Living as a Christian in a Political Culture: 3 Steps From Pastor Marty

How should Christians engage politics? Start by asking what is good and what is evil before you ask which party owns an issue. Test every issue against the character of God, the person of Jesus, and the presence of the Holy Spirit. Then care more about winning people to Jesus than winning the argument.

These steps come from Pastor Marty Sloan's masterclass, Living as a Christian in a Political Culture. Its goal, in his words, is not to make you better Democrats, Republicans, or even Americans. It's to make you better Christians.

What does Daniel 1 show about how a culture wins God's people?

Pastor Marty opens the class in Daniel 1. Babylon had conquered Jerusalem, and King Nebuchadnezzar took Judah's best young men into his palace.

Among those who were chosen were some from Judah: Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah. The chief official gave them new names: to Daniel, the name Belteshazzar; to Hananiah, Shadrach; to Mishael, Meshach; and to Azariah, Abednego.

Daniel 1:6 to 7

Pastor Marty traces the king's plan. He provided for them from his own table, indoctrinated them in the learning of Babylon, changed their names from names that honored their God to names that honored his, and tried to assimilate them into his culture.

Those pressures still work today, often through repetition. Pastor Marty once watched three news channels for about twenty minutes each and came away with three very different views of the same events.

We remember these four young men because they stood for the one true God, even facing the fiery furnace. That is the church's calling too. Our job is not to get a government that supports the church. It is to be a church that stands faithfully under any government. "Do not believe for a second that we're electing a messiah," Pastor Marty said. Whoever wins, we still need Jesus.

Why think G and E instead of D and R?

Because the Bible answers good and evil, and a party label can't do your thinking for you. "Focus on G and E, good and evil, not D and R," Pastor Marty said.

Neither major party lines up fully with Scripture. That doesn't release you from following it. God's Word is for you to obey first, no matter what anyone else does.

Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.

Romans 12:9

Love comes first in that verse, and it is God's kind of love, not culture's. But love does not hide evil. Pastor Marty puts it plainly: if the gap among believers is about good and evil, it is a theological issue before it is a political one.

Try this: Read each party's full platform. Next to each line, write G for good, E for evil, or a question mark. Take every question mark to prayer and to the Word.

How can I tell whether an issue is good or evil?

Run it through three filters, modeled on the Trinity. Political issues can be complex, Pastor Marty admits, but this gives you a simple, biblical way in.

1. The character of God. Is God's character present here? Scripture shows He is loving, patient, gracious, merciful, and kind.
2. The person of Jesus. Does this look like Jesus as Scripture shows Him, not as culture describes Him? Jesus broke through the lines of His day, between men and women and among Jews, Gentiles, and Samaritans, to bring the good news to all people.
3. The presence of the Holy Spirit. Would the Spirit be at home in this?

When all three line up, it's good. When they don't, it isn't.

This takes knowing why you believe what you believe, not just who told you to. Years ago a friend asked Pastor Marty a question that exposed a view he had never examined. He didn't like the question. He did the digging anyway, and he changed his mind.

That is why Pastor Marty urges, "You've got to be in His book more than Facebook." And never take his word for it; take God's Word for it.

Try this: Before you share a post or settle on a view, ask the three questions.

How do I win people instead of arguments?

Remember who is listening. Paul said he was free to do anything, yet he shaped his whole life around reaching people for Christ.

To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some.

1 Corinthians 9:22

You can post whatever you want, but Pastor Marty asks: "How will you win people to Christ if they know more about your politics than about your Savior?" Behind every issue and every heated conversation is a person God loves dearly.

Jesus gave us another way to influence the world.

You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

Matthew 5:13 to 16

You can't chase darkness away, Pastor Marty notes. You turn on the light. Salt slows decay and buys time for repentance. So seek the truth and speak it in love. Stay humble enough to say "I don't know." And remember, "The cross is the power of the church, not the sword."

For more on living faithfully where God has placed you, read how Christians bless their nation, from Jeremiah 29.

Try this: Make this the season you talk about Jesus more than any candidate. Don't let an election cost you a friendship, a family dinner, or your seat at church.

Common questions

What does "G and E, not D and R" mean?

It's Pastor Marty Sloan's shorthand for asking what is good and evil before asking which party, Democrat or Republican, owns an issue. Neither party lines up fully with Scripture.

Should Christians talk about politics?

Yes, with care. The Bible is full of kings, rulers, and nations, and following Jesus reaches every part of life. Speak the truth in love, and let people hear more from you about Jesus than about politics.

Does God care how I vote?

God cares about every part of your life, including your vote. Pastor Marty endorses no candidate or party. He asks believers to let God's Word and the Holy Spirit guide them, not habit.

How do I stay friends with believers who vote differently?

Remember that you share the same Savior and Spirit, and behind every view is a person God loves. Listen first, admit what you don't know, and keep the friendship.