Like everyone else, I am working through the tumultuous election cycle and the prospect of a Biden presidency and a divided government. Competing visions of the country, a global pandemic and a razor-thin margin between Trump and Biden have combined to produce the most divisive election in recent memory. And, for many Christians that are concerned about the moral vision espoused by the Biden – Harris ticket on issues such as life and religious liberty, the likelihood of a Biden presidency seems, at first glance, cataclysmic or at least deeply concerning.

So, how should committed Christians process this? That’s a question I have been asking myself over the last day, and here are a few thoughts that I have found helpful.

To begin, gospel-centered citizenship is not a transaction. Voting is, of course, a once-every-election-cycle task, but the proper practice of citizenship is more akin to the lifelong discipline of physical and financial health. With that in mind, it’s time to exercise some spiritual and mental discipline in how we respond over the coming months and years. Here are three key tensions that come to mind.

#1 Advocacy and Acceptance

There is, of course, a tension between advocacy and acceptance.

I served for a time on my county’s election board, and that experience strengthened my trust in the American electoral process. In that capacity, I studied Indiana’s election process as well as that of other states and worked closely with individuals that hold differing political views. And we held each other accountable to ensure an orderly and fair election.

That said, election fraud does happen. The temptation to skew a close election toward one’s preferred party or candidate is ever-present in election administration roles, and several lawsuits have already been filed alleging voter fraud. These efforts should be vigorously pursued, and only legally cast ballots should be counted. The American social contract relies on free and fair elections, and courts should carefully scrutinize every credible allegation of fraud. Further, election processes in several swing states should be carefully reviewed by state legislatures and amended as necessary.

However, according to even conservative news sources, Biden’s lead in several keys states is between 10,000 and 40,000 votes. The likelihood of that many ballots being fraudulent (and the Trump campaign proving those ballots fraudulent) is slim. These votes should be closely analyzed to protect the integrity of the election process, but it does appear that Joe Biden will be the next President of the United States. I know there are strong opinions on this issue, but that appears to be the most likely outcome.

So, we should manage the tension of advocacy and acceptance.

#2 Supervision and Submission

Next, since the American people are the ultimate authority in the American system, it falls to us to supervise the elected officials that we have collectively chosen to run the day-to-day operations of government. Therefore, Christians should be prepared to point out and oppose any policy or policies that cut against Biblical principles and to commend governing officials for policies that promote that which is true, good and beautiful.

But we do so from a default position of submission to governing authorities as ministers of God for our good (Rom. 13).

Peter set out this key tension of Christian citizenship. He told the high priest inn Acts, “We ought to obey God rather than men,” (Acts 4:29) and later encouraged the church to, “Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme; or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well…” (I Pet. 2:13-14).

So, we should manage the tension of supervision and submission.

#3 Truth and Triumph

I hate losing. Always have and always will. I love this country, and I want to see it flourish according to a Biblical moral vision because I believe that is best for all Americans. But elections and court cases do not always cut in favor of those principles (or at least the way I believe those principles should play out in public life). So I have, at times, been forced to deal with disappointment and defeat. I am sure you have as well. So, what should we do with these unwanted realities?

I sense a growing desperation among committed Christians as opponents of our worldview employ the force of law, “cancel culture” and selective telling of the truth to compel the United States toward an alternate moral vision. In response to this, some Christians have (consciously or even subconsciously) decided that the best way to steward our republic is to adopt some of the same strategies employed by our opponents. I often hear sentiments such as “Well, they did it first.” or “We need street fighters that will give it right back to them.” This is a pivotal moment for the church. With so much at stake, winning elections and court cases seems an easy justification for engaging our cultural opponents according to their political playbook. Well, the logic goes, they started it; so now they will get a bit of their own medicine.

This approach overlooks our dual citizenship, our prior allegiance to Christ’s kingdom and the fragile nature of our constitutional republic. The United States needs a rebirth of ordered liberty and good citizenship or we are headed for a bitter and even dangerous decline. Will we solve the painfully evident partisan divide by coercing and “owning” our cultural opponents long-term? No. Blunt power may win over them, but it will not win them over. That said, I am not arguing for withdrawal or a naive niceness. We should be prepared to set aside tradition and even decorum in calling out falsehood and evil, and we should employ every available strategy to promote Biblical principles. I am a huge fan of out-of-the-box thinking and strategies.

But there is a nonnegotiable–a line we should not cross as Christian citizens. What is that line? Truth is more important than triumph. No matter what happens in the coming months and years, we need God’s guidance and protection. The new birth in Christ (John 3:3) is the surest guarantee of a new birth of freedom in our times. But should we expect God’s blessing and intervention if we fail to engage government in God’s way? I think not.

In sum, I want to win. I want to see Biblical truth reflected in our culture and laws. But this cannot and will not come by adopting our opponent’s playbook rather than doing politics by the Book.

We need to practice the tension of truth and triumph.

Please join me in prayer for our country, for our current President Donald Trump and for (barring a successful court challenge as described above) President-elect Joe Biden.

I went first and shared my thoughts. What are yours? How are you managing these tensions?