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By Jerry Nelson 

Aren’t we playing on the same team? Hasn’t the victory already been won in Christ Jesus? Aren’t we bound by the blood of Jesus and will spend eternity in a place where there is no more sorrow, no more crying, no more poverty, hunger, war, or the most formidable of human plagues, death (Rev. 21:1-4)? Then why do we continue to disparage one another because the Holy Spirit has led some to fight for the rights of every citizen, by engaging in the political sphere? Why do we disparage those who decide to fight for the dignity of those who have been marginalized (James 4)? Is this not what Jesus did? Did He not take on the religious elite as well as care for the least of these? (Luke 4:18-19) 

Principle #4 of ACSI’s newly released statements on Biblical Unity, Diversity, and Social Engagement says that “Social engagement is an outworking of the Holy Spirit.” This means that the Spirit leads some to fight for the rights of humanity in the halls of power in the highest offices of our land and others to dwell with, serve, and give voice to the least of these. All of it is God’s and He directs us in such a way as to advance His kingdom and bring Him glory according to the gifts He has given us (Eph 4:7). Just because we don’t fully understand why our brothers or sisters in Christ show little interest in what we deem most important doesn’t mean they are not serving the Lord faithfully. Perhaps we all need to take a step back and ask why we are doing what we are doing. Is it to please ourselves or to please the Lord? If our brothers and sisters don’t share our same passion, it's okay so long as they are serving the Lord faithfully in what they have been called to do (Col 3:23). The higher view in all of this is to assume the best of our brothers and sisters in Christ and allow them, under the direction of the Holy Spirit, to fulfill what God has called them to do.  

Does this mean we sweep the Word of God underneath the proverbial rug? Does this mean we blend the Word of God with worldly philosophies? Does this mean that we, in our political pursuits, attempt to establish an earthly kingdom? By no means! The Word of God must remain pre-eminent in all our pursuits. Additionally, we are bound by the law of love (Mk 12:30-31) and obligated to walk by the Spirit (Gal 5:16-18) and produce fruit accordingly (Matt 7:19-23). The Word of God must remain our final rule in faith and in practice (Col 1:15-20). Therefore, as we are led to advocate on behalf of our brothers and sisters, whether in the halls of power or for the most underserved and underrepresented groups, remember who you are serving. If we, in unity, profess faith in Jesus Christ as our only Lord and Savior, who is our Prophet, Priest, and King, then we are playing on the same team (Eph 4:3-6). Perhaps, in this paradigm, we can simply give each other space (in the Lord) and keep our criticisms to ourselves for the glory and advancement of His Kingdom.