Politics in religion, whether in the Catholic Church or among the churches of God, reveals a persistent human tendency to engage in deals, schemes, and machinations for power or influence. In the Catholic Church, the election of a new Pope involves intense politicking among the College of Cardinals, with media coverage detailing the blow-by-blow accounts of their maneuvers before white smoke rises over the Sistine Chapel. Similarly, within the United Church of God, headlines and commentaries in publications highlight the council of elders' decisions on presidency, with speculation and grassroots efforts to influence outcomes. Articles compare the political maneuvering in the College of Cardinals to the wheeling and dealing within the UCG council, illustrating how such behavior is inherent in human nature, not just in specific forms of church government. Across various church organizations, adopting structures like hierarchy, presbyterianism, or congregationalism inevitably results in politics as a by-product of human approaches to accrue power or align with the winning side. This politicking within church environments often exposes works of the flesh rather than godly fruits, fostering frustration and sadness as it mirrors the worldliness and destructiveness of secular intrigue.

In today's hyper-political world, every opinion, whether true or not, is seen as a political statement, placing individuals on one side of an issue or another, regardless of intent or consistency. Even neutral statements, such as noting the environmental benefits of a shutdown or sharing positive experiences with law enforcement, can lead to being branded with political labels from either the Right or the Left. The church faces similar scrutiny, often criticized for appearing political despite striving to remain apolitical and fair, guided solely by the Word of God. At times, the church may seem aligned with the Right or the Left due to shared principles, like supporting the rule of law or advocating for racial reconciliation, yet its standard remains divine, not partisan. Historically, Jesus Himself was ensnared by politics, and though He navigated factions skillfully for a time, it ultimately contributed to His political murder. God's command to His church and its members is to come out of this world, including its politics, as a spiritual nation set apart. He desires His people to avoid worldly engagements, focusing instead on the greater calling to prepare for the Kingdom of God, trusting that under His sovereignty, worldly matters will resolve themselves.

Despite living in this world, we are not of it, as Jesus Christ declared that our kingdom is not of this world. It is not our time to fight or take sides, even though the political wrangling in our nations increasingly affects us negatively, with promises that conditions will only worsen. It will be challenging to restrain ourselves, but we must always uphold our understanding that we are not of this world and are followers of Jesus Christ.

In the current climate, politics permeates every aspect of life, including religion, where it often distorts the essence of spiritual matters. The pervasive nature of politics, derived from the Greek word "polis" meaning city, has evolved to encompass activities aimed at influencing government actions and securing power. This intrusion creates division within communities and even churches, splitting them over political issues and fostering an us-versus-them mentality that can lead to deep-seated conflict. Moreover, politics in religious contexts introduces false dichotomies, oversimplifying complex moral and ethical issues into polar opposites, which fails to address the nuanced reality of such concerns. Over-politicizing these matters trivializes them, reducing profound heart and attitude changes to mere votes, programs, or slogans, which cannot resolve deep-rooted problems like racism or corruption. Within the church, the presence of politics often signals human egos unwilling to submit to God's will, as the church is meant to operate according to His divine guidance, free from partisan struggles for leverage or power. As Christians, the focus should remain on fulfilling God's will, not on maneuvering for personal or political gain within spiritual spaces.