How would you identify yourself politically? Someone asked me that question in the past few days – about the same time I was reading through Luke 6 – and it got me thinking.
How would I identify myself?
Would I identify with a particular issue or general stance? (i.e., conservative vs liberal, prolife, fiscal conservative, social liberal)
Would I identify with a particular party? (i.e., Republican, Democrat, Independent, Libertarian)
Or is there another way?
How and Why Does Luke 6 Matter?
As Luke tells the story of Jesus calling His disciples, he provides the list of those who Jesus chose. He writes:
12 Now it came to pass in those days that He went out to the mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God. 13 And when it was day, He called His disciples to Himself; and from them He chose twelve whom He also named apostles: 14 Simon, whom He also named Peter, and Andrew his brother; James and John; Philip and Bartholomew; 15 Matthew and Thomas; James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon called the Zealot; 16 Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot who also became a traitor. (Luke 6:12-16)
Interesting and diverse group. In fact, Jesus went and prayed all night before He called out His twelve Apostles. These are His special messengers – those who were the closest to Him. This band of twelve become the most important men (minus Paul) in the New Testament.
Notice politically how diverse they are.
Matthew – the tax collector
Simon – the Zealot
What’s the big deal about these two? I’m glad you asked.
Matthew was a tax collector. This group of people were called the lowest of the low. Earlier in Luke, Jesus faced the ire of the Pharisees because He ate with the sinners and tax collectors (Luke 5:29-30). The Jews hated the tax collectors because they worked for the Roman government and collected taxes from Jews. Often they were dishonest crooks who stole off the top. The Jews considered them traitors.
Simon was a Zealot. This group of men were those who were pro-Jews and absolutely hated Rome. They worked continuously to violently overthrow the Roman government. They were the conspiracy group of their day – known for their daggers. A rebel. Josephus identifies the Zealots as a fourth group alongside the Essenes, the Saduccees, and the Pharisees, which caused the problems leading up to the First Jewish-Roman War.
It would be impossible to get two people more diametrically opposed to each other politically.
A Rome-serving Jewish traitor vs A dagger-wearing Jewish rebel
Two Enemies as Disciples of Christ
Jesus called Matthew. His response, “So he left all, rose up, and followed Him” (Luke 5:28). As much as the Bible discusses Matthew and in the Gospel entitled by his name, there is no mention of him being a traitor.
Jesus also called Simon. The text does not say how Simon began following Jesus; however, when he was called out of the larger group of disciples to be an apostle, the text says that he followed Jesus. In all four Gospels along with Acts, nothing is ever mentioned about him and his political zeal.
Don’t miss this. Two men on opposite sides of the political spectrum – both actually known for their extreme positions – but no mention of politics in any of the Gospels.
Were there disagreements among the Apostles? Certainly. The Bible catalogs several; however, the disagreements arose over inner disputes between the disciples as to who would sit the closest to Jesus in the kingdom. In all the Gospels and Acts related to politics – nothing.
Is It Possible that Identifying with Jesus Is the Most Important?
Here is my contention. Is it possible that although both these men had diametrically opposing viewpoints regarding politics that in Jesus Christ they found unity? Yes. Absolutely.
Was Matthew a tax collector traitor? Yes, before he started following Jesus.
Was Simon a Zealot rebel? Yes, before he started following Jesus.
What did they become? They became known as Christ-followers. Instead of passion for politics, they developed a passion for Christ. In fact, more than just a simple passion, they demonstrated unity.
In Jesus’ prayer immediately before His trial and death, Jesus provides us a glimpse at what was most important. He prays, “Now I am no longer in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to You. Holy Father, keep through Your name those whom You have given Me, that they may be one as We are” (John 17:11). Did you catch that? Jesus helped them become as one – that is, unified in Christ as the Trinity are one.
In other words, following Jesus became much more important and unifying than any political affiliation. Matthew was not a tax-collector Christian and Simon the Zealot Christian. Instead, they both were Christ-followers. Their new identity was in Christ alone.
Jesus continues in His prayer. He prays:
20 “I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; 21 that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. 22 And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: 23 I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me. (John 17:20-23)
Jesus prayed for you, me, and all followers of His after the Apostles as well. What did He pray? That we too would experience the same kind of unity. He prayed that the world would know that we are followers of Christ because of our unity.
How Then Do You Identify?
This is, as we say in the country, the rubber-meets-the-road question.
How do you identify? Would people know you as a Republican? Democrat? Libertarian? Independent? as a particular Issue?
Or… would people simply know you as a Christ-follower?
This is my strong admonishment to you (and me!). We should simply be a Christ follower.
If you are known for your politics instead of being known as a Christ-follower, then you need to consider your priorities and consider repentance.
If you are known for your “issue” instead of being known as a Christ-follower, then, again, your priorities are wrong and you need to reconsider your passion for Jesus Christ.
This is simple. The fact that the world generally conflates evangelicals with the Republican party is on us. We should not be known by any party affiliation or as Never-Trumpers for those Christians who live there.
Consider Your Part…
Is it possible that you have been much more passionate about politics, masks, or pro/anti-Trump than you have been Christ?
Is it possible that you have been way out of balance?
Further, is it possible for you to simply be a steward of your privilege as a citizen to vote (civil responsibility) while being known for your passion as a follower of Christ? I think so.
If you want to test yourself, ask yourself this question: How do I view others who claim to be Christians who differ with me politically?
In Christ… passion for Jesus brings a unity that supersedes all other passions.
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