A lot has been happening politically within Kenya over the past few months. It all started as a concerted effort by Kenyan youth to reject the Finance Bill of 2024. It was a bill filled with unpopular tax measures, all of which were opposed at various public participation platforms. However, all the points raised publicly were not considered, as the government nonetheless chose to forge ahead with the bill. Seeing that the government had disregarded their grievances, the youth mobilised themselves through various social media platforms. Their byline was that they were party-less, tribe-less and leader-less. United in their cause, their mission was to force the government to be accountable and fight the injustices within our country.
Their political statement has reverberated throughout the country; even the leaders had no idea how to deal with them. The chants of this movement have resounded far and wide, so much so that even the most apolitical Kenyans have been involved somehow. The church, a significant player in our current political landscape, has not been spared. Most youth feel betrayed by the church because, in many instances, the church has appeared to play to the tune of the government’s music.
In this article, I will first seek to define the church’s foundational political statement and what its mission is. Secondly, I will demonstrate how most churches, especially within the Kenyan context, haven’t been living out what they should preach. Finally, I will attempt to give recommendations on how the church can rectify the situation.
The Church’s Political Statement
In Acts 18, when Paul went to Corinth, we read that he met up with Priscilla and Aquila, who were Jews. They were coming from Italy because Jews were no longer welcome in Rome. This was because Claudius Caesar had forcibly expelled all Jews from Rome. Why was this so? Had the Jews rebelled? Had they refused to pay taxes? Absolutely no. Claudius Caesar expelled the Jews because of a conflict that arose around a man called Chrestus. Many scholars believe that the name Chrestus refers to Jesus Christ. In short, Jesus had become such a divisive figure that it was enough to warrant Jewish expulsion from Rome.
From this, we can infer that Jesus had inadvertently become a political figure. From this, we can conclude that the Church’s political statement can be, as stipulated by Paul in Romans 10:9, that Jesus is Lord or, in another way, Christ is King. In a world filled with power-hungry leaders, saying that anyone outside them is king would be viewed with scorn, or in the case of the apostles and the early church, persecuted and killed for it. As Christians, our mission statement comes from this political statement contained in the gospel: living and walking in a manner worthy of the gospel to which we have been called (Philippians 1:27, Ephesians 4:1-6). We must understand that even though we are still in this sinful, Genesis 3 world, our citizenship is in heaven (Philippians 3:20-21).
The Church’s Failure
Since this is true, we are to seek the things above and regard everything as loss for the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus and attaining resurrection from the dead. Our ambition should be that even though we have yet to reach our goal, we will still press on for the prize of God’s upward call in Christ (Matthew 6:33, Colossians 3:2, Philippians 3:7-21). Since we have been bought and taken captive through Christ, we will glorify God with our bodies no matter the cost (1 Corinthians 6:19-20, Ephesians 4:7-10). However, the church has indeed failed to live out its political and mission statement in several ways.
We must note that this is not true of all churches, as some have held firm to the truth and not bowed the knee to Baal. Thus, when I use the blanket statement, ‘the church,’ I am not implicating all churches. Instead, I am generalising for the sake of this article.
Instead of putting on Christ for salvation is near (Romans 13:11-14), the church has loved the world (1 John 2:15-17). It has become like Demas, who, because of loving the world, abandoned Paul (2 Timothy 4:10). It has become like the church in Laodicea, so comfortable in her current situation and being like the world that it is no longer heavenward (Revelation 3:15-20). Most churches have misled people into believing that their best life is now, hence, being captured by the vain philosophies of the world (Colossians 2:8). Like the Laodicean church, it is neither hot nor cold. If there’s anything God doesn’t tolerate, it is a spiritually lukewarm people (Revelation 3:1,16, Matthew 10:37). Sadly, because of this, the church has been tossed around by every wind of doctrine (Ephesians 4:16).
The Church’s Remedy
In its sleep, the church has become a hidden city, instead of the city on the hill it should be (Matthew 5:16). To see how the church can regain its status, we shall consider the letters to the seven churches in Revelation.
Repent
First, God repeatedly says they were to repent (Revelation 2:5, 16, 21-22; 3:3, 19). It all starts with repentance. Repentance entails understanding that we have failed in being the brides of Christ. We must cast off our prideful exterior and present ourselves as broken vessels, for God has promised that a broken and contrite spirit he will not despise (Psalm 51:10).
The church must repent for not contending for the most holy faith as it has been charged (Jude 1:3). Because of the compromise, wolves in sheep’s clothing have crept in unnoticed (Jude 1:4). We are to repent for being like the church at Ephesus having forsaken our first love and have instead chosen to love the world (Revelation 2:4-5). The church should also repent for being like the church at Pergamum, which allowed Balaam, Nicolatians and Jezebel to be part of them; we have allowed false teachings to take root in our churches (Revelation 2:14-16, 20-23). We should repent for looking alive outwardly when inwardly we are dead (Revelation 3:1). When the world isn’t watching, we aren’t practising righteousness, being joyful or peaceful (Romans 14:17). We should finally repent for being neither hot nor cold (Revelation 3:15-17).
Awake
After seeking repentance, we must wake up from our slumber and understand our times. That’s the charge given to the church in Sardis. We are to “wake up, and strengthen what remains and is about to die” (Revelation 3:2). How we do this is by first understanding the nearness of our salvation (Romans 13:11). Afterwards, we are to cast aside the works of darkness and put on the armour of light which is Jesus Christ (Romans 13:12-14). This means that churches must be committed to following up on the walk of each of their members. This is so that we may be accountable to one another, which is lacking in most churches today. We must uphold severe church discipline with a view towards restoration (Matthew 18:15-20, 1 Corinthians 5:1-13).
Our waking up will also involve striving towards biblical unity and maturity so that we can not be tossed by every wind of doctrine (Ephesians 4:13-16). Ensuring that no one, no matter who they are, is preaching a different gospel than the one we have heard (Galatians 1:6-9, 1 Corinthians 14:37-38). We are to be like the Bereans who, even though they were listening to Paul, searched the scriptures to ensure his words were true (Acts 17:11). We are to strive for contentment in the much or little, for it is great gain (1 Timothy 6:6). It is understanding that our strength comes from God. It should be our joy to trust in him (Philippians 4:13).
Finally, it is crucial to understand that we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works. He prepared these works beforehand so we could walk in them (Ephesians 2:10).
Boldly Proclaim and Live Out our Political Statement
Recently, I learned of the possibility that the word ‘gospel’ was political. The word itself comes from the Greek word ‘euangelion’. In Mark 1:1, John Mark writes about how his book is the beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Mark was most likely issuing a direct challenge to Rome in writing that. Back in 6 B.C., an almost similar statement was written concerning Caesar Augustus, referred to him, in the inscription, as both saviour and god in the flesh. It seems this is what Mark intended for his Roman audience to glean from his first statement. That there is a King greater than Caesar Augustus and he is Jesus Christ.
It should be our great joy and privilege to proclaim that Jesus is King through our lives. We should go out of our way to proclaim this truth with our mouths, no matter the cost. Being citizens of heaven, we are called to seek the things above (Philippians 3:20, Colossians 3:2). Will we be hated for it? Absolutely, as even Jesus said, it would happen (John 15:18-25). However, we must take heart, for Christ has overcome the world (John 16:33). Jesus has also promised that he would be with us to the end of the age (Matthew 28:20). We can rest on this promise, for the one who made it is faithful (Hebrews 10:23). Therefore, let us boldly stand firm in our eternal political statement, that Christ is indeed King of all.
