Over the weekend I heard a short clip from a recent sermon by Adam Hamilton. I’m glad I was sitting down, because the questions he quoted hit me hard and they’ve been haunting me since. Hamilton credited conservative pastor Joe Carter, who wrote them back in 2020. In the clip I saw, here are the two questions that hit me:
- “Have I spent more time today thinking about my favorite politician than I have about Jesus?”
- “Do I spend more time listening to my favorite political leader than reading the Gospels to hear what Jesus says?”
At first I thought, Bingo! That’s it. That’s what’s happening across our society, left and right. We’re trading a living faith for a political identity. I can name folks on both sides who would answer “yes” to those two questions without even blinking. But the more I sat with those questions, the more I realized they weren’t about “those people.” They were about me.
As Christians, I believe we are called to be one-sided. Not for a party, not for a politician, but for Jesus. Every political party from Rome to today has tried to claim God is on their side. But Jesus doesn’t belong to any party. One response to this would be that Christians should stay out of politics. What I think it means is that our discipleship comes first. Our allegiance to Christ shapes how we engage with the world around us, how we evaluate policies, and how we treat those with whom we disagree.
When I’m at my best, I try to let Jesus shape my politics along with every other aspect of my life. I don’t get it right every time. I try to use the filters we have in Scripture to shape me. They are simple and stubborn: the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5), the Great Commandment (love God, love neighbor), and the Golden Rule. I use those to support or to critique policies and politicians whichever party they come from. That’s what Jesus did. He had fierce compassion for people who were being crushed, and he spoke hard truth to those whose leadership was hurting others even when those leaders were themselves trapped by their own broken systems (scribes and Pharisees, we’re looking at you).
I’m also deeply concerned by the rise in political violence and threats against public figures and communities of faith. I would be lying if I said I never wonder whether posts like this could endanger me, my family, or our church, or fan more internet outrage. I’ve watched decades-long relationships fracture. Sometimes not even over deep differences of belief, but over how we show love while working through those beliefs together.
In his sermon, Hamilton shared a quote from the late Charlie Kirk that both Hamiltons (Adam and I) agree with:
“When things are moving very fast and people are losing their minds, it’s important to stay grounded. Turn off your phone, read Scripture, spend time with friends, and remember the internet fury is not real life.”
Regardless of what you think of Kirk, what’s above is wise counsel. There are strong voices: media, politicians, and influencers working to stir anxiety and division. But for us Christians, they don’t get the last word, Jesus does.
So, here’s my imperfect resolve: I want to be one-sided, on Jesus’ side, even when I mess it up. That means more time in Scripture than time in the news. More time with the Gospels than with any politician’s feed. Not as an escape from civic responsibility, but so my roots go down deeper than the news cycle. So that when I do speak, I’m more likely to sound like a disciple than just another pundit.
For context, here are the five questions (adapted from Joe Carter, as quoted by Adam Hamilton on Sept. 15, 2025). Sit with them prayerfully this week:
- Have I spent more time today thinking about my favorite politician than about Jesus?
- Do I spend more time listening to my favorite political leader than reading the Gospels to hear what Jesus says?
- Do I make excuses for policies or practices of my party or president that are inconsistent with Jesus’ message?
- Do my politics lead me to say or do things that are inconsistent with my faith in Jesus?
- Are the policies my party advocates consistent with the message of Jesus?
If you answer “yes” or “I’m not sure,” that’s not a shame moment, it’s an invitation. In Scripture, it’s called repentance: a change of mind that leads to a change of heart that leads to a change of life. Let me accept my own invitation:
- I’m sorry for the times my words have pulled anyone away from Jesus instead of nudging us toward him. Sometimes my attempts at being “one-sided for Jesus” lean too far into my own preferences.
- I’m committed to hearing more of Jesus in my daily life: more Scripture, more prayer so that when I speak, it bears better fruit, like that of the Spirit.
Adam Hamilton named what I think we all know deep down: no president or political figure past, present, or future is our savior. Only Jesus holds that place. Hamilton said, “Barack Obama was not the savior of the world. Donald Trump is not the savior of the world. Joe Biden is not the savior of the world. Jesus is the Savior, and he is the Christ. If anything else is sitting in that center seat, we’re off-kilter.” That’s the heart of it. If anything else: any person, party, or ideology sits in the central place of our lives, we’ve lost our balance.
I invite us to all be one-sided. Not for a party or ideology, but for Jesus. Not for outrage, but for agape: the self-giving love Jesus commands. Let’s disagree without dehumanizing, tell the truth without tearing down, and seek justice without losing joy.
If you’re ready for a first step toward this invitation, try these small steps this week:
- Turn down the volume: set app limits, take a 24-hour media fast each week.
- Open the Gospels: read one chapter a day from Luke; pray the Lord’s Prayer slowly.
- Practice one act of mercy: encourage someone you disagree with or check on a neighbor who’s struggling.
I want to be one-sided for Jesus. To keep my roots deep in him, even when I mess up. To let the Spirit shape not just my sermons but my conversations, my social media posts, and my private thoughts. And I want the same for all of us. Not to withdraw from the world, but to engage it as disciples who know where our true allegiance lies – in Christ Jesus, our Lord.
