Faith and Politics: Christians in a two party system

How do Christians fit into the two-party system? They don’t.

SERMON Intro

How do Christians fit into the two-party system? They don’t.

That’s what the late Pastor Tim Keller wrote in a seminal article in The New York Times in 2018. He elaborated,

“While believers can register under a party affiliation and be active in politics, they should not identify the Christian church or faith with a political party as the only Christian one.”

Then, he spelled out three reasons why.

1. It implies that Christians and those considering Christianity must also align with a particular political party.

2. He argues that most political positions are not matters of biblical command but of practical wisdom. For example, both parties believe in helping the poor but have different ways of doing so.

3. It creates “package-deal ethics”—the pressure to adopt a full suite of beliefs simply because you identify with a political party.

Increased Tribalism

I want to explore this last one a bit. Data supports the increasing reality of political tribalism and polarization.

This is data from the Pew Research Center from 1994 to 2017. The blue represents Democrats, the red represents Republicans, and the gray overlap represents a mix of political views.

Look at 1994, 30 years ago. The median Democrat and Republican were very close to each other. They both held many mixed views.

Now, in 2017, the median for both parties has shifted outward to the extremes, leaving a much smaller space of mixed views. And that was seven years ago. I imagine that gap has widened even more today.

These two graphs were for the general public. Here’s what it looks like for the politically engaged.

This is what partisan politics looks like. “If you’re in our party, you must agree with everything we support and disagree with everything on the other side. If you don’t agree with us completely, you’re not one of us.”

The Problem for Christians

That’s our current state of politics, and it’s a serious problem for Christians who want to be like Jesus.

It’s great for Christians who want to culture war.

It’s great for Christians who have a persecution complex.

But it’s terrible for Christians who want to be like Jesus and follow Scripture.

And here’s why. A biblical worldview does not fit neatly into any one political party.

A Christian worldview, grounded in the Bible, calls for nuanced positions that don’t fit within the polarized nature of modern politics.

Bible

Let me illustrate this by discussing three key subjects:

1. Sanctity of Life

2. Care for the Poor and Marginalized

3. Traditional View of Marriage and Sexuality

One looks very Republican, while another is very Democrat. One can be seen in both parties; while at the same time, absent from them.

A biblical worldview does not fit neatly into any one political party.

So, let’s talk about these four biblical values.

Sanctity of Life

Let’s begin with the sanctity of life. While this is a very broad topic, in contemporary politics, it refers to abortion.

Before I continue, I want to acknowledge that this may be a very sensitive for you because you’ve experienced an abortion and carry pain from it, even if you feel it was the right decision. Please know that God loves you, He welcomes you into his presence, and there is healing and forgiveness in Him.

Others of you may feel very strongly in favor of abortion access or against it. For you, I encourage humility and openness when thinking about this complex issue.

Now, let’s talk about the Church. For 2,000 years, the Christian Church has maintained a consistent stance against abortion since its earliest days. This opposition is rooted in the belief that life begins as conception and that all humans, including the unborn, are made in the image of God.

This is reflected in passages like Psalm 139:13-16.

13 For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. 14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. 15 My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. 16 Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.

The Republican Party is generally known as the pro-life/anti-abortion party, but this stance is less than 50 years old. Prior to the 70s, abortion was tangential or even absent from the party’s platform. But Roe v. Wade changed that. It became a defining issue and a litmus test for party allegiance. Republicans even successfully overturned Roe with the Dobbs decision in 2022.

All that makes the last few years interesting.

• The number of abortions has increased since the overturning of Roe.

• Most state anti-abortion bills have been voted down.

• The Republic Party has officially removed pro-life from its platform.

• Former President Trump has said that he would move the issue to the states to decide.

How can Christians continue a pro-unborn life position when Republics are no longer a pro-life party, and Democrats favor wide and open access to abortion?

Care for the Poor and Marginalized

Let’s shift to concern for the poor. Critics of pro-life Republicans argue that they are really just anti-abortion because they consistently vote against the human dignity and flourishing of immigrant lives, black and brown lives, and lives of the poor, single mothers, and the LGBTQ community.

To have a more holistic pro-life position, let me share three ways the Bible talks about the poor.

1. There are general commands to care for the poor and marginalized. Four vulnerable groups are repeatedly mentioned in Scripture—the poor, widows, orphans, and foreigners. They are to be fed, provided for, and protected. This is everywhere—Old Testament Law, the prophets, Jesus’ teaching, and the early church.

2. The rich or powerful are specifically commanded not to exploit the poor.

   • People should not get rich off the oppressing the poor. (Prov. 22:16)

   • Employers should not abuse day laborers or workers who are poor (Deut. 24:14,15)

   • Shop owners shouldn’t cheat by overcharging the poor. (Prov. 20:23)

   • Judges shouldn’t exploit the poor in court. (Prov. 22:22-23)

3. There is a unique connection between God and the poor.

Listen to these proverbs:

• “Whoever oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors God.” (14:31)

• “Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the LORD, and he will repay him for his deed.” (19:17)

• “Whoever closes his ear to the cry of the poor will himself call out and not be answered.” (21:13)

When Jesus taught that “whatever you do to the least of these, you do to me” in Matthew 25:40, we are meant to take that seriously.

Caring for the poor and marginalized is typically a Democrat value, prioritizing policies and social programs aimed at reducing inequality and providing economic and social support.

Traditional View of Marriage and Sexuality

Lastly, let’s talk about sex and marriage. The Christian Church has consistently, and without exception, taught a traditional view of marriage—that it’s a covenant between a man and woman, sex is to be reserved for marriage, and that marriage involves unity, faithfulness, and sacrifice.

But the problem with some of that language is that it’s easy to immediately jump to political positions: “So, you’re against gay marriage and LGBT rights?”

Instead, here are 5 things that the Bible clearly teaches:

1. It matters that creation was male and female.

2. Marriage is a life-long covenant, not just a social contract.

3. God has a narrow view of sex. It’s a unique aspect of that covenant alone.

4. The marriage bed is to be kept pure and holy.

5. The New Testament routinely describes sexual immorality (any sexual behavior outside of marriage) as a sin.

Traditional views on sex and marriage align more with conservative Republican values, but this often leads to language that is moralizing, condemning, and hate-filled rather than compassionate, humble, and Jesus-like.

Similarly, progressive Democrat policies may prioritize sexual autonomy and LGBTQ rights, which conflicts with this biblical framework but could align closely with the Christian imperative of loving and respecting all people, regardless of their beliefs or lifestyle.

While the Bible’s teaching might be clear, how that is applied to politics isn’t.

Application

1. Sanctity of Life

2. Care for the Poor and Marginalized

3. Traditional View of Marriage and Sexuality

Believing in all three of these doesn’t fit in either political party. You’re likely to upset people from both sides.

A biblical worldview does not fit neatly into any one political party.

I’ll close with this: If you’re a Christian, this truth has wide-ranging implications for your faith and politics. I want to leave you with four of them.

1. A Christian can belong to and vote for EITHER political party. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.

2. Your primary affiliation MUST be to Jesus first, above your political party.

3. However you vote, you WILL contradict some core biblical values. That should make us all politically humble.

4. The stronger your political beliefs, the more likely you are to be moving away from Jesus. The deeper you align with one political party, the less your kingdom will look like Jesus’ kingdom.

Jesus is neither Republican nor Democrat. And he’s both. He’s neither conservative nor progressive. And he’s both.

God’s values demand allegiance to his kingdom, not a country, cause, candidate, or party.