Recently, a famous talk radio host was asked an interesting question. Syndicated conservative talker Rush Limbaugh was asked by a self identified liberal caller, "is there any objective media source from which I can get news?" Limbaugh's answer was obvious to anyone with a TV, radio or internet access. "No."
We live in an age where everything from the media and government comes from a particular perspective, a distinct ideology. This is nothing new. Partisanship is as old as life itself. People have always taken sides, and always will. It's just today, with the emergence of alternative media through the internet, we are flooded with more sources for "news" and opinion than ever before. Our natural tendency to lean one way or another is reinforced more stridently than ever, and according to Limbaugh's opinion on the matter, there really is no place we can go to find information not tainted by an ideological leaning. I agree with that opinion. So how do we as the church proceed in a world where presented truth is almost certainly coming from a distinct ideological perspective? To me this is one of the most important questions we have to answer. Because if we become drawn in to partisan political battles and allow those to override our true mission, we become "of the world," and our witness to all people becomes as tainted as the political climate in which we live.
I've been a member of four churches since I was saved at age 39 in 2003. The first in lay leadership, the second as bi-vocational staff, and the third and fourth as pastor. The first three were monolithic in their political leanings. Like most conservative Christians, those that profess and believe the word of God is our final authority, those leanings were distinctly conservative, and thus Republican. Politics really wasn't a controversial subject as nearly everyone leaned the same direction. Then in 2011 I came to my fourth church, one in a highly culturally diverse community with an equally diverse political perspective. The difference in the church was astounding. Political discussions became highly divisive. I found myself in a position where I had to examine how we handled things as a church. Our mission is to reach all people, but political opinion stood in the way of that, as when conversation turned to that subject, the body of Christ became divided.
It's a tricky situation, as all of us come with ideological leanings. But one thing is crystal clear from scripture; God desires us to be united, not divided. How can this be accomplished in such a toxic and divided cultural and political climate? As always, the bible does have the answer.
One of the rather obscure apostles was named Simon the Zealot. The term zealot, according to many scholars, was associated with the Jewish freedom movement of Jesus' day. These were people who sought political freedom from the oppression of Rome. For Israel to become an independent nation again, something it had not been since the Babylonian Captivity in 586 B.C. From that point forward, Israel was always under the rule of a foreign nation politically.
Many scholars believe that several of the apostles belonged to this movement. Yet Simon alone is tagged with the name "Zealot." Perhaps he was the most zealous in these beliefs. Yet these beliefs did not align with the message of Jesus. Jesus tells us in John 8:31-32 that true freedom comes from abiding in His word and knowing truth, and that truth "shall make you free." We may not have much information on Simon, but one thing we can be sure of is that he followed Jesus, denied himself, and turned from his cultural and political view of freedom and to Jesus' view of what freedom truly is. Simon the Zealot can teach us a lot.
Before Jesus's ascension to heaven, the apostles asked Him a question in Acts 1:6. They asked, "Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?" For Jesus to establish His kingdom would mean freedom from the oppression of Rome. It was of keen interest to all of them. Jesus' answer is telling, and instructive for us. In Acts 1:7 he tells them it is not their place to know the "times or seasons" of the Father, then in Acts 1:8 Jesus repeats their mission on earth, the Great Commission. While on earth they are not to concern themselves with "political," issues. We are to serve His kingdom, not an earthly one. The apostles went on to establish His church that was divorced from the politics of the day, an incredible achievement. You simply do not find evidence in scripture of the apostles or the early church becoming entangled in the political battles of the day, and like today, they were plentiful. It's a real balancing act!
You see, the political battles of then, and now, involve issues we must engage in. Israel was oppressed by Rome, and the bible teaches us we as God's people are to minister to the oppressed. To stand up for them. It's how we minister to them that is important. Our focus must be on His heavenly kingdom, not an earthly one. No nation, or political party, has the answer for what all people desperately need. Jesus! Micah 6:8 tells us that we are to "seek justice, love mercy, walk humbly with your God." We must do this! But we can never do it if we allow ourselves to be overcome with our personal political ideology, and allow that to permeate the church. When we do, we alienate many whom we are called to reach with the gospel and love of God. We create a worldly stumbling block to the mission we are called to carry out.
Our works to minister in areas such as race, immigration, the poor, and many others must be kingdom focused, not driven by political ideology. If they are not, we cannot sow the seeds we are called to. Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 3:10-15, "According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. For no other foundation can anyone lay than which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay straw, each one's work will become clear, for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one's work, of what sort it is. If anyone's work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. If anyone's work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so, as through the fire."
It is extremely challenging to block out the noise created by the politically toxic climate, tainted by a biased media, in which we live. It requires a full submission to the cause of Christ, denying ourselves and our own ideological leanings. But it is possible.
Simon the Zealot shows us this!
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