the Truth we can’t comprehend—“a gift of God so that none may boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9).
But this is where we now stand—half-truths. We’ve developed a country where one half says they have the Truth, and the other half says they have the Truth, and neither one holds a position of complete Truth—neither bows wholeheartedly before their maker. Neither stands with God, but instead claim God stands with them. Both sides claim God is on their side, yet both sides compromise His Truth and character with their unwillingness to seek His Will and act according to His Word.
The result is we have a country, once again, torn apart by half-truths. One side claiming the other side can’t possibly have God on their side because they are sacrificing life for convenience; the other side claiming the first side can’t possibly have God on their side because they too are sacrificing life for convenience for a different reason. Guess what? They are both right, and they are both wrong. Both have part of the Truth—God isn’t on the other’s side, but with each, a portion of their total position is inconsistent with the character and will of God. Thus, neither party holds the complete Truth, neither party stands with God, and neither party has God on their side.
So, we find ourselves at a cross-road. Half the country says, “You can’t possibly be counted as a believer if you’re a Democrat because Democrats allow/support ___________(insert your preferred excuses here).” The other half says, “You can’t possibly be counted as a believer if you’re a Republican because Republicans allow/support ____________(insert your preferred excuses here).”
Guess what? I’m betting if Jesus showed up tomorrow, He’d look to His left and He’d look to His right and say something like,
“Part from me, the lot of you, for I know you not” (Matthew 7:21-23). None of you have taken my side—you just bicker about your own. None of you have cared about the things I care about—you just squabble about what you care about. Didn’t any of you read Paul’s words in the scriptures I gave you?”
1 Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate?2 Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose.3 Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves.4 Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.5 You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. 6 Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to.7 Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, 8 he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross…Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear.13 For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.14 Do everything without complaining and arguing,15 so that no one can criticize you. Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people. Philippians 2:1-15 NLT
19 When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures,20 idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division,21 envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God.22 But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there.25 Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives.26 Let us not become conceited, or provoke one another, or be jealous of one another. Galatians 5:19-26 (NLT)
He might follow up that one by saying something like,
“You so willingly point your finger at your brothers and sisters on these things, yet you willfully choose leaders for yourselves that engage in the very same kinds of immoralities, impurities, and idolatries and so much more. Maybe you need to take the log out of your own eye before you focus so much attention on the speck in others (Matthew 7:3).”
7 Don’t be misled—you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant.8 Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit.9 So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.10 Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone—especially to those in the family of faith. Galatians 6:7-10 (NLT)
He might point out,
“I wanted you to notice something here in that Galatians 6:7-8. Did Paul say, “Hey, you should make laws and laws and more laws so people are careful not to sin?” Isn’t that exactly what the Jews did? How did that work out for them? No, Paul said, “People sin, and they will receive what they deserve, but if you live better, you will receive what you deserve”—it’s that simple. Not everyone believes in me. You can’t expect one who doesn’t believe in me to live as they do. It’s not what I want. I want people to choose me for themselves—not forced servitude. I want true worship, from you and from them. So, if you want people’s behavior to change, you need to focus more on introducing them to me and less on trying to make them live like you want them to. When they learn to love me, then they will be conformed to my will. On top of that, Paul said, “I don’t care what their sin is—you should do good to everyone.” Does this sound like your current behavior? I think not.”
1 Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God.2 Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love.3 Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace.4 For there is one body and one Spirit, just as you have been called to one glorious hope for the future.5 There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism,6 and one God and Father, who is over all and in all and living through all. Ephesians 4:1-6 (NLT)
“Where is your humility? Where is your gentleness? Where is your effort to be united?”
21 Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him,22 throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception.23 Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes.24 Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy.25 So stop telling lies. Let us tell our neighbors the truth, for we are all parts of the same body.26 And “don’t sin by letting anger control you.” Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry,27 for anger gives a foothold to the devil.28 If you are a thief, quit stealing. Instead, use your hands for good hard work, and then give generously to others in need.29 Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.30 And do not bring sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit by the way you live. Remember, he has identified you as his own, guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption.31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior.32 Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you. Ephesians 4:21-32 (NLT)
1 Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children.2 Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God.3 Let there be no sexual immorality, impurity, or greed among you. Such sins have no place among God’s people.4 Obscene stories, foolish talk, and coarse jokes—these are not for you. Instead, let there be thankfulness to God.5 You can be sure that no immoral, impure, or greedy person will inherit the Kingdom of Christ and of God. For a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world.6 Don’t be fooled by those who try to excuse these sins, for the anger of God will fall on all who disobey him.7 Don’t participate in the things these people do.8 For once you were full of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord. So live as people of light!9 For this light within you produces only what is good and right and true.10 Carefully determine what pleases the Lord.11 Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness; instead, expose them.12 It is shameful even to talk about the things that ungodly people do in secret.13 But their evil intentions will be exposed when the light shines on them,14 for the light makes everything visible…15 So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise.16 Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days.17 Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do. Ephesians 5:1-17 (NLT)
5 So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you. Have nothing to do with sexual immorality, impurity, lust, and evil desires. Don’t be greedy, for a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world.6 Because of these sins, the anger of God is coming. 7 You used to do these things when your life was still part of this world.8 But now is the time to get rid of anger, rage, malicious behavior, slander, and dirty language.9 Don’t lie to each other, for you have stripped off your old sinful nature and all its wicked deeds.10 Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him.11 In this new life, it doesn’t matter if you are a Jew or a Gentile, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbaric, uncivilized, slave, or free. Christ is all that matters, and he lives in all of us.12 Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.13 Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.14 Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony.15 And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful. Colossians 3:5-15 (NLT)
“Didn’t any of you read John’s words?”
8 Whoever does not love does not know God, for God is love… 11 Beloved, since God loved us so much, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God lives in us, and his love is perfected in us. 13 By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit…God is love, and those who abide in love abide in God, and God abides in them… 18 There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear; for fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not reached perfection in love. 19 We love because he first loved us. 20 Those who say, "I love God," and hate their brothers or sisters, are liars; for those who do not love a brother or sister whom they have seen, cannot love God whom they have not seen. 21 The commandment we have from him is this: those who love God must love their brothers and sisters also. 1 John 4:7-21 (NRSV)
“Didn’t any of you read the words of James?”
19 Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry.20 Human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires.21 So get rid of all the filth and evil in your lives, and humbly accept the word God has planted in your hearts, for it has the power to save your souls.22 But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves… if you do what it says and don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it.26 If you claim to be religious but don’t control your tongue, you are fooling yourself, and your religion is worthless.27 Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you. James 1:19-27 (NLT)
1 My brothers and sisters, do you with your acts of favoritism really believe in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ? 2 For if a person with gold rings and in fine clothes comes into your assembly, and if a poor person in dirty clothes also comes in, 3 and if you take notice of the one wearing the fine clothes and say, "Have a seat here, please," while to the one who is poor you say, "Stand there," or, "Sit at my feet," 4 have you not made distinctions among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts? 5 Listen, my beloved brothers and sisters. Has not God chosen the poor in the world to be rich in faith and to be heirs of the kingdom that he has promised to those who love him? 6 But you have dishonored the poor. Is it not the rich who oppress you? Is it not they who drag you into court? 7 Is it not they who blaspheme the excellent name that was invoked over you? 8 You do well if you really fulfill the royal law according to the scripture, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." 9 But if you show partiality, you commit sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors. 10 For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become accountable for all of it…12 So speak and so act as those who are to be judged by the law of liberty. 13 For judgment will be without mercy to anyone who has shown no mercy; mercy triumphs over judgment. James 2:1-13 (NRSV)
14 What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but don’t show it by your actions? Can that kind of faith save anyone?15 Suppose you see a brother or sister who has no food or clothing,16 and you say, “Good-bye and have a good day; stay warm and eat well”—but then you don’t give that person any food or clothing. What good does that do?17 So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless….19 You say you have faith, for you believe that there is one God. Good for you! Even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror.20 How foolish! Can’t you see that faith without good deeds is useless?... 24 So you see, we are shown to be right with God by what we do, not by faith alone...26 Just as the body is dead without breath, so also faith is dead without good works. James 2:14-26 (NLT)
7 People can tame all kinds of animals, birds, reptiles, and fish,8 but no one can tame the tongue. It is restless and evil, full of deadly poison.9 Sometimes it praises our Lord and Father, and sometimes it curses those who have been made in the image of God.10 And so blessing and cursing come pouring out of the same mouth. Surely, my brothers and sisters, this is not right!11 Does a spring of water bubble out with both fresh water and bitter water?12 Does a fig tree produce olives, or a grapevine produce figs? No, and you can’t draw fresh water from a salty spring. James 3:7-12 (NLT)
13 If you are wise and understand God’s ways, prove it by living an honorable life, doing good works with the humility that comes from wisdom.14 But if you are bitterly jealous and there is selfish ambition in your heart, don’t cover up the truth with boasting and lying.15 For jealousy and selfishness are not God’s kind of wisdom. Such things are earthly, unspiritual, and demonic.16 For wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there you will find disorder and evil of every kind.17 But the wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere.18 And those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of righteousness. James 3:13-18 (NLT)
As the Scriptures say, “God opposes the proud but favors the humble.” 7 So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.8 Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world.9 Let there be tears for what you have done. Let there be sorrow and deep grief. Let there be sadness instead of laughter, and gloom instead of joy.10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up in honor. James 4:1-10 (NLT)
17 Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it. James 4:17 (NLT)
1 Look here, you rich people: Weep and groan with anguish because of all the terrible troubles ahead of you.2 Your wealth is rotting away, and your fine clothes are moth-eaten rags.3 Your gold and silver have become worthless. The very wealth you were counting on will eat away your flesh like fire. This treasure you have accumulated will stand as evidence against you on the day of judgment.4 For listen! Hear the cries of the field workers whom you have cheated of their pay. The wages you held back cry out against you. The cries of those who harvest your fields have reached the ears of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.5 You have spent your years on earth in luxury, satisfying your every desire. You have fattened yourselves for the day of slaughter.6 You have condemned and killed innocent people, who do not resist you. James 5:1-6 (NLT)
I think then, He might say, “If you haven’t read any of these, which it seems like you haven’t considering your willful ignoring of their truths, why would I believe you’ve listened to anything I’ve said?”
3 "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 "Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
5 "Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
6 "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
7 "Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.
8 "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
9 "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
10 "Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven…15 No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven. Matthew 5:3-16 (NRSV)
43 "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' 44 But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may be children of your Father in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous. Matthew 5:43-48 (NRSV)
19 "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal; 20 but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Matthew 6:19-21 (NRSV); Luke 12:32-34 (NRSV)
24 "No one can serve two masters; for a slave will either hate the one and love the other, or be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth. Matthew 6:24 (NRSV)
12 "In everything do to others as you would have them do to you; for this is the law and the prophets. Matthew 7:12 (NRSV)
15 "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. 16 You will know them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thorns, or figs from thistles? 17 In the same way, every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Thus you will know them by their fruits. Matthew 7:15-20 (NRSV)
21 "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven. Matthew 7:21-23 (NRSV)
"Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and no city or house divided against itself will stand.” Matthew 12:25 (NRSV)
33 "Either make the tree good, and its fruit good; or make the tree bad, and its fruit bad; for the tree is known by its fruit. 34 You brood of vipers! How can you speak good things, when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. 35 The good person brings good things out of a good treasure, and the evil person brings evil things out of an evil treasure. 36 I tell you, on the day of judgment you will have to give an account for every careless word you utter; 37 for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned." Matthew 12:33-37 (NRSV)
10 Then he called the crowd to him and said to them, "Listen and understand: 11 it is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but it is what comes out of the mouth that defiles." … "Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted. 14 Let them alone; they are blind guides of the blind. And if one blind person guides another, both will fall into a pit." … 17 Do you not see that whatever goes into the mouth enters the stomach, and goes out into the sewer? 18 But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this is what defiles. 19 For out of the heart come evil intentions, murder, adultery, fornication, theft, false witness, slander. 20 These are what defile a person, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile." Matthew 15:10-20 (NRSV) Mark 7:18-23 (NRSV)
"If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 25 For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it. 26 For what will it profit them if they gain the whole world but forfeit their life? Or what will they give in return for their life? 27 "For the Son of Man is to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay everyone for what has been done. Matthew 16:24-27 (NRSV)
"Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 Whoever becomes humble like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 5 Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me. Matthew 18:3-5 (NRSV); Mark 9:37 (NRSV)
"If you wish to be perfect, go, sell your possessions, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me." Matthew 19:21 (NRSV)
"Truly I tell you, it will be hard for a rich person to enter the kingdom of heaven. 24 Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God." Matthew 19:23-24 (NRSV)
"You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones are tyrants over them. 26 It will not be so among you; but whoever wishes to be great among you must be your servant, 27 and whoever wishes to be first among you must be your slave; 28 just as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many." Matthew 20:25-28 (NRSV)
43 Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people that produces the fruits of the kingdom. 44 The one who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; and it will crush anyone on whom it falls." Matthew 21:43-44 (NRSV)
"'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.' 38 This is the greatest and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' 40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets." Matthew 22:37-40 (NRSV)
2 "The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses' seat; 3 therefore, do whatever they teach you and follow it; but do not do as they do, for they do not practice what they teach. 4 They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on the shoulders of others; but they themselves are unwilling to lift a finger to move them. 5 They do all their deeds to be seen by others…. 6 They love to have the place of honor at banquets and the best seats in the synagogues, 7 and to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces… 11 The greatest among you will be your servant. 12 All who exalt themselves will be humbled, and all who humble themselves will be exalted. Matthew 23:2-12 (NRSV)
23 "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint, dill, and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. It is these you ought to have practiced without neglecting the others. 24 You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel! Matthew 23:23-24 (NRSV)
25 "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and of the plate, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence…27 "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which on the outside look beautiful, but inside they are full of the bones of the dead and of all kinds of filth. 28 So you also on the outside look righteous to others, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness. Matthew 23:25-28 (NRSV)
31 "When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory. 32 All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, 33 and he will put the sheep at his right hand and the goats at the left. 34 Then the king will say to those at his right hand, 'Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; 35 for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, 36 I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.' 37 Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? 38 And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? 39 And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?' 40 And the king will answer them, 'Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.' 41 Then he will say to those at his left hand, 'You that are accursed, depart from me into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels; 42 for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not give me clothing, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.' 44 Then they also will answer, 'Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not take care of you?' 45 Then he will answer them, 'Truly I tell you, just as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.' 46 And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life." Matthew 25:31-46 (NRSV)
"Isaiah prophesied rightly about you hypocrites, as it is written,
'This people honors me with their lips,
but their hearts are far from me;
7 in vain do they worship me,
teaching human precepts as doctrines.' Mark 7:6-7 (NRSV)
"Is it not written, 'My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations'? But you have made it a den of robbers." Mark 11:17 (NRSV)
32 "If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. 33 If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. 34 If you lend to those from whom you hope to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to receive as much again. 35 But love your enemies, do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return. Your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High; for he is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked. 36 Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. Luke 6:32-36 (NRSV)
37 "Do not judge, and you will not be judged; do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven; 38 give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap; for the measure you give will be the measure you get back." Luke 6:37-38 (NRSV)
"Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees, that is, their hypocrisy. 2 Nothing is covered up that will not be uncovered, and nothing secret that will not become known. 3 Therefore whatever you have said in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have whispered behind closed doors will be proclaimed from the housetops. Luke 12:1-3 (NRSV)
… 11 For all who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted."… 13 But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. 14 And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you, for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous." Luke 14:8-14 (NRSV)
10 "Whoever is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much; and whoever is dishonest in a very little is dishonest also in much… You cannot serve God and wealth." Luke 16:10-13 (NRSV)
"You are those who justify yourselves in the sight of others; but God knows your hearts; for what is prized by human beings is an abomination in the sight of God. Luke 16:15 (NRSV)
19 And this is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil. 20 For all who do evil hate the light and do not come to the light, so that their deeds may not be exposed. 21 But those who do what is true come to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that their deeds have been done in God." John 3:19-21 (NRSV)
18 Those who speak on their own seek their own glory; but the one who seeks the glory of him who sent him is true, and there is nothing false in him. John 7:18 (NRSV)
"Do you know what I have done to you? 13 You call me Teacher and Lord—and you are right, for that is what I am. 14 So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. 15 For I have set you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you. 16 Very truly, I tell you, servants are not greater than their master, nor are messengers greater than the one who sent them. 17 If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them. John 13:12-17 (NRSV)
34 I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another." John 13:34-35 (NRSV)
2 He removes every branch in me that bears no fruit. Every branch that bears fruit he prunes to make it bear more fruit. 3 You have already been cleansed by the word that I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me. 5 I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing. 6 Whoever does not abide in me is thrown away like a branch and withers; such branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned… 10 If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love… John 15:2-11 (NRSV)
12 "This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 13 No one has greater love than this, to lay down one's life for one's friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command you… And I appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask him in my name. 17 I am giving you these commands so that you may love one another. John 15:12-17 (NRSV)
Indeed, an hour is coming when those who kill you will think that by doing so they are offering worship to God. 3 And they will do this because they have not known the Father or me. John 16:2-3 (NRSV)
20 "I ask not only on behalf of these, but also on behalf of those who will believe in me through their word, 21 that they may all be one. As you, Father, are in me and I am in you, may they also be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22 The glory that you have given me I have given them, so that they may be one, as we are one, 23 I in them and you in me, that they may become completely one, so that the world may know that you have sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. John 17:20-23 (NRSV)
I think Jesus would probably close with something like,
“Don’t you get it yet? There is more going on here than economics, scandals, fake news, and the drama that is your corrupt political system with its shameful leadership. There is more going on here than some “American Dream” that has little to nothing to do with the Kingdom at hand. There are people—real flesh and blood people, made in the image of my Father with real souls, lost souls, that you seem to care very little about. Did you not read about me? Did you not see what my entire life was about? Did you not understand why I came and why I died? Did you not notice that I ignored the politics of the day except when it hurt the people?
I never spoke against Rome despite its occupation of the “Holy Land,” and knowing what they would do to me and my disciples. That’s part of why I wasn’t accepted by the politicians of the day. Did you notice who I did speak against? The people I was harshest towards you would call the two political parties of the day—the Pharisees and the Sadducees. The only thing they could really agree on was that I interrupted their power with the people. So, I had to go.
As with them, your political squabbles mean nothing to me. Your “sides” mean nothing to me. People! People mean something to me! Not your comfort. Not your position. Not your laws. Not your feeble theological understandings and positions that fall so short of what I taught you. People! My Kingdom is to be made of people, all my people—you know, the ones made in my image. The ones your very Constitution states as “created equal.” My Kingdom is not made of politics. It’s not made of Pharisees or Sadducees nor Republicans or Democrats. It’s not made of wealth. It’s not made of correct doctrinal statements or dogma. It’s not made of laws. It IS made of people; loving God and loving each other. It’s that simple. I came to lay down my life for people; all the people not just your people, not just their people, not just white people or black people, yellow people or red people, brown people or even American people—ALL THE PEOPLE! Tell me, what exactly have you laid your life down for?”
And with that, I think He’d turn and walk away, frustrated and disappointed with a country which never really took God’s side, but has claimed God is on its side for decades, missing the point. And how would we respond? Would we continue to point fingers? Would we continue to place the blame at the feet of the other party? Would we climb back on our high horses and shout “Charge!” all the way into the voting booth still expecting God to fight that battle for us?
Would we assume that whoever won the election is God’s chosen “savior” for America all the while forgetting that in the Old Testament, when God intervened in bringing someone to power, it was just as often for the purpose of bringing that nation to catastrophe through that leader’s failures in order to turn God’s people back to Him? It was just as often a, “You asked for it, this is what you deserve” sort of response to a people who claimed the privileges of being God’s chosen people but never accepted the responsibilities of living like God’s chosen people. If you doubt, turn in your Bibles to Daniel 4:17 and find how God specifically states, in a dream of King Nebuchadnezzar, that He chooses the “basest” of human beings so that people would be reminded that the leadership of men is weak compared to the Sovereignty of God and that God chooses whom He chooses, when He chooses, to fulfill His Will—not to take our Sides.
No doubt, come November, one party will win, and one party will lose. The question is, “Will America win?” While scripture suggests that God puts people in positions of authority (as in Romans 13:1-7), let me make it very clear, God doesn’t choose the lesser of two evils out of any sort of taking sides or supporting that “lesser” evil. God doesn’t choose evil period. God chooses what will turn us to Him, and not always through a positive experience. I don’t know if you noticed, but in times of prosperity, people seem to forget God. Historically, people turn to God during times of great trial, frustration, and even anguish. Thus, if God chooses someone for us, it is likely the leader that will better drive us back to God’s merciful arms, not the person who should be hailed a “savior.”
What’s my point? My point is, it’s time we stop standing, fists raised, lines and swords drawn on our sides, and fall united to our knees in humility on God’s side. It’s time we put our collectively failed “wisdom of men” down, and instead seek the Will of the Omniscient One who would heal our land and reunite us into a “fruit-bearing” people once more. We’ll never find the good of the people in the politics of men. That can only be found in the grace of the Benevolent Father. No president, no Congress or Senate, no Supreme Court, no political party, no vote can Make America Great Again. Only the mercy of a Savior in response to a humbled people (including its leaders) can do that.