Demonstrating the Gospel in a Divided World
Our world is painfully divided right now. Almost every headline, every online post, and every conversation seems to highlight how fractured we are. Of course, as Christians we know the answer to the world’s brokenness is the gospel - the good news of Jesus. But in a culture so torn apart, the question is this: how do we live this gospel in a way the world can see? The answer is simple yet profound - we fix our eyes on Jesus.
The Way of Christ
When we look at Jesus, we see someone who refused to be boxed in by human categories. He didn’t come waving the banner of one political camp, or taking sides, or courting popularity. He spoke with Pharisees, shared meals with tax collectors, welcomed Zealots, and healed outsiders. With every group He found points of truth, but also places where they were off track. This is a reminder - and a timely one at that - that no human ideology or political party perfectly reflects the values of the kingdom of God.
This truth is humbling, because it unsettles our political sensitivities; but it can also be quite freeing too, because it means our hope does not rise and fall with political parties or government policies. Our anchor is the gospel itself - our hope is in the power of God to bring reconciliation where there is division, and unity where there is hostility.
Modelling Something Different
Our world is fractured. The Church cannot simply reflect this division; it must model a different way - Christ’s way. What does this look like? It looks like welcoming the stranger (Matthew 25:35); listening before judging (James 1:19); challenging racism wherever it lurks (Galatians 3:28); and building communities that resemble God’s kingdom far more than the echo chambers of our politics (Acts 2:44-47). It looks like speaking truth to power when injustice is rampant (Amos 5:24); it also looks like standing up for righteousness even when it is costly (Isaiah 1:17).
This will mean sitting at the table with people we might never choose as friends, learning to see the image of God in faces that don’t look like ours, and allowing the Spirit to soften any prejudices. All this is not easy work. It requires patience, courage, and above all, love - but we can do it with the Spirit of God.
To be clear, this different way does not mean the Church should retreat from political life or abandon its responsibility to uphold Christian values and seek God’s justice and reign in the world through political dialogue - but it does mean we must engage differently. This will not be through partisan poltiical allegiance or the pursuit of worldly power; it requires being grounded in the way of Christ - a way marked by truth, humility, and sacrificial love.
Amid the division and brokenness that is so prevalent across our globe today, we are not called to silence or compromise. Our calling is to be - in both word and deed, and in the power of the Spirit - a brave, prophetic witness. We must echo the courage of Christ, who confronted hypocrisy, defended the vulnerable, and proclaimed God’s kingdom with boldness.
Unity as a Witness
When people see such a family of believers that loves across race, culture, politics, and background, they catch a glimpse of something this world cannot manufacture. They see reconciliation that is not forced, but freely chosen. They see a people shaped not by fear or tribalism, but by grace. And when they see this, they are tasting heaven - a foretaste of that great eschatological vision in Revelation where a countless multitude from every nation, tribe, people, and language stands before the throne and before the Lamb (Revelation 7:9).
So perhaps the next time we feel the pull to take sides - to double down on an argument, to dismiss someone because of their political label, to retreat into the safety of our own tribe - we should stop and ask ourselves: “am I reflecting a political kingdom, or God’s kingdom?”.
Our divided world is desperate for something deeper than party politics. It needs a Church embodying the good news of Jesus - for He is the only one who can truly bring us together. The apostle Paul put it like this: “He himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility” (Ephesians 2:14). In Christ, walls fall; bridges are built; and even enemies can discover family. This too is our calling. This is our opportunity. And, by God’s grace, this will be our witness.