Today I want to weigh-in on a subject that few people have dared to address: Identity politics and the kingdom of God. But before I do, a huuuuggge “thank you” to everyone who pre-ordered my Titan so far.
Ironically, some subscribers sent me hate mail simply because I reminded everyone that the Titan will only be printed once. The smoldering anger laden in those emails would make Keyser Söze blush.
What do I mean? Here are two of the tamer ones (cough):
“Viola’s journey to the dark side is now complete. Informing people about his new book is the equivalent of witchcraft. I wonder if he’s stopped torturing small animals too. Doubt it. I’m unsubscribing!”
“Take me off your email list immediately. Reminding me about your book reminds me of Charles Mason. You’re a #@&%$! and probably a closet serial killer.”
I’m not sure Charles Manson technically classifies as a “serial” killer, but that’s beside the point. I have no idea why/how these angry souls subscribe to my email list (if you’ve heard my “crank calls from unsubscribers” podcast episode, it might explain some of it).
(Irony alert: Btw/ I trust you realize that these aren’t the real emails I’ve gotten. But they do breathe the same air. So I’m poking fun at them.)
Anyways, to my beloved new subscribers, the limited-edition Titan is still available at the moment, but we will run out of copies soon. Wait, I just engaged in witchcraft again! But I digress.
Where was I? Oh yes. Identity politics and the kingdom.
“Identity politics” refers to the tendency for people of a particular religion, race, or social status to vote for a certain political party. For this reason, it’s highly divisive and reflects an allegiance to the world system rather than to Jesus Christ and His kingdom.
Let me give you an example.
For decades, Anna’s family voted for a certain political party. Her family also finds their identity in their shared race. The same is true for Anna’s friends.
One day Anna heard the gospel of the kingdom, and she discovered that in Christ Jesus, she’s part of what the early Christians called “the third race” — the new humanity where there is no Jew, Gentile, Black, White, Asian, Latino, etc. (Col. 3:11).
Anna wholeheartedly received that gospel, and since that day, she no longer finds her identity in her race or the political party she was raised with. Anna adopted what I’ve called the race card of the early Christians.
As a result, Anna began embracing people of different races who believed the same kingdom gospel, and she began treating them like her own flesh and blood. She also came to the conclusion that the hope of the world doesn’t lie in any political party, including the one she was raised on.
Anna’s new passion became the kingdom of God — a kingdom that recognizes no race except the new creation and which upholds no political agenda except the lordship of Jesus Christ.
The result: Anna’s friends and family have effectively ostracized her. They now view her as betraying her own race and political party.
But this hasn’t dissuaded her from complete devotion to Jesus and His kingdom.
Now here’s the kicker: Anna’s family and friends all claim Jesus as their Savior.
This is how deep identity politics runs. And it’s an example of the disturbing things that Jesus said about the cost of the kingdom when it comes to one’s family.
I can multiply examples like Anna’s from different races and political parties, but I trust you get the picture. The gospel of the kingdom dismantles identity politics.
If you missed the previous articles on the kingdom of God to get the context of this article, they are below. These will help prevent misreadings (and “filtered” readings) of the above, which happens often among some “Christians” today who have a narrow agenda to push.
Click here for all the articles in the Kingdom of God Series
5 More Things I Wish Older Christians Told Me
Frank, I am sorry that you received those hate emails. This reminds me that when people are choose to be offended, how easily for them to sacrifice other people on the alter of their feelings. Also a verse came into my mind: Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do. Sometimes, when I feel very broken by people’s mere fleshly response, again and again, I was reminded that those people don’t fully know what they are doing at that moment. Your experience reminds me again that to be hurt by people’s sin, even to be deeply hurted by God’s own people, by people you love, is irresistible for Jesus’s followers. But, we can choose how do we response towards those hurts. Thank you for showing us how to take the high road and bear the cross by your life.