This message won’t be popular, but I hope it’s received in truth and love.
There’s a dangerous exchange happening in the church today.
We’ve let our politics shape our faith, instead of letting our faith shape our politics.
When this happens, the Kingdom of God gets replaced with the kingdom of man. And when Christians trade the authority of Christ for the talking points of a party, they’re no longer ambassadors for Jesus… they’re campaigners for an idol.
This is not just a “left” problem. It’s not just a “right” problem. It’s a Kingdom problem.
The danger is the same on both sides… when political allegiance outweighs allegiance to Christ, our witness suffers, our message is compromised, and our priorities drift away from God’s mission.
The Commands That Outrank Every Party Platform
Jesus said the entire Law is summed up in this:
“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.
This is the first and greatest commandment.
And the second is like it… Love your neighbor as yourself.”
(Matthew 22:37–39)
These aren’t suggestions for when it’s convenient. They are the filter for every thought, every word, every law we support, and every vote we cast.
If my politics… whether left, right, or somewhere in between… cause me to break either of these commands, then my politics are wrong, even if my party says I’m right.
For those who aren’t naturally political, here’s what it looks like: when politics shapes my faith, it’s like looking at a stained-glass window through tinted sunglasses. The glass itself is already full of beauty and truth, but the lenses I’m wearing distort the colors, dull the light, and make me see something that isn’t quite what the artist intended. The more I keep the sunglasses on, the more I start believing that is what the window actually looks like. In the same way, when my political lens filters Scripture, I start interpreting God’s Word through my party’s colors instead of letting His Word speak in the fullness of its light.
When Truth Becomes a Weapon Instead of a Witness
We are called to speak truth. But truth without love cuts in the wrong direction.
Scripture describes the Word of God as a two-edged sword (Hebrews 4:12).
It pierces to bring conviction, healing, and freedom… not to destroy our neighbor in an argument.
Too often, Christians think they are “defending the faith” when they are really defending their pride.
We post. We argue. We label. We divide.
We focus on winning debates instead of winning souls.
But we forget that the person on the other side… no matter their party or position… is someone made in God’s image.
And when we speak with venom, mockery, or contempt, we do more than just hurt that person. We give a watching world the wrong picture of Jesus. We confirm every stereotype that says Christians are angry, judgmental, and hypocritical.
Paul warned us in 1 Corinthians 13 that even if we can “fathom all mysteries and all knowledge” but have no love, we are nothing. A loveless defense of truth is not Christianity… it’s just noise.
A Quote That Should Shake Us
Brennan Manning put it this way:
“The greatest single cause of atheism in the world today is Christians who acknowledge Jesus with their lips,
walk out the door, and deny Him by their lifestyle.
That is what an unbelieving world simply finds unbelievable.”
The words sting because they’re true.
Our political engagement… whether online, in conversation, or in the voting booth… should magnify Jesus, not diminish Him.
If my political tone makes Jesus look small, petty, or cruel, then I’m not representing Him.
If my activism points people toward my party instead of toward the cross, then I’ve made politics my god.
The Kingdom Agenda
God’s heart has always been for those who have no voice and no power… widows, orphans, the poor, the oppressed, the outcast (Isaiah 1:17, James 1:27).
Our politics should reflect His heart.
That means championing life, justice, mercy, and truth… regardless of whether they are packaged in red or blue.
If we only defend the vulnerable when it benefits our side, we’ve abandoned the Kingdom for a counterfeit.
We Represent Jesus… Not a Party
Paul reminds us in 2 Corinthians 5:20 that we are ambassadors for Christ. That means when we step into the political arena… whether with our words, our votes, or our advocacy… we carry His name with us.
If my political identity overshadows my identity in Christ, I’ve lost my way.
At the end of the day, no political party will stand before the throne of God.
But every single one of us will.
The Challenge
If you call yourself a follower of Jesus, your faith must shape your politics… not the other way around.
That means:
- Speak truth, but always in love.
- Stand for what is just, no matter which party does or doesn’t agree.
- Refuse to let politics divide you from the people God has called you to love.
The world doesn’t need more Christians who mirror their party’s platform.
It needs Christians who mirror Christ.
Breakwater Blessings 
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