In our day, Christians face a challenging task: how to speak faithfully into a culture that is increasingly confused, divided, and resistant to biblical truth. The temptation is either to withdraw in silence or to shout in ways that confuse the gospel with a political programme. Yet there is a better way. This might help us keep balance: Gospel always, boldness often, politics sometimes, partisanship rarely.
Boldness is needed
We should begin by affirming and encouraging those believers who are unafraid to speak the Word of God publicly. In a society that often calls good evil and evil good, it is no small thing when Christians take their stand on the unchanging truth of Scripture. Whether it be on issues of life, marriage, justice, or the uniqueness of Christ, it takes courage to raise one’s voice. We must not be ashamed of such boldness, but thankful for it. The apostles prayed not for safety, but for boldness (Acts 4:29). We need men and women who will do the same today.
So let us honour those who, like the prophets of old, call the nation to repentance. Let us support those who dare to say that God has spoken, and that His Word still has authority over every realm of life. Such voices are desperately needed. Without them, society drifts further into darkness. But — and this is the critical point — such boldness must always serve the gospel, not a partisan cause.
Patriotism and nationalism
It is right to love the country in which God has placed us. Patriotism, properly understood, is gratitude and prayer for the nation’s good. The Lord commanded His people in exile to seek the welfare of Babylon (Jer. 29:7). Likewise, Christians in Britain should desire blessings for our land, pray for our leaders, and give thanks for the privileges of our heritage.
The gospel is not American. It is not British. It is not Conservative or Labour, Republican or Democrat. It is the good news of salvation in Jesus Christ, for all who repent and believe.
Yet we must also recognise the danger when patriotism tips into a toxic brand of nationalism. Nationalism elevates the idea of ‘nation’ to ultimate status. It can demand loyalty above loyalty to Christ, and it easily turns into hostility toward those deemed outsiders. At that point, it no longer honours God, but competes with Him.
In the UK, we see signs of this tension. The flying of Union Flags from lampposts has been defended as simple pride in our heritage. Many Christians may sympathise with that instinct. But we must ask: what spirit animates such displays? At the recent Unite the Kingdom rally in London on 13 September, crosses and biblical banners appeared among the crowd.
On the one hand, this was encouraging — evidence that some still see Christian truth as foundational to our nation’s life. On the other hand, many bearing those symbols were not true believers. Their use of Christian imagery was cultural rather than spiritual, an attempt to clothe nationalist fervour in the garb of faith. Cultural Christianity, however, is no Christianity at all. It offers false comfort, while leaving hearts untransformed.
A lesson from America
We are also wise to learn from events in the United States. The shocking murder of Charlie Kirk deeply affected evangelicals worldwide. He was rightly admired for his boldness in calling young people to stand for biblical truth. His courage to speak out deserves honour. Yet we must also face the reality that his message was often intertwined with partisan loyalty. He identified his biblical faith with the policy platform of one party, and one politician in particular.
This is not to say Christians should be indifferent to politics. Scripture provides clear moral teaching, and believers can and should evaluate political platforms in light of God’s Word. In theory, one party might align more closely with biblical truth than another. But reality is never so simple. Every political movement contains both light and shadow. To suggest that only voters from one camp can be faithful Christians is to betray the very heart of the gospel, which invites Jew and Gentile, slave and free, rich and poor, right and left, to kneel before Christ together.
The gospel is not American. It is not British. It is not Conservative or Labour, Republican or Democrat. It is the good news of salvation in Jesus Christ, for all who repent and believe.
When politics matters
We must not retreat into silence. There are times when the church must confront the culture directly. When the unborn are denied their dignity, when marriage is redefined, when the poor are forgotten, when freedom to preach Christ is threatened — then the people of God must not be mute. Politics sometimes matters, because politics is about people, and God cares deeply about people.
But here again the order is crucial: gospel always, boldness often, politics sometimes, partisanship rarely. The gospel is our permanent calling. Boldness must be our frequent posture. Political engagement has its time and place. But partisanship — confusing the cause of Christ with the fortunes of one party — must be the exception, not the rule.
Keeping the main thing central
The danger in our day is that we allow political identity to eclipse Christian identity. But our essential calling never changes. We are heralds of the gospel. The kingdom of God does not advance through elections or legislation, but through the Spirit’s power to change hearts. The early church understood this. They had no political power, yet through prayer, proclamation, and sacrificial love, they turned the world upside down.
So let us be grateful for every Christian voice that dares to speak truth into our culture. Let us encourage such boldness, pray for it, and join in it. But let us also guard against the subtle temptation to make the gospel a banner for partisan nationalism. When we do, we trade away the very thing that makes the church distinct.
A call to balance
The challenge, then, is balance. Love your nation, but do not idolise it. Engage in politics, but do not confuse it with salvation. Rejoice when Christian truth is spoken, but grieve when Christ’s name is used as a cultural slogan. Above all, proclaim the gospel. The gospel always. Boldness often. Politics sometimes. Partisanship rarely.
Our neighbours — whether they wave a Union Flag, vote Reform, Conservative, Labour, SNP, or not at all — need to hear of Christ crucified and risen. They need to see a church that welcomes them by grace, not by party. That is our mission. That is our joy. That is our hope.
