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I am increasingly concerned as I read various articles from both secular and faith-centered sources. It seems that many have boiled down our pathway to happiness, joy, and freedom to come from the strength of American politics. The campaign messages from each party suggested that there was but one choice, one way forward, if we hoped to survive and thrive as a country.

Not a lot has changed after the election. The Republican Party is moving quickly to appoint the leadership that will accomplish their mission of restoring the country. And the Democratic Party is huddling to figure out how to prevent whatever they can and then figure out how to have success in two years moving back to their answers for America. All of this is a similar cycle that we watch after every presidential election.

My concern has to do with how eagerly Christ-followers may be trading the teachings of scripture for their preferred political preferences. Reading 1 John 4 this morning brought months of concern to the forefront of my mind. Consider John’s opening line in this chapter:

“Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.”

John, of course, wasn’t thinking about American politics when he wrote his first letter. He was concerned that we understand the reality of who Jesus is, and that through Christ we can live righteously as we identify that Jesus is God’s son and as we love like Jesus did. I am hoping and praying that as advent begins in a few days we might rediscover the gift of God’s son as our source of life, forgiveness, freedom, and love. And as we do that our mental and life focus might be significantly less on what is happening in Washington D.C. and more about what is happening in the kingdom of God. Only one of these two kingdoms will last forever.

John said that we know who possesses the Spirit of God by their confession that Jesus has come in the flesh and is of God. Every spirit that does not make this confession is not from God. Belief in the incarnation is a critical test of our faith. So much so that John wrote that those who do not make this confession possess the spirit of the antichrist. Believers today are not that much different than first-century believers who think that the antichrist is a particular individual that will one day appear. Scripture says otherwise.

If you read the entire fourth chapter of 1 John, you come to realize that there is another way to test whether one is abiding in Christ. Consider John’s explanation:

“If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother.”

Our testimony then is not simply about words; it is about actions. The primary indication that we are abiding in Christ is that we do not hate but rather practice love for all people: all Republicans, all Democrats, all people from every country and every culture. We cannot seek to harm, to exact revenge, to lash out at those with whom we have major disagreements. According to John, who got his message straight from Jesus, the test of fellowship with God is love.

We can continue to pray for our leaders who will lead the country, but if our alliance with our preferred political party weakens our love for all people, we may be drifting into a trap that has significant spiritual consequences. If we want to win the world for Jesus, we will need to allow the love of Christ to transform our minds and hearts so that our focus is on the things of God more than the systems of man.

Father, your word convicts us. We confess that we sometimes become zealous about things we believe are critically important yet pale in comparison to who and what you have called us to in Christ. Forgive us. Fill us with your love and show us how we might share your love in the coming advent season and beyond.  In Jesus’ name, amen.