Nehemiah 11-13

The title question is ambiguous. What would Jesus do about what? There are some things for which we have a clear example of what Jesus did, which is a good argument for what he would do—and, what he would have his servants do. There are other things that we cannot point to a specific example because there are none. For example, Jesus lived in a world ruled by Rome. Citizens could not cast a vote for or against one ruler or potential ruler over another. If we are to find any help answering the question “How would Jesus vote?” we will have to do it by the application of a principle or principles instead of specific examples. Before we rush in where wise men fear to tread, let’s lay some groundwork.

There are only two kingdoms: Satan’s and God’s. Commenting on John 12:30-32, The Expositor’s Bible Commentary says, “The Cross and the Resurrection spelled Satan’s defeat and marked the glorification of all Satan renounced and the reversal of all he sought to attain. Satan was motivated by self-will; Jesus, by the will of the Father. Satan’s power brought destruction and death; Jesus’ power imparted renewal and life. Though Satan is still active, his action is only the desperation of futility (cf. Rev 12:12).

All earthly governments are arrayed under Satan’s rule. Some, because of biblical influences are better than others, but none of them are a colony of heaven. This is true whether the worldly kingdom is a monarchy, oligarchy, or democracy. All of these are about politics which is defined as “the activities associated with the governance of a country or other area, especially the debate or conflict among individuals or parties having or hoping to achieve power.”

So, politics is about power. The events in Washington demonstrate this. Without entering to a debate over who is right or wrong, we begin with Mitch McConnel’s refusal to even consider President Obama’s nomination to the Supreme Court in 2016 because it was an election year—even though the election was nine months away—and his pushing through President Trump’s nominee in an election year with less than a month to go before the election. We have witnessed an exercise of raw political power. Something similar was done in the past by Democratic leaders. My purpose is not to judge or exonerate either party, but to demonstrate the proposition that politics is about power. The next question to explore is whether political power and kingdom power can ever share the same bed.

Yesterday, I heard a voter being interviewed. She stated that she didn’t really like Donald Trump as a person, but she was not voting for him, but for the party because, she said, “It is the party of heaven.” Vote for whomever your conscience tells you to vote—or don’t vote at all if that is what your conscience tells you, but to call any political party the party of heaven betrays either profound ignorance or great depravity.

Should we hold our noses and vote for the party which we believe is the lesser of two evils or should we abstain from voting? That’s a personal decision, one which each should be allowed to consciously and conscientiously make without being judged by others: “Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make him stand” (Romans 14:4).

Can we participate in power politics and remain true to the kingdom of heaven? Perhaps. However, it seems to be a very tightrope that we walk when we do. We should be sure we keep our balance and not be carried away with the mob spirit of the Thessalonians (Acts 17:1-9).

Now, what would Jesus do? There is, I believe, a relevant passage found in John 18:35-37:

“Pilate answered, ‘Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered you over to me. What have you done?’ Jesus answered, ‘My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.’ Then Pilate said to him, ‘So you are a king?’ Jesus answered, ‘You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.’”

Jesus refused to advance—or allow his servants to advance—his kingdom by carnal power. Paul, we recall, used his citizenship (power) to appeal to Caesar (power) to avoid being tried and probably killed by what amounted to a lynch mob (Acts 35:11). There is much meat in the above passage which time and space do not allow us to bite off, much less chew and digest. The point to be remembered is that Jesus refused to use political power to advance the kingdom and he prohibited his servants from doing so also. I doubt Jesus would vote. Why would a king vote in the affairs of another king? Jesus did not hold dual citizenship, as did Paul, or as do we. As citizens of America, we may choose to vote or choose not to vote. We may choose the candidate or party that we consider the lesser of two evils but let us always remember that as all human government is government of this world, and therefore should not be promoted as the anointed of God.