The Litmus Test For Believers

"Make every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace" (Eph. 4:3, NIV).

Too often Christians become sectarian and deem their favorite doctrine one to divide over (i.e., they get petty or fanatic) like the doctrines of grace (the Five Points of Calvinism) are now considered the "doctrines that divide."  We are not to be argumentative, divisive, contentious, nor judgmental though, no matter what our theological understanding and no matter what camp we belong to.  Some people only believe what their spiritual "tribe" tells them, and much worse, see their political leaders as spiritual leaders calling forth the marching orders of the church. Paul condemned sectarianism, whereby some were of Paul, some of Silas, some of Christ!  Church splits are of the flesh.

We all bear the name of Christ and are brethren even if we don't attend the same services and don't otherwise congregate.  Point in fact: the man of God must not quarrel (cf. 2 Tim. 2:24)!  Some believers do get deceived by heresy or even strange teachings (cf. Eph. 4:14; Heb. 13:9), but we are to beware of false teaching by having our antennae sensitized by the antidote of the truth.  The church is the "pillar and ground of truth" (cf 1 Tim. 3:15) and we are to grow in the faith by understanding pure doctrine and not remain ignorant, for ignorance isn't bliss, but biblical knowledge gives us stability in time of trial and testing. "... Stop thinking like children.  In regard to evil be infants, in your thinking be adults" (cf. 1 Cor. 14:20, NIV).

There is no litmus test of political positions that determines a Christian politician!  As much as the Roman Catholic Church urges members to vote pro-life, that is not the litmus test to judge candidates by.  We are not to be known by our politics!  We shall know them by their fruits!  Jesus said that the test of a true believer is that they love one another!  With all the cleavage, polarization, and chasm in politics today, and everyone becoming so alienated and estranged, it hardly shows the example Christ would have us set of being involved in politics. We are to even love our enemies, much less our political opponents!    We should never be blinded by our politicians to the point that it's their way or the highway, their party right or wrong.  We should observe some principles in politics per se, and avoid some errors like the one that Gandhi mentioned in his seven deadly social sins: politics without principle.

During the Civil War, it was often clan against clan, brother against brother.  And we see the same estrangement today even in families especially if they live in different geopolitical areas. Would a mother want her sons to fight one another?  On the same token, Jesus doesn't wish for His children to wage war vicariously through their politicians.  We must acknowledge that Christ is not a Democrat, nor a Republican--We cannot and must not put Him in a box of our convenience and label Him.  That is a way of limiting God!  God is too big to fit into a party and He wouldn't join our parties and they probably wouldn't accept Him anyway.  Partisanship is a way to divide when one cannot compromise and see the other side's point of view and be fair with them.

I know we must take stands, but polarization is uncalled for and God would not have us be joined to the world-system in that way.  We are supposed to be in the world and not of it (cf. John 15:19).  We live for eternity and realize there's hope in Christ alone, not in politics. There's a broader perspective to see life through than political stances.   We cannot usher in the Millennial Kingdom but must be salt and light nevertheless and preserve our society and help it to prosper, but we are not called to sanitize it nor reclaim America for Christ, nor outlaw all sin as if that would make us a righteous nation in God's eyes.   Jesus said that His kingdom is not of this world (cf. John 18:36)!

In sum, we must resolve conflicts and not let them fester and spoil the body and learn to be like-minded and sympathetic, trying to put ourselves in the other guy's shoes.    Soli Deo Gloria!