God is Not a Democrat
Intersection of Faith And Politics – Part 2
God’s Is Not Partisan
In my last post, God Is Not a Republican, I mentioned that the majority of church clergy and churchgoers identify as Republicans. I believe this is largely because the Republican Party promotes and supports traditional family values, which align closely with biblical truths. Even so, I argued that some of its policies are not in sync with the Bible.
In the book of Revelation, chapters 2–3, we see our glorified Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, deliver messages to the seven churches of Asia: Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamos, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and finally, Laodicea.
Jesus’s message is essentially a scorecard—an assessment or evaluation of each church’s performance. He highlights their strengths while also pointing out areas that need correction. In the workplace, this is what a good manager does in a performance review: it’s meant to be constructive.
The church of Pergamos (Revelation 2:12–17), which we would likely consider the most corrupt, still had commendable qualities. Satan’s throne was there, and they held to the doctrines of Balaam and the Nicolaitans, which encouraged idolatry and sexual immorality. Yet even there, some remained faithful, including martyrs like Antipas (v.13). Jesus did not outright reject them; instead, He called them to repentance.
A Warning Against Moral Superiority
As true Christians, we must not carry an attitude of moral superiority. Luke tells us that Jesus gave the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector for this reason:
“Also He spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others.”
— Luke 18:9
The Pharisee boasted of his righteousness—imagine the nerve. The tax collector, on the other hand, stood at a distance, would not even lift his eyes to heaven, and asked only for mercy. Jesus said it was the tax collector who went home justified because he humbled himself before God.
Please understand that this is not to say that doing right doesn’t matter to God—it does. Nor is it to say that you couldn’t be morally better than someone else in certain respects. Of course, God does not want you to be an adulterer, unjust, or an extortioner, as the Pharisee claimed he was not. It was his lack of humility about it that Jesus condemned.
The Danger of Binary Thinking
If you are a Republican who believes the Democratic Party is entirely bad, I begin this way to make a simple point: God does not think in the binary terms that we so often do, reducing everything to all good or all bad. I am speaking here of moral evaluation, not moral relativism.
In this post, I also want to examine Democratic policies through the lens of Scripture.
God’s Heart About Immigrants
As I noted in God Is Not a Republican, most churchgoers identify as Republicans. But a minority of clergy and congregants—mainly in mainline, traditional churches—identify as Democrats and vote accordingly.
Like any good scorecard, I believe there are Democratic policies that align with the Bible.
The Democratic Party is the most welcoming of aliens, foreigners, and immigrants. Conservatives might question the motivation and see it as a political strategy to redraw the map. That may be partially true—but if you are hostile to immigrants, you are missing a key biblical principle.
The Bible says,
“The earth is the LORD’s, and all its fullness,
The world and those who dwell therein.”
— Psalm 24:1
Apostle Paul, speaking to the Athenians in Acts 17, also said,
“From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands.”
— v.26 NIV
Nations have boundaries determined by God, and border control should be enforced. Yet as Christians, we must remember that nations rise and fall, and all peoples are God’s. Disdain for others ultimately denigrates God’s work.
Caring for the Poor and Needy
The Democratic Party is also the most supportive of social programs that assist the poor and less fortunate. Anyone who opposes these programs does not understand the heart of God.
Jesus said,
“...the poor you have with you always.”
— John 12:8
No program—global, national, or local, no matter how much is spent—can ever eradicate poverty. Yet as a society and as individuals, we have an obligation to care for the poor. Any nation that neglects its poor risks losing God’s blessings (Deuteronomy 15:9).
The Old Testament is full of laws commanding the Israelites—and, by extension, the church as God’s true Israel (Galatians 6:16)—to care for the poor. God said,
“For the poor will never cease from the land; therefore I command you, saying, ‘You shall open your hand wide to your brother, to your poor and your needy, in your land.’”
— Deuteronomy 15:11
God cares deeply for the poor, widows, orphans, and aliens. Churches once ran orphanages and other programs in recognition of this, but today much of that work is now handled by governments and secular organizations..
Where Democrats Gets it Wrong
At the same time, the Democratic Party advocates for and supports liberal causes. These include same-sex marriage, transgenderism, gender fluidity, and dysphoria. Supporters call these being progressive, but God’s laws do not change with the times; they are eternal, and He condemns these practices.
“I am the Lord, I do not change…”
— Malachi 3:6
There are only two sexes and genders—male and female.
“So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.”
— Genesis 1:27
Marriage is only between a man and a woman.
“Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.”
— Genesis 2:24
The destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah stands as God’s everlasting reminder of His disapproval of all sexual perversions — Genesis 19:24-25
Final Thoughts
In summary, just as God is not a Republican, He is also not a Democrat. If you’ve ever thought otherwise, think again.
Coming Next
In my next post, I will wade further into the murky waters of church and politics by exploring the dangers of political pastoring and drawing lessons from Jesus’ approach in contrast to John the Baptist. Stay tuned.