True Christian = Republican. Right?

Got you!

Every election year, I am reminded of the waves of political rhetoric that pour out of every corner of the earth all vying for a foot forward in each specific race.  I am bombarded with junk mail, email, television commercials, grocery store stalkers, and worst of all, social media opinionates.  I used to think hell would consist of a small room with a record player spinning the “Best of the Eagles” for all eternity.  Maybe, instead, it will be a room with a television set playing political adds with the Eagles playing softly in the background?

It is what it is.  I have a mute button on the remote for a reason.  I use it during election season. Extensively.

I cannot escape, however, the constant comparisons of Christianity and political affiliation.  These comparisons come from a vast amount of people.  I find these comparisons to be satirical and blindingly ignorant to the Gospel.

I consider myself to be a firm believer in Conservative values and will argue them accordingly.  I will not, however, draw a proverbial line in the sand when it comes to making some sort of parallel between Liberals and their perceived inability to follow Christ.  Who are we to draw that line? 

Now I know my fellow Conservatives and Republicans are foaming at the mouth with answers.  Check it out.  I know what you are going to say about abortion, gay marriage, and the dangers of socialism.  Hear me out.  It is fundamentally irresponsible to say that all Liberals are on board with the issues I mentioned above.  It is also fundamentally wrong to say that everyone on the right, or in the middle, has the same feelings regarding these moral and political issues.  You have no idea what God might be wrestling with in the heart of a person.

I am going to say something right now that is going to piss a lot of my friends off.  There are Liberals that are also Christians!  How do I know?  Because the blood shed on the cross from my Lord and Savior soaked the earth for them as much as it did for me.  To even suggest that a Liberal, Democrat, or Republican, cannot be covered by the same pure act of love and mercy is to be completely ignorant of everything Christ ever taught.

Political affiliation does not save us.  It does not define who we are as Christians.  Who we are in Christ is all that matters.

I was having a discussion regarding this issue the other day through a social media outlet.  This person indicated, essentially, that a new Christian, who is a Liberal, will mature and grow in Christ until they hold Republican/Conservative values (this is me breaking the conversation down in a nutshell).  I was floored!  I pictured Christ hanging out at the pearly gates with the Book of Life denying entrance into Heaven because they never quite came around to the Republican view on illegal immigration.

Here is a hard fact.  I sin just as much as any Liberal out there.  You sin as much as any Liberal out there.  We are all in desperate need of a Savior.  If a Liberal comes to this realization and makes a step toward Christ, then who are we to take a shot at their political affiliation?  Christ will move in the life of a Liberal.  He will also move in the life of a Republican.  Isn’t it all equally necessary?

I have mentioned this quote before but I want to mention it again.  A friend of mine hit the nail right on the head with this one.  “If your politics gets in the way of your ability to love others, I’d suggest trading your gospel in for the gospel according to Jesus” (Jason Lohse).

Think about that.  If your politics does not allow you to look at another human being through the true lens of Christs' Gospel, then your politics have become the god that you serve.

Post Script:

I understand the fact that there are those who claim to be followers of Christ who miss the mark completely.  There are even those who claim to be followers of Christ who champion moral issues that are completely opposite of what Christ taught.  I get it.  My argument is against the general labeling of all Liberals and their perceived inability to be Christians based on a political affiliation label.

Also, this is not an argument for suppressing the argument that exists between the right and the left.  I have friends that do this brilliantly and respectfully.  These arguments are necessary.