A Call to Faithful Citizenship

How Christians Can Honor God Politically in a Strained Cultural Moment

As Christians in America prepare for another presidential inauguration, feelings of anticipation and anxiety fill the air. This Monday, Donald Trump will be sworn in for his second term as President, coinciding with Martin Luther King Jr. Day—a day that honors a man who modeled nonviolent resistance and hope in the face of injustice. This overlap offers a meaningful opportunity to reflect on how followers of Jesus are called to engage with politics, government, and power, no matter who holds the presidency.

Whether this moment feels like a celebration or a lament, our identity as Christians must not be tethered to the fading or ascent of political leaders and ideologies. Instead, we are invited into a higher calling: to live faithfully, love generously, and think wisely about our role in society. The Bible provides both guidance and pushback for how we relate to political authority, and the wiser voices across the Christian landscape urge us toward a posture that reflects Christ’s heart in a divided world.

Respecting Authority Without Compromising Conviction

Scripture doesn't shy away from the complexity of living under imperfect rulers. King Saul, for example, was a deeply flawed and narcissistic leader who did great harm, seeking David’s life out of jealousy and fear. Yet David refused to harm Saul, recognizing his authority as God’s anointed king. “The LORD forbid that I should do such a thing to my master, the LORD’s anointed, or lay my hand on him” (1 Samuel 24:6). David’s restraint wasn’t an endorsement of Saul’s behavior but a humble, surrendered acknowledgment of God’s wisdom and sovereignty.

Similarly, in the New Testament, Peter and Paul both navigated corrupt governments. Paul, writing during the reign of the murderous Nero—a ruler notorious for persecuting Christians—urged believers in Rome to “be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established” (Romans 13:1). Peter echoed this, urging believers to “show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God, honor the emperor” (1 Peter 2:17).

These commands weren’t calls to blind allegiance but to a posture of respect and honor, even under unjust rule. Early Christians continued to speak truth to power, to resist idolatry and oppression, to care for the weak and marginalized in ways that the government would not, and to prioritize their allegiance to Christ above all. But they did so without vilifying their leaders or repaying evil with evil.

Navigating Partisanship with Gospel-Centered Wisdom

In our own political moment, it can be tempting to divide the world into “us” and “them,” to baptize our political preferences as the only faithful option. But as former Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam, a Republican, reminds us, “Politics can become an idol when we turn to it for the things that only God can provide—identity, security, and hope.” Though written several years ago, his warning remains timely. Our hope must at all times be anchored in God, not in election results.

On the other side of the political aisle, Michael Wear, a Democrat and former faith adviser to President Obama, challenges Christians to resist the pull of political tribes. “Christians are not called to be partisans; we are called to be faithful,” he writes. This doesn’t mean disengagement, but it does mean holding our political identities loosely, allowing our faith to inform our politics—not the other way around. As I’ve often heard Wear say, the voting booth is every Christian’s opportunity not to make life easier for themselves, but to love their neighbor as they love themselves.

Justin Giboney, co-founder of the AND Campaign, also notes: “Partisanship can’t be the master of Christians. Our allegiance to Christ must shape how we engage in politics, not the other way around.” Christians should not feel fully at home in any political party because our true citizenship is in the Kingdom of God. Our dual responsibility—seeking justice while embodying mercy and love—requires wisdom, humility, and courage.

Washington, D.C. pastor Duke Kwon brings it all together in this provocative, yet thoroughly biblical statement: “Christians should regularly experience discomfort within their own parties: how the issues are defined and what issues are tackled. You should never feel perfectly at home. If you have never affirmed or agreed with someone of a different political persuasion, you are probably following your party more than you are following Jesus. Christians should be more critical of their own party than the opposing party. Christians should occasionally make members of their own party mad.”

A Posture of Humility and Grace

In politics and all of life, our desire to be right must never come at the expense of loving others. This is especially relevant in an era where political discourse is often harsh and dehumanizing. Biblically, believers are taught, shown, and called to engage in government-related concerns with conviction but also with kindness, recognizing that people on the other side of an issue, an aisle, or a state’s or nation’s border are image-bearers of God.

The church, then, should model a different kind of political engagement—one marked by humility and grace. This means listening well, speaking truth in love, and refusing to demonize those with whom we disagree. It also means praying for our leaders, whether we voted for them or not. Paul’s instruction to Timothy remains as relevant today as ever: “I urge that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people—for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness” (1 Timothy 2:1-2).

Practically speaking, our prayers for a president—both during a Biden administration or a Trump administration (or otherwise)—should be more similar in content, tone, and posture than they are different.

Prayer is one of God’s gifts to help soften our hearts and reorient our perspective. As C.S. Lewis observed, prayer “doesn’t change God. It changes me.” The most biblically aligned prayers especially remind us that in every time and season, God’s purposes will prevail, no matter who is in office.

As Martin Luther King Jr. famously said, “The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.” Yet that bending happens through the faithful witness of God’s people—not through political triumphalism.

Living as Ambassadors of Reconciliation

As we step into another chapter of American history, Christians have an opportunity to bear witness to the reconciling power of the gospel. In a fractured society, we are called to take the lead as instruments and ambassadors of peace, refusing to let politics destroy relationships or distract from Christ’s mission. Paul calls us “ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making his appeal through us” (2 Corinthians 5:20). Peacemaking, which is a primary focus for every good ambassador, is a high calling that transcends party lines and political cycles.

To be ambassadors of Christ means engaging in politics not for power, but for service. It means advocating for leaders and policies that reflect God’s justice, mercy, and faithfulness, while also caring deeply and sacrificially—with or without government participation or initiative—for those who are marginalized or feel afraid. It means acknowledging where even our own preferred leaders fall short and holding them accountable with both truth and grace.

Moving Forward with Faith, Not Fear

As President Biden’s term ends and President Trump’s second term begins, emotions will run high. For some, it will feel like the sky is falling and for others, like salvation has finally come. But Christians are not to get caught up in such baseless extremes. We need not ever be people driven by fear or despair, or on the other hand triumphalism or gloating.

Our King is not up for election, and His reigning authority will not be usurped or replaced. Jesus reigns with truth, justice, and righteousness, and of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end (Isaiah 9:7). This frees us to engage politics and temporal human governments thoughtfully and prayerfully, but without denying or compromising our witness.

Let us therefore commit to praying for our leaders, to seeking justice with humility, and to loving our neighbors—especially those with whom we disagree. In doing so, we honor God and bear witness to a hope that no political figure or party can give or take away.

The way we treat those with whom we disagree says more about us than it does about them. May our treatment of others—especially in a time where the popular thing to do is to sling mud—reflect the grace and truth of Christ, now and always.

This week will bring a new president, but today—and every day—Jesus remains Lord.

For God’s sake, let’s live like it.