The Heart of the Christian in the Heat of an Election
/By Dr. Barrett Mosbacker
NOTE TO THE READER: This article was written before the assassination attempt on former President Trump. That event reinforces the importance of this article’s message.
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be sons of God” (Matthew 5:9).
We live in an intense period of division and conflict in American society. Americans are increasingly segregated into blue and red camps, each loathing the other and convinced that the “other side” is evil and out to destroy the country. Many people do not put political stickers on their cars or political signs in their yards for fear of reprisal. Most would not wear a MAGA hat in a New York subway or a “Vote for Biden” t-shirt in the heart of Texas.
As our attention turns to the election of a President, the rhetoric and slander will heat up. Pundits will pour contempt on the “other side,” and social media will be a cesspool of conspiracy theories, mutual loathing, and AI-generated fake stories and videos. The media will focus on the political horse race instead of reasoned discussion around the critical issues facing Americans and our nation.
As the election approaches, we must step back from the alarmist agitation of 24-hour cable news, the anxiety of social media, and the hysterical hyperbole that dominates an election season. Let's pause and consider how we should conduct ourselves as responsible, engaged, and respectful Christian citizens.
The foundational principle upon which our Christian schools are built is teaching students to think biblically about everything. This begins with us. As Jesus said: “A student is not above his teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like his teacher" (Luke 6:39ff). We are all, in various ways, teachers for our children and our students. What we say and how we behave influences their thinking and behavior.
As we navigate this election year, I want to share a few biblical principles to guide our conduct as Christians. By following these principles, we can engage passionately and faithfully in the political process in a way that honors Christ, upholds the witness of the gospel, and is a godly example for our children and students.
Engagement in the Political Process Is Good and Necessary
We are citizens of two kingdoms—what Saint Augustine called the City of God and the City of Man. We have responsibilities to both; Jesus said, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s” (Luke 20:25).
In the City of Man, public policy affects the quality of our lives, our culture’s character, and our country’s future. Public policy promotes virtue or vice, advances justice or injustice, impacts our economic welfare, enhances liberty or restricts it, and more.
Followers of Christ must care about such things and seek to promote through public policy that which is biblical and, therefore, good, true, and beautiful. Political engagement is a noble enterprise. At its best, “politics is about the right ordering of our lives together. It cannot be unimportant because justice is never unimportant.”1 God expects us to engage in causes—including political ones—that promote righteousness and justice, “But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream” (Amos 5:24). We are to be thoughtful, righteous, and respectfully engaged citizens for as Edmund Burke is attributed to have said, “All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing.”
But our political engagement is to be regulated by God’s word and honor the dignity of others, regardless of their political party or persuasion.
Neither Politics nor Politicians Are Our Hope
While engagement in the political process is vital, we do not place our ultimate hope—personally or nationally—in political parties or politicians. Our hope lies with the individual and cultural transforming power of the gospel and in God’s sovereign, wise, and good providence, for as we are reminded in scripture, “The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the LORD; he turns it wherever he will” (Proverbs 21:1) and “He changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings; he gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding” (Daniel 2:21).
We Are Different but United in Christ
We come from different backgrounds and life experiences that shape our perspectives and politics. Our differences can be a blessing, enabling us to prepare young men and women to serve Christ in a diverse and complex world. Yet, promoting and maintaining unity in school communities composed of potentially hundreds of employees and students can be challenging. But, Christ calls us to reflect our unity in Him (John 17:21). While we are different, we are told in Scripture that we are to celebrate and promote our unity in Christ: “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:28-29).
Despite our political leanings and allegiances, our ultimate loyalty belongs to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, not to any party or politician. Our primary identity and deepest allegiance lie in our union with and obedience to Christ as brothers and sisters in the family of God. We must ensure our political engagement does not fracture our unity in Christ.
Honorable People Have Honest Disagreements
I learn the most when engaged in group discussions and debates. The dynamics of group interaction stimulate one’s thinking as ideas ping-pong around a room. But this is true only if we listen and seek to learn from others, just as we hope they listen and learn from us.
While we may have strong opinions about any policy or candidate, we should be respectful in our advocacy.
There is a crucial difference between debating ideas and debasing people.
A generous, humble, and courageous Christian demeanor involves fighting for justice and righteousness while being open to differing perspectives on what that looks like on a given issue and how to achieve those noble ends.
Someone recently said, "Say what you mean without being mean.” That strikes me as good advice.
Moreover, the Scriptures are inerrant; we are not. It behooves us, therefore, to adopt a listening and humble posture. I remember Stephen Covey’s advice: “Seek first to understand and then to be understood.” I do not know if he intended it, but his advice is a helpful paraphrase of James’ instruction: “Let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God” (James 1:19–20).
The essential point is that the Scriptures do not give specific guidance on a wide range of policy ideas. Honorable, Christ-loving people will disagree. Vigorous debate is healthy and good for, as we are told in Proverbs, “Iron sharpens iron as one man sharpens another” (Proverbs 27:17).
We can and should sharpen each other. But let’s be careful not to stab each other in the process.
We may and should sometimes disagree passionately about many things, but we must do so while being faithful to biblical principles. Christians are to treat people respectfully even while condemning evil or adamantly disagreeing politically. Paul tells us to “Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection (Romans 12:9–10). In the context of an election and heated political debate, we are to hate policies and actions that are evil and unjust, embrace policies and actions that are good, and always, even in heated disagreement, love our brothers and sisters in Christ.
Our Christian Witness Is Paramount
We are stewards of the gospel. Our words and actions are either positive or negative witnesses to the gospel; they build up or tear down others, advance the Kingdom, or hinder it. Our words will either draw people to Christ or repel them. God calls us to engage in the political process by seeking the welfare of our fellow citizens (Jeremiah, 29:7), but not in a manner that compromises our Christian witness and dishonors Christ. Our Christian witness is more important than any party or politician. Destroying our witness to win a political debate is a serious matter. It is tragic. Our means must be as holy as our ends.
Honoring and Obeying Civil Authorities
Scripture tells us to honor those in authority (Romans 13:1-7; 1 Peter 2:13,17; Titus 3:1). No exception is given for party or politician.
When Peter tells us to honor those in authority, Nero is the emperor—a ruler known for his extreme evil. He was an ancient Hitler. He was described as a monster and sadist. He allegedly burned down his capital city, engaged in incestuous relationships, and murdered many of his close relatives. He blamed Christians for the fire in Rome and subjected them to horrific deaths, including being burned alive and torn apart by animals.
If early Christians were instructed to honor an emperor like Nero, we can demonstrate honor to our worst politicians because of the office they hold despite their character flaws or bad policies.
Honoring authority does not mean ignoring or minimizing evil. For instance, John the Baptist courageously denounced Herod's wrongdoing and paid for it by losing his head, as recounted in Matthew 14:1-12. When Peter and Paul instruct us to respect those in authority, their directive is to honor the position of the one holding the office. We should speak and act respectfully towards those in authority, praising just policies and condemning and working to undo unjust ones. My former pastor used to say that Christians are to “Show up, Stand up, Speak up.” But we do so respectfully.
Honor is reflected in obedience. The Bible tells the children of God to obey civil authorities. The foundation for this obedience is God’s sovereign appointment of government and his sovereign rule over it (Romans 13:1-8).
There are only two reasons for disobeying authority; even then, it must be done respectfully. We disobey whenever an authority commands us to do what God forbids or forbids us from doing what God commands. In Acts 4:18–20 and 5:27-29, the Apostles’ disobedience was not because of disagreement over government policy. Their disobedience was directly related to the order, under threat, by authorities not to preach the gospel, which, if obeyed, would be disobeying Jesus’s command in the Great Commission:
All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age (Matthew 28:18–20).
We are to honor and obey civil authority regardless of party or politician. The only exception is if that authority commands us to disobey God, "But Peter and the apostles answered, 'We must obey God rather than men'" (Acts 5:29).
Loving Our Enemies, Including our Political Ones
Jesus instructs us to love our enemies (Matthew 5:43–48). Jesus gave no exceptions. We are to love others; this includes those we may consider our “political enemies.” Jesus is not talking about a feeling; he is talking about our behavior. We are to “love” those we disagree with. Jesus is not telling us we must have warm affection towards our enemies. We are to interpret this passage as loving our enemies by doing good to them. Loving our enemies is not about how we feel about them but how we treat them, including what we say about them. Love is a verb, not an abstract noun. Jesus said, “DO good to those who hate you” (Luke 6:27). He did not say “feel good” about those who hate us. It means to love our enemy by doing good to those who hate us and blessing those who curse us. We can and must condemn evil policies, but by God’s grace, we must seek to love all people.
Closing Thoughts
We want our young people to care about politics and tackle challenging issues. In many respects, this is the heart and soul of Christian education—preparing young people to apply biblical principles with humility and respect to practical day-to-day realities. By God’s grace, we want them to make a difference in our school, community, and nation by being different from the world around them (Romans 12:1-2).
We also want them to experience the warmth and joy of a Christian community, not the heat and hurt of divisive politics. We want them to care more about their character and Christian witness than winning an argument. Likewise, we want them to embrace the truth that people and Christian character are more important to God than our politics.
Jesus said the student would be like his teacher (Luke 6:40).
What will we teach our students, children, and grandchildren through our words and actions this election season?
_____________________________
Gerson, M. and P. Wehner (2010). City of Man: Religion and Politics in a New Era, Moody Publishers.