Both Sides Are Missing the Gospel Point

Scroll through your social feed for five minutes and you’ll see it Christians taking aim at each other over politics. Accusations of heresy. Charges of division. Bible verses quoted like ammunition. And beneath the noise, a deeper crisis looms: many believers have traded their Gospel identity for a political one.

And here’s the truth: both the Christian right and left are missing the point.

Not because politics don’t matter they absolutely do but because politics are not the point of the Gospel. And when we blur those lines, we dilute both our faith and our witness.

God Is Not a Party Mascot

It’s tempting to see political engagement as a way of standing for truth or justice. But when political ideology begins to shape our theology rather than the other way around we’ve already lost. As pastor and author Eugene Cho warns, “We should not go to bed with any political party.” Why? Because none of them reflect the Kingdom of God in full.

The political right often champions personal morality, religious freedom, and the sanctity of life. The left emphasizes justice, equity, and care for the marginalized. Each speaks to a portion of truth. Yet neither embodies the Gospel in its entirety. As Cho rightly notes, “Politics matter because it informs policies that impact people. Last time I checked the Bible, God cares about people particularly those who might be marginalized in our society.”

But when we baptize one party as “God’s side,” we risk turning the Gospel into a political platform rather than a saving proclamation.

The Danger of Identity Theology

Whether it’s “Good Christians vote Republican” or “Real Christians support progressive causes,” both mindsets shrink the Gospel into a partisan slogan. The Church is not the marketing wing of any party. It is the body of Christ, called to embody a cross-shaped ethic, not a platform-based agenda.

And when we reduce faith to a political identity, we alienate those who don’t fit neatly into our categories. We stop listening. We stop loving. We stop seeing the Imago Dei in those who vote differently.

As Cho puts it, “Some folks have let politics become the most important thing. It can grow to be idolatrous.”

The Church’s Witness Is at Stake

Young believers are watching and many are walking away. According to Barna Group research, a growing number of Christians under 30 aren’t abandoning God. They’re leaving the institutional Church because they no longer recognize Jesus in our public witness.

They see partisan power grabs, not peacemaking. They hear more about political “wins” than they do about the beatitudes. They witness a Church willing to trade its soul for influence.

Cho warns that even well-meaning Christians can “dabble a little Jesus and sprinkle him on top of things,” reducing the Gospel to a garnish rather than the main dish.

But Jesus isn’t a mascot. He’s a King. And His Kingdom doesn’t ride in on an elephant or a donkey. It broke in through a manger and a cross.

Peacemaking, Not Peacekeeping

Too often, Christians mistake silence for maturity and avoidance for peacemaking. But true peacemakers don’t just keep the status quo they challenge it. They speak the hard truth in love. They count the cost of conviction.

As Cho explains, “Peacekeeping might be a voice in our head that says, ‘You know what? Things are working well for me, let’s keep the peace.’ Whereas peacemaking has prophetic power.”

Peacemakers don’t avoid tension. They step into it with humility and courage, asking: What does Jesus require of me here? Not just what my side expects. Not just what’s comfortable.

Don’t Sanitize the Struggle

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is now universally celebrated, but in his time, he was labeled “the most detested man in America.” We sanitize his legacy now, but real justice work Kingdom work has always invited pushback.

If your convictions never cost you anything, if they’re always applauded by your chosen tribe, it might be time to examine whose approval you’re truly after.

Jesus said His followers would be hated not for being mean, but for being like Him (John 15:18–20). The question is: are we?

What Should We Do?

It’s not enough to simply withdraw. Nor is it faithful to double down on the same partisan zeal that’s tearing us apart. The alternative isn’t apathy. It’s allegiance to Christ, not a platform.

The way forward is found in what Jesus actually told us to do:

• Feed the hungry

• Clothe the poor

• Welcome the stranger

• Visit the prisoner

• Love your enemies

• Pray for those who persecute you

Not tweet about them. Not meme them. Not vote them into silence. Love them.

As Cho reminds us, “One of the biggest temptations in our world today is to dehumanize those we disagree with.” And in doing so, we not only harm others we starve our own souls of grace.

Christ Over Everything

Jesus is not asking you to disengage from the world. He’s asking you to reengage it with a Kingdom lens.

That means voting with conviction but not condemnation. Speaking truth but with tears, not rage. Calling out sin but starting with our own side. Being faithful but not fear-driven. Choosing Christ over control, love over leverage, the cross over cultural conquest.

Because in the end, our allegiance is not to a party or a platform. It’s to a King who died for sinners on both sides of the aisle.

Maybe it’s time we started acting like it.

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