A person can be deeply convinced—and still be dangerously wrong.

Adding God’s name to our anger does not make that anger holy. Sometimes it only makes hatred harder to recognize.

And that raises a difficult question: What happens when political outrage begins to feel like a religious mission?

Federal prosecutors announced Thursday that William L. Upham, a 35-year-old former Marine and write-in congressional candidate in Florida’s Fifth District, was arrested and charged with threatening the president of the United States.

According to the Justice Department, investigators allege that Upham posted videos calling for the overthrow of the Trump administration, describing President Donald Trump as the Antichrist, and saying that he must be killed. Prosecutors also allege that one video included firearm recommendations and instructions intended to cause death.

Upham appeared in federal court in Jacksonville and was ordered detained. If convicted, he could face up to five years in federal prison.

And that qualification matters: he has been charged, not convicted.

The allegations must still be proven in court. We do not know everything about his motives, his mental or emotional condition, or his spiritual state. Scripture does not give us permission to fill those gaps with speculation.

But the reported statements raise a spiritual issue that reaches far beyond one criminal case.

What happens when we become so convinced that someone is evil that we begin believing their humanity no longer matters?

Strong political opposition is not the same thing as violent extremism.

Christians are allowed to criticize presidents. We may challenge policies, confront injustice, oppose corruption, vote against leaders, protest lawfully, and speak plainly when those in power do wrong.

The Bible does not command political silence.

But Scripture does place a firm boundary around personal vengeance.

Romans 12 says:

“Never pay back evil with more evil. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable. Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone. Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God.”

And a few verses later:

“Don’t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good.”

Paul is not pretending evil is harmless.

He is speaking to Christians who knew hostility, mistreatment, and injustice. His answer was not, “Nothing bad is happening, so calm down.”

His command was: Do not allow someone else’s evil to recruit you into becoming evil yourself.

“Never take revenge” does not mean we ignore credible threats.

It does not mean authorities should release dangerous people without investigation. It does not mean Christians should stand quietly while neighbors are harmed.

Reporting a threat is not vengeance.

Protecting someone is not hatred.

Supporting lawful consequences is not a failure of mercy.

Government has a legitimate responsibility to restrain wrongdoing. Courts must examine evidence, protect the accused person’s rights, and determine guilt according to law.

But there is a difference between seeking justice and appointing yourself as the instrument of God’s judgment.

That line can become difficult to see when anger feels righteous.

And here is where I have to turn the question toward myself.

Have I ever spoken about a political figure—or the people who support that figure—as though they were problems to eliminate rather than people made in God’s image?

Maybe I have never threatened anyone. But have I laughed at the thought of someone suffering?

Have I celebrated violent language because it was aimed at the “right” person?

Have I shared something designed to make other people hate rather than think?

Genesis 1 tells us that human beings are made in the image of God.

That dignity does not disappear when a person becomes corrupt, dangerous, foolish, or profoundly wrong.

Human dignity does not cancel accountability. It explains why accountability matters.

We protect human life because it belongs to God. We pursue justice because people made in God’s image should not be harmed. And we refuse to dehumanize even the guilty because judgment does not transform a human being into an object.

James exposes the contradiction clearly. With our tongues, he says, we praise the Lord—and then curse people who were made in God’s likeness.

James says, in effect, that those two things should not come from the same mouth.

You cannot meaningfully honor God while speaking as though another human life has no value.

This becomes even clearer when we look at Jesus.

Christ was falsely accused by religious leaders, condemned through political power, mocked by soldiers, and nailed to a cross.

He did not pretend that their actions were righteous.

He did not call evil good.

But He also refused to answer murderous hatred with murderous retaliation.

When one of His disciples reached for a sword during His arrest, Jesus stopped him.

At the cross, Jesus exposed what human vengeance does. It lies. It dehumanizes. It convinces itself that destroying an enemy will somehow save the world.

But Christ did not overcome evil by borrowing evil’s weapons.

He bore judgment. He entrusted Himself to the Father. And through His death and resurrection, He opened the way for enemies of God—including people like us—to be forgiven and reconciled.

The gospel does not make Christians passive toward evil.

It frees us to resist evil without becoming ruled by it.

It gives us courage to speak truth without craving destruction.

It teaches us to seek justice without feeding hatred.

It reminds us that God’s judgment is perfect—and ours is not.

So here is the central question I am asking myself today:

Has political anger changed the way I speak about people made in God’s image?

Before you share or repeat political content today, pause and examine the language.

Remove anything that celebrates harm, encourages hatred, or treats another person’s death as desirable.

That does not weaken your convictions.

It places those convictions under the lordship of Jesus.

The legal questions in this case belong in a courtroom. The spiritual question belongs much closer to home.

We do not overcome evil by borrowing its weapons.

We overcome evil by following the Christ who confronted hatred without becoming ruled by it.

Pray This

Father, guard our hearts from anger that disguises itself as righteousness. Teach us to recognize Your image even in people we strongly oppose. Give wisdom to those responsible for public safety and justice. Help us speak truth without hatred, resist evil without vengeance, and follow Jesus in courage, mercy, and self-control. Amen.