Last week, I described the reaction to the results of our recent mid-term election as divided between the “Rockys” and the “Chicken Littles.” The Rockys, I said, celebrated like the famous fictional boxer who came out of nowhere in Philadelphia to defeat the heavyweight champion of the world. The Chicken Littles, on the other hand, interpreted the results as a disaster of epic portions for our nation. They claimed the Communists and Socialists, as well as the Muslims were going to take over America. And they maintained the only way America will find its way back is through getting back to ‘biblical values.’
Here is a snippet of one post I read which was written before Election Day: “DOES YOUR PARTY MATCH YOUR BIBLE? Because if you keep having to twist the Bible to make it agree with your politics, maybe it is not the Bible that needs changing. Maybe your politics do. I know where I stand. I will never tell you the Republican Party is perfect. I will tell you this: when I compare the two parties on morality, life, family, marriage, sex, parental authority, religious liberty, personal responsibility, and the basic biblical order of society, the choice is not difficult for me. And if you call yourself a Bible-believing Christian, it should at least make you stop and think before you vote.”
Note the list of ‘biblical values.’ Sounds like a political platform more than a list of values from the Bible. From other Chicken Littles, I have gleaned that ‘biblical values’ are summed up by these: pro-life (anti-abortion), secure borders, marriage between a man and a woman, two recognized biological genders, and religious freedom. One could also throw capitalism in there as well since there was so much focus on Communists and Socialists in their campaign ads.
Let me assure you this isn’t a pro-Democrat, anti-Republican article. Politicians on both sides are making claims to be on the side of ‘biblical values.’ And this is nothing new. In much of the 20th Century, hardly any politician could be elected to office without being a church attender. It was considered an essential part of one’s résumé. Today, as in the past, politicians are using their ties to the church as part of their strategy to get elected. Thus, the emphasis on ‘biblical values.’
As my title suggests, I think it is time we replace our emphasis on ‘biblical values’ to Kingdom values. ‘Biblical values’ and its cousin, ‘family values’ have been used by Republicans for more than 40 years, beginning with the Moral Majority movement of the early 1980’s. Increasingly, Republicans have sought to merge their identity with what this group determined to be ‘biblical values’ and ‘family values.’ I believe the Democrat Party leadership began to see how effective references to the Bible were and decided to recruit pastors and others fluent in biblical language to be a part of a strategy to overcome Republican dominance. And it worked. But while both sides have embraced ‘biblical values,’ you may have noticed that neither side agrees with the other on what these values are. And they are set to do battle over definitions.
If there is one general conclusion about this election, it is that the majority of Americans are weary of seeing our two political parties staring each other down and each claiming the other side is evil and must be stopped, while at the same time accomplishing little that benefits them as citizens. It makes me so sad that many of my Christian friends who identify as Republicans seem to love to denigrate “liberals” and “woke” people who are Democrats. And it makes me sad when many of my Democratic friends aim their fire at Christian Republicans. It’s enough to make me want to stand between them and say, ENOUGH!
We desperately need a reset, and I think it must begin with our understanding of Kingdom values. These are the values expressed throughout the WHOLE Bible and are not designed to be cherry-picked so as to agree with our already-held beliefs. Currently, that is how ‘biblical values’ are being defined by both sides. Kingdom values are weapons to be used against our true enemy, the devil (I Peter 5:8), but they are not meant to wield political power over others. Rather, they are meant to transform each of us into the person God created each of us to be. The more we discover and internalize these values, we will draw closer to becoming that person.
Kingdom values, however, are not mere points of belief; they are to be lived out in our lives. For example, loving our enemies (Matthew 5:43) is a Kingdom value. So, too, is loving the Word and doing what it says (James 1:22-25). Kingdom values are modeled by Jesus. The Old Testament points to Him and the New Testament (Acts-Revelation) shares with us the stories and teachings of people attempting to do just that, although imperfectly. And they were doing it in the midst of one of the most pagan empires to ever exist, which proves Kingdom values don’t need a Christian government in order to be effective and transformative.
Today, it is the same. The vast majority of people aren’t desiring, nor did they vote for a Christian government, but rather a competent and caring one, whose parts work together for the benefit of the citizenry. And the way we can benefit the citizenry is by living out Kingdom values in our lives. Hopefully, the politicians aligning themselves with the Bible will do the same.
Until next time . . .
© Jim Musser 2026
