Why we need to stop saying our political and cultural leaders are the Devil.

For as long as I can remember I have heard people, Christian and non Christian, compare or even claim that insert political / cultural leader name (here) is the literal Devil or Antichrist. This way of speaking has crept into Christian life and influenced Christian culture. So many people yell and scream at their friends, family, and neighbors that person x is the devil because x or person x is the Antichrist because y. They buy into this conspiracy theory and claim they know best. I have heard people say that Biden, Fauci, Trump, Obama, Bush, Clinton, The Pope, and so on are the Devil or Antichrist in the flesh all because of some meme that compares them or something they said. Anytime I hear this I get a bit of whiplash and think “What? Why? How would you know that?” It’s an absurd and ridiculous claim. Some people have interesting reasons while the majority of people can’t explain why they think this way. I’ll be honest. We as Christian’s need to stop this way of speaking.

Here are four reasons why we need to stop saying our political and cultural leaders are the Devil or Antichrist.

It’s damaging and hurts the ministry of Christ. Our world already thinks poorly of Christian’s and those that follow Jesus. We shouldn’t continue to hurt our collective and individual ministries by falsely claiming someone is the Devil. We shouldn’t continue to mis represent the gospel because of our inability to read and understand what it actually says. When the actual Devil or Antichrist reveals themselves to the world, it will be time for Christ to return as well. I have no doubt that Christ is coming back but it says in the bible no one knows the day or the hour of his return.

Matthew 24:36-40 “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying, and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left.”

Quite simply it’s a lie. Ever hear the story of the boy who cried wolf? Yeah, that’s pretty much identical to claiming that person is the Antichrist because of that one incident with an intern, that locker room sound clip or because a perfectly times photo shows someone holding up two fingers like the statue of Satan. Many men have come before that have been extremely wicked and evil humans that have been hellbent on hurting and destroying groups of people. Some have claimed to follow Christ but it’s clear they weren’t and were in the wrong. None of these people have been the true Antichrist because they didn’t survive a mortal wound (Revelations 13:3) When we continue to cry wolf, we cause people to mistrust us and eventually ignore our cries. They begin to see past the words we speak and see that we are untrustworthy. As false speaking Christian’s we become the problem rather than the solution. The truth is that we live in a fallen and broken world filled with sin and when left unchecked our sin rules us. Non-Christians and Christians alike all fall short and without Christ we will suffer. If the greatest trick the devil ever pulled was that he didn’t exist, then his greatest lie will be telling the world he is Christ in the flesh. One day the real Antichrist is going to show up and convince a lot of people both Christian and non-Christian, that he is the Christ. Those of us that have been wrong will feel pretty foolish when the real Antichrist comes into power. We need to be aware that our words carry weight and have major impact on our families, friends, and communities. If we speak lies to our non-Christian counterparts, then we cause them to reject message of Christ as well as Christ, mock those that follow Christ and want to impact the kingdom and ultimately lose our impact on the world as Christ followers. Christians shouldn’t lie and should watch how we speak. In fact, we should show the world through our actions and words that we love and care deeply about those that don’t know Christ. 1st Corinthians 13:1 speaks to this when Paul says, “If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.” Where is the love and hope of Christ when we lie?

It’s foolish and unwise. I think going around claiming a particular politician, potential candidate or cultural leader is the devil is ultimately foolish. Proverbs is full of examples of how fools bring destruction on themselves and that the unwise are wicked.

“Fools find no pleasure in understanding but delight in airing their own opinions. When wickedness comes, so does contempt, and with shame comes reproach.” Proverbs 18:2-3

When someone makes a claim like this, I often question their integrity, if they actually read their bible and if they have educated themselves. To make such a serious statement without any evidence to back up the claim is the same as spreading misinformation and being ignorant. Right now, we live in a world where facts have gone out the window and opinion has taken the place of facts.

As Christians let’s not act like fools and speak these claims but let’s be informed and educated about what the bible says the Antichrist. Have you read the descriptions and characteristics of the Antichrist? There are so many bible verses that describe Satan as being lawless, a deceiver, a destroyer and opposing and claiming to be God. Yes, the bible does say that the Antichrist will be a political figure, but many of these people don’t fit what and who the Antichrist or Satan is. They may share some qualities but ultimately, they are human and have human agendas. I think many of our political and cultural leaders are just corrupt and evil people.

It loses its value. Ultimately when we constantly claim one person, or another is the Antichrist or Satan the claim loses its value. It depreciates and diminishes. The claim begins to be diluted and mean nothing. Claiming a certain person is the Antichrist is degrading, disrespectful and makes Christians look like hate filled ignorant people. It doesn’t help build the kingdom and shows that Christians don’t care about reflecting Christ and sharing what the Gospel says.

As Christians, if we truly believe that the Gospel and hope of Christ is the ultimate value then we should stop falsely claiming and spreading lies, and deceit. We need to be wise with our words and create ministries that sustain life and does not cause strife. Our culture is already at odds with itself. We need to be showing the world that we truly care about how we speak and then speak truth. The war for the Kingdom of Heaven demands that we reflect Christ through how we think, act, and speak.

Where do we go from here?

This past week, I like many others, saw something incredibly disturbing. We as a nation and world witnessed the radicalization and mobilization of a domestic group that has imbedded itself in politics, society, and our culture. I think this group has been here for a while now. This groups purpose was to disrupt, cause strife and divide the country in a way that has never been seen before. This group disguised themselves as sheep and paraded around like good and decent humans until they were given the signal. Much of the chaos over the last year has been a result of a great evil that has engulfed our communities and nation.

Whatever you believe politically, whatever God you pray to or don’t. let us agree on one thing. This group of people that attacked and infiltrated the capital are a plague that was sent here to destroy our country like a swarm of locusts that devour a field of crops in the summer. This was chaos and should be condemned across the board. Call it what you want but this act of violence and destructive behavior was evil. The vile, evil filth that took over the U.S. Capital in D.C. earlier this week should be held fully accountable for their destructive actions, labeled criminal, and should suffer the full extent of the law. I believe that not all Trump supporters are bad people just like I do not believe all Biden supporters are bad people. There are too many kind and genuine people in this world to just write everyone off as simply bad. I know there are many good, kind, and decent people that support their respective candidates because of deeply held beliefs. On both sides of the political aisle, we have very contrasting viewpoints but that doesn’t make any of us bad. That doesn’t make anyone better than the other. Maybe we are simply misguided and misinformed as a whole. We live in a world where good and evil exist. If we continue to put our faith in human leaders, we will continue to be disappointed by their actions and behavior because they’re simply human and deeply flawed.

Additionally, over the last decade or more, I have noticed a startling trend in America. I have noticed that we as Americans, across different religions, races and political and social cultures are so quick to judge and cast the first stone. We point out people’s flaws, issues and don’t account for our own. We are quick to shame and reject those that think and act differently than ourselves. We are so quick to end relationships with lifelong friends and family members because of our differences, our inability to set aside those differences and our deep seeded disagreements. This is sad. This is segregation and is evil. Plain and simple. So many people are becoming hostile towards loved ones and spewing their vile venom all because they disagree and believe they are superior. Personally, I would much rather continue to build relationships with people that don’t agree with me because it shapes and influences both people to live better. Personally, I don’t know everything and I’m always willing to listen so I can learn. Building relationships with people you disagree with challenges each of us to set aside our differences and respect each other. I think there is value in our differences. Proverbs 27:17 says, “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.”

Respect, kindness, and love are missing from the world today. This is an unfortunate consequence of sin. The complete lack and removal of these qualities is reckless, disgusting and causes an abundance of harm to all of us. This is something that breaks my heart and I’m sure it breaks Christs heart infinitely more. I see so much division, hate and hostility among friends, family, neighbors, and community members because of different political beliefs, different religious beliefs, and different social and cultural views on the world. I see so many people pointing the finger and causing intentional division rather than trying to be united. I see so much unkindness in our words and actions, both online and offline, towards one another rather than loving one another and being genuine, kind, and gracious. This has consumed our hearts, our minds, and our culture and will not end well. I see so many people that are divided over political, cultural, and social issues and unwilling to talk it out peacefully and respectfully because they believe that their viewpoint is the superior and correct viewpoint. What a shame.

I see so many people that are unwilling to work together and help one another solve simple solutions, pick someone up when they have fallen and extend a helping hand. The world is filled with people that are struggling to pick themselves up and move past the burdens and the situations that hold them down. I am deeply disappointed in the way we as individuals, within our local communities, and we as nation treat each other despite our differences. Everyone across the board is disrespectful and eager to shove it down someone’s throat. We should be ashamed of ourselves with how we are acting as a country and looked at among the rest of the world. I don’t think Jesus would act like this. I know he wouldn’t. But I think he would radically call all of us out on our sin and speak truth in all of our lives.

I am sick and tired of the vile, morally reprehensible, and destructive words, behavior, and actions of the those on the right, left and center. Those who are liberal or conservative. Those who lead us in our respective communities and lead us as a nation. Those that oppose each other over our differences. Those who stand in front of us on Sunday. Those who influence us on Social Media. Those in the media. Those who believe they are right, just and without sin. Those who claim to know Christ. Those who don’t. I am sick of the hatred, division, and bitterness for one another. It’s unamerican, un-Christlike, downright despicable and is purely evil whether you’re a Christian or not. We, as Christ followers, are better than this. We as Americans are better than this. We deserve each other’s respect. This destructive way of life needs to stop. No, it needs to end before we destroy ourselves and our way of life.

I think we as humans have every right to disagree with one another. We as Americans and Christian’s have every right to think differently than one another. But we as people, Men and Women, Black and White, Christian, and not, republican or democrat, straight or gay, do not have the right to treat each other with disrespect, hostility, and bitterness. We need to come together and be united in our differences. We need to overcome and set aside what sets us apart in our differences and rebuild our communities, country, and way of life. We need to be Christ like first. Secondly, we need to be The United States of America not The Divided States of America. If we aren’t careful, we will become later. If all we do is fight amongst ourselves, point our fingers and mock each other we will never be able to accomplish anything as individuals or as a country.

So where do we go from here? What do we as Christians, individuals, leaders in our families, communities and as a nation do moving forward? The honest answer is, I don’t know. I don’t know what the future holds, and my mind runs blank with no good answer except to tell you that we need to pray. I think that’s the most honest, simplest and the easiest answer that I have. We must be praying without ceasing for our friends, families, communities, leaders, the nation, and our world because praying in the spirit of God is going to radically shape and influence those who are near and far from us. Praying and asking Jesus to heal us, our communities, our nation, and our world is going to be far more impactful than anything else. We should be praying that the truth of the Gospel of Christ can infiltrate, influence, and deeply impact the hearts and minds of those that don’t believe and those who have distanced themselves from Christ.

Lastly, I think we need to love each other regardless of our disagreements and inequalities. The lack of love among the different political parties, religious beliefs, friends, family members and we as Americans is sad and disappointing. I think we should be more accepting and loving of one another. Love is talked about abundantly in the Bible. In fact, the Bible mentions Love a total of 538 times in the NIV translation. Maybe we should love our neighbors like Christ loved us. Maybe we should show love to those who oppose, disagree, and persecute us as much as those who are for us, agree with us and call us friends.

As a Christian, I believe that Jesus came to this earth and died for the sinners, the saints, the criminals, the murders, the politicians, the poor, the rich, the democrats, the republicans, the liberals, the conservatives, the socialist crowd, the MAGA crowd, the weak and the strong. Every single one of us. Jesus doesn’t care who your are or what you have done. He would accept you, all of your flaws and all of your burdens. But it comes at a high cost. You have to die to yourself and repent of the sin within your heart. Sound simple? Yeah. But it’s extremely difficult because you have to do it every day. You have to seek Christ with all of your heart, mind, and soul. Also It’s far more than just religious rules and laws. It’s about a relationship and being apart of the kingdom of God. A relationship with the God who created you is the most important part of life. If you’re reading this, I believe that Jesus is calling your name. He is willing to accept you for you and has opened his kingdom to you. All you need to do is ask and allow him to embrace you with his love and grace.