Someone today told me that God is a conservative, as opposed to being a liberal.

Ironically, that may seem easy to say now that the Democrats are in power; but back when the Republicans had control, I remember empathizing an awful lot with the liberals.

There’s something fundamentally wrong with calling God “conservative,” because God is much bigger than politics. God is more powerful than any king or president, and he’s bigger than even the most bloated, most intrusive government. That’s why the Psalmist says, “Do not put your trust in princes, in mortal men, who cannot save. When their spirit departs, they return to the ground; on that very day their plans come to nothing.” (Psa 146:3-4, NIV)

God makes whatever he can out of what we do, with our piddling princes and kings, whichever party is in power. He is neither conservative nor liberal nor statist nor libertarian, because his thoughts are on eternity and are eternal.

But what’s more disturbing is that we run the risk of committing idolatry, if we come to depend on God’s politics. By believing that God is conservative or liberal—or even libertarian—you have put your faith in the governments of men, rather than in the power of God. Then when the “wrong” party gets into power, you may actually believe that God has forsaken you. How many times, every election, do we hear, “If so-and-so wins, it’ll be the end; the US is going to hell. And I’m going to move to Canada.” Do you really believe that, just because so-and-so won an election, that God has forsaken you?!

The even greater risk, however, occurs when your favored candidate actually does win the election. Will you give him the same trust and faith that you give God? Just because he claims to be God’s representative? And now that he claims to have the power, will you ascribe to him the same divinity that you ascribe to God? And when all his plans come to nothing, will you then continue to believe in him? Or will you then believe that God has forsaken you?

Frankly, it’s better for religious conservatives that liberals are in power, because it tests their faith in God, and it forces them to rely on that faith and to identify with it, because the other side has torn down their idols.

Religious conservatives: God wants you to depend on him, no matter what party is in power. He has you under his wing. Keep your faith in the one true God.

Religious liberals: God wants you to depend on him, no matter what party is in power. Obama is not the second coming, and his plans will come to disaster, just as all the others have. Keep your faith in the one true God.

-TimK