Politics of the World and God’s Kingdom

Ah, Politics!

Who needs soap operas when politics today is serving divorce court energy? It would’ve been sufficient to say this is happening in the US only, but the global leaders seem to be clashing and crashing into the pit hole where the vows of party unity and international treaties go to die! One would need a hot cup of tea to sip while catching up on this week’s performative politics and Congressional cosplay.

As of Friday, June 6, 2025, 150 days have passed since President Trump took office for the second time, and we have had to process so much in the sour patch bag of daily living that many of us sit on our therapists couches grateful for the opportunity to process.

For 150 days we have been holding our breath at the unfolding of Project 2025, assuming that the worst is still yet to come. Could the “divorce” of Donald Trump and Elon Musk’s political marriage give us the exhale we need? “Trump and Musk break up, and Washington holds its breath.” The last 48 hours has given us hope that plans and Projects are not as full-proof as some believe.

Politics: Relevant or Bad Reputation

“Despite the drama in the White House, politics doesn’t suffer from irrelevance, just a bad reputation. So before we go any further, let’s defuse the loaded word: politics.” Author Richard Lederer, puts it in layman’s terms in his article “Looking at Language: A Primer of Political Words.”

“As the joke goes, the etymology of the word politics derived from poly, “many,” and tics, which are blood-sucking parasites. In truth politics issues from the Greek word polities, “city, citizen.”

In essence politics is simply what leadership does with the governance of a group of people they are responsible for. All nations have organizational structure to care for their citizens. We all need structure and systems in place for our communities to run effectively. From Biblical to current times, politics has always existed but can be used for good or harm. God appointed leaders for the nation of Israel, and the people, to their detriment chose their leaders. By the time the Old Testament ended through the 400 “silent years” to where the New Testament started, there were three major political shifts in power.

At the time the Jews were allowed to go back to build their temple, the Persians were in power, then the Greeks. And by the time Jesus was born, in what the historians describe as a most violent year, the Romans were the political power. The Roman Senate appointed Herod the Great as the regional King of Judea and vassal of the Roman Empire, and the Jewish nation was headed into political upheaval and religious unrest. Gann Academy’s Adam Kolman Marshak observes about the political two-step Herod faced trying to govern the Jews, while exercising the will of the Romans.

In his article “Herod the Great,” Marshak writes: “As his most important source, Josephus, clearly states, Herod was a man of contrasts: ruthless and magnanimous, violent and creative, defender of Jewish rights and builder of multiple temples to Augustus. He is thus a perfect emblem of the time period in which he lived, one that saw massive religious, social, and economic change within his kingdom and the larger Mediterranean world and that culminated politically in the rise of Augustus.”

Flavius Josephus, The Antiquities of the Jews, 17.250–17.298

“Now at this time there were ten thousand other disorders in Judea, which were like tumults, because a great number put themselves into a warlike posture, either out of hopes of gain to themselves, or out of enmity to the Jews … And now Judea was full of robberies; and as the several companies of the seditious lighted upon any one to head them, he (Herod) was created a king immediately, in order to do mischief to the public. They were in some small measure indeed, and in small matters, hurtful to the Romans; but the murders they committed upon their own people lasted a long while.”

Jesus! Religious Leader and Politician: A Healthy Marriage of Words and Deeds

For centuries, harmful politics has worked to replace good politics. Its mission? To silence any unwelcome voice of reason, because those voices threaten the apolitical game of power and pseudo-religious preservation. Even those without the so-called “remote controls” of government can still disrupt the system by speaking truth. But when leaders abandon the sacred trust of the people, and forsake Kingdom principles of justice, mercy, and integrity, the result is always the same: anarchy, disillusionment, and religious unrest.

The politics of God’s Kingdom was never meant to comfort the corrupt or protect distorted intentions. As Jesus said in Matthew 10:34–36, the truth doesn’t always bring peace, it brings a sword.

History shows that religion and politics have sometimes worked hand in hand — and at other times, “clashing” might be a generous understatement. In Jesus’ day, political and religious identities were deeply entangled: Galileans, Herodians, Levites, Pharisees, Publicans, Sadducees, Samaritans, the Sanhedrin, Scribes, and Zealots all operated within the tension of faith and power. Despite their bitter divisions, Jesus demonstrated that unity is possible when people rally around a higher, redemptive purpose. He chose Simon the Zealot, Matthew the Publican, and Saul — later Paul — the Pharisee, to carry the message of a different kind of Kingdom to the world. Diverse backgrounds, one mission: Good News for all.

WWJD – What Would Jesus Do!

The Kingdom of God offers us a framework for governance that uplifts, liberates, and restores. In Luke 4:18, Jesus made His mission clear: to bring good news to the poor, freedom for the oppressed, sight to the blind, and justice to the brokenhearted. Social activist and theologian Obery Hendricks calls Jesus both “Messiah and Tactician,” outlining seven strategies that reveal His revolutionary approach to leadership and justice.

Treat the people’s needs as Holy.
Give a voice to the voiceless.
Expose the workings of oppression.
Call the demon by name.
Save your anger for the mistreatment of others.
Take blows without returning them.
Don’t just explain the alternative, show it.

We can live like Jesus, with moral courage, ethical clarity, and integrity, and we can hold our leaders to that same standard. It’s time to demand that our communities, our faith, and our government reflect:

Representation and Inclusion
Democratic Processes and Accountability
Effective and Ethical Governance
Rule of Law and Justice
Respect for Rights and Freedoms
Informed and Engaged Populace

Constructive Political Discourse
Addressing Societal Challenges
Protecting against Undue Influence

Stewardship of relationships and care for creation should ground every decision, especially those made in the name of justice, empowerment, and partnership with the people. Jesus embodied these values. He was the truest public servant, reflecting God’s Kingdom through His radical care and compassion. He upheld principles of justice, mercy, dignity, and community, and more.

He was for the people, by the people, and with the people.

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