John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins……Now after John was taken into custody, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God,” Mark 1:4, 14 NASB2020 https://bible.com/bible/2692/mrk.1.4-14.NASB2020
John was chosen by God to prepare people for the coming of the Lord. His message was for people to repent of their sin, that is to turn away 180 degrees from that which God forbid and to turn to doing that which God commands. This message led to his condemnation of their political leader who had taken his brother’s wife through adultery and divorce. Definite sins as defined in the word of God which of course angered him who had the power of the police to enforce his rule. John would end up being murdered in prison for his message, the end of his ministry. Jesus never got political in His message. While He was tempted by the political and religious leaders to do so, He refused, staying focused instead upon the gospel. Jesus’ message was very much the same as John’s; repent for the kingdom of God has come. Yet Jesus did not target political people in His messaging. Jesus did target religious leader who still sought His death and thus were also able to rid themselves of Jesus though it took them considerably longer to do so. Political targeting while trying to share Jesus makes enemies faster than staying focused on God and His command for us to follow Him. The application of God’s commands will impact our political activities but the work of the Christian should be to focus on people’s personal relationship with God and allow the Holy Spirit to lead a man politically. As for the political leaders who do evil, well they too must repent and their judgement will be particularly harsh for they were given much and were unfaithful with much. The Christian’s concern should be for all of us to turn from evil and do what is commanded by God in the Scriptures leaving the political nuances to Him for reproving, rebuking, correcting, and training us into righteousness.
