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The Church and Politicians: A Relationship That Must Be Guided by Truth
Today I want to share a reflection that I consider urgent and necessary for the Church in these times. I am of the opinion, and I am convinced by the Word of God, that no one, and much less the Church, should “put their hands in the fire” to defend any politician, in any country in the world, regardless of their party affiliation or ideology. The Bible does not do so, and we, as God’s people, should not do so either.
In the Scriptures, we see that even the most prominent political leaders, those who were chosen and anointed by God, such as Saul, David or Solomon, were confronted and rebuked when they strayed from the path of the Lord. No politician is above the truth of God, and when they sinned, the prophets did not hesitate to denounce their errors. Saul lost his kingship for his disobedience (1 Samuel 15:26), David faced devastating consequences for his sin with Bathsheba, including the death of his son and the pain of seeing his family divided (2 Samuel 12:10-14), and Solomon, despite his wisdom, ended up being the “wisest fool” in history by allowing his many wives to lead him away from God (1 Kings 11:4-6). These examples show us that God is no respecter of people, much less of politicians.
In the New Testament, Jesus himself gives us a clear example of how we should relate to rulers and political leaders. In Luke 13:32, Jesus refers to Herod as “that fox.” This expression was not a compliment, but a direct and forceful criticism of a cunning, cowardly ruler lacking in integrity. Herod represented everything that was wrong with the political leadership of his day: he was a man who ruled with fear, manipulation, and selfishness. Jesus did not praise him, defend him, or seek his approval. On the contrary, he confronted him with the truth.
Today, however, we see a worrying reality in many churches. Instead of denouncing the corruption, injustice, and lack of integrity of many rulers, pastors and bishops and religious organizations praise them, defend them, and even call them “messiahs” or “anointed ones.” This is not only a serious theological error, but also a betrayal of the profound message of the Gospel. No politician is a “messiah,” Jesus calls them for what they are: FOXES. What’s more, when the church allies itself with political power in an uncritical way, as happens in the United States and El Salvador today, the church loses its prophetic voice and its ability to be salt and light in the world; and it exposes itself to being part of the darkness and the world of darkness that lead to eternal perdition and death.
Let me give a current example: in many countries, we see how political leaders (you name them), regardless of their ideology or political party affiliation, use religion as a tool to win votes or legitimize their agendas. And, sadly, many religious leaders and organizations time and again fall into the trap of blindly supporting them, forgetting that our loyalty is not to a political party, nor to a human leader (fox), but to the Kingdom of God.
When the church becomes an appendage of political power, it loses its ability to be a prophetic voice calling for repentance and justice.
Jesus was not afraid to call Herod a “fox,” and today, if He were among us, He would not hesitate to denounce those politicians who, like Herod, govern with cunning, cowardice, and lack of integrity like a fox would. It is not about being anti-political, but about being faithful to the truth. The Bible calls us to pray for our rulers (1 Timothy 2:1-2), but also to be critical and not to conform to the structures of sin and corruption that many of them represent.
In Luke 13:31-35, Jesus not only confronts Herod, but also laments the spiritual blindness of Jerusalem, today the nations, peoples and ethnic groups, who reject the prophets and messengers of God. Today, the church should not allow itself to be like that Jerusalem, which preferred earthly power to divine truth. Our mission is not to defend politicians, but to proclaim the Kingdom of God, a kingdom that is not built with political alliances, but with justice, mercy and humility (Micah 6:8).
Brothers, let us not be mistaken. Today’s politicians, like those of yesterday, are fallible human beings, and most of them act with the cunning and cowardice of foxes. But we, as a church, are called to be different. We are called to be light in the midst of darkness, to denounce injustice and to live with integrity. Let us not settle for less.
May this message lead us to reflect: Are we being faithful to God’s truth, or are we defending human interests? Are we being salt and light in the world, or have we become accomplices of power? May the Lord give us wisdom and courage to be faithful to His Word at all times.
Amen.
