It’s election season. That used to mean US citizens of voting age would begin to do their research on the candidates they are eligible to vote on, maybe watch a debate or three, then head to the polls on the first Tuesday of November. But over the past few election cycles, this time has turned into an all-out war. It started with a little mudslinging by politicians and has escalated to what we have today: My side is right and good and just, your side is evil and you hate everyone. My side is the only honest side, the only decent side. Your side wants to do despicable things to the Americans who aren’t like you because reasons.

So what do we do? As Christians, we have a responsibility to our country, right? Romans 13:1 says, “Everyone must submit to governing authorities. For all authority comes from God, and those in positions of authority have been placed there by God.” We are commanded to submit to our governmental authority, to pray for our leaders and, I believe, to take part in the political process. But the Bible doesn’t just tell us to get out the vote. God has also given us some guardrails for how we participate. Here are four.

1. Know Your Citizenship

“Dear friends, I warn you as ‘temporary residents and foreigners’ to keep away from worldly desires that wage war against your very souls.” – 1 Peter 2:11

A temporary resident, or “sojourner” as some translations read, is someone who is just passing through. The place they are in is not their home. A foreigner, in this context, is someone who is forced to live in a place that isn’t their home. Do you get the picture? Peter is saying that this world–this country, state, city, neighborhood, house–is not our home. We should respect it, for sure. But it isn’t where we belong.

What do you love more? The Kingdom of God or this nation? Before you answer, think about what you spend more time and energy on. Do you defend your heavenly country tooth and nail from its enemies, or your earthly country from its “enemies?”

Instead of proclaiming our undying fealty to the grand old flag, we should instead live like exiles in a foreign land. Fortunately, the Bible tells us how to do that too! In the book of Jeremiah, the Jews were exiled in Babylon. You’ve no doubt seen countless Facebook statuses quoting Jeremiah 29:11, “For I know the plans I have for you …”

If you keep reading, God tells them that His plan is another 70 years of exile. During that time they are to …

“Build homes, and plan to stay. Plant gardens, and eat the food they produce. Marry and have children. Then find spouses for them so that you may have many grandchildren. Multiply! Do not dwindle away! And work for the peace and prosperity of the city where I sent you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, for its welfare will determine your welfare.” – Jeremiah 29:5–7

Peter says a similar thing in 1 Peter 2:16, we are to “live as people who are free.” We do this not to take advantage of our country or as an excuse to do whatever we want, but as a way to serve God. We live good, Godly lives, loving and serving others, so that we can represent Christ in our nation.

2. Know Your Beliefs

Political parties have platforms that outline their positions on various issues ranging from economic to humanitarian to foreign policy and more. Theoretically, you should be able to look at a candidate’s platform and determine how that person will make his or her decisions.

What will people know about you if they look at your platform? If I were to examine your political beliefs, especially the ones you’re the most vocal about right now, would I know that you’re a Christian? Would I know that you love God and love other people?

More from Peter:

“Be careful to live properly among your unbelieving neighbors. Then even if they accuse you of doing wrong, they will see your honorable behavior, and they will give honor to God when he judges the world.” – 1 Peter 2:12

Our actions, attitudes and beliefs should all point people to God. That very well could mean reexamining your chosen party’s ideals.

3. Know Your Research

Click-bait. It should be a dirty word, but it’s all over our feeds. Did you know there are companies that produce your favorite click-bait article and your least favorite click-bait article at the same time? The same people are “Owning the libs!” and “Destroying the Alt-Right!” at the same time!

Now anyone can say whatever they want, with little to no evidence. Yes, it happens in the mainstream media. But it’s also true of those “news” sites you’ve never heard of, the talking heads that “Facebook doesn’t want you to see” and even the memes your Aunt Linda shared yesterday.

Too often we are perfectly content with sharing content that’s full of half-truths, full untruths or straw man attacks simply because it sounds like something we want to believe.

Here’s the problem with that, if you’re a believer: we are called to seek the truth, to speak the truth (in love) and to be salt and light. Sharing obviously untruthful and hurtful content hurts your witness. More than that, you could make a good case that it’s sinful (causing someone else to stumble, bearing false witness, and more).

So what am I asking? If journalists, “journalists,” and content creators aren’t going to fact check, it’s up to us to do it for them. It doesn’t take much time. Google can be your friend. The same goes for your favorite politicians. Their goal is to get elected and they are going to say whatever they can to get your vote. It has become our responsibility to determine their truthfulness, and be honest with ourselves when they are lying!

4. Know Your Neighbor

Sadly, this should be the easiest, but I’m finding that it is harder and harder for us these days. Who is your neighbor? More importantly, how should you treat your neighbor?

Here’s the secret that our political idols don’t want us to know: the regular Joe voting for the other guy is not evil. He’s not the spawn of Satan or out to get you. Are there malicious people out there? Of course! The world is broken and sinful, after all. The great thing about being Christ-like is we are supposed to love those guys too. ANTIFA? Love them! QAnon? Love them too! People who want to ban books? Love. People who want to choose their pronouns? Love.

You get the picture?

These days what we say online becomes what we are. So here’s my final challenge to you. Scroll through your profile. Read your status updates or your tweets, maybe peruse comments and replies that you’ve left. Would someone reading all of that know that you love them? Would they know that you love God? Would your online persona be one that would lead people to want to know more about God?

If you answered no to those questions, then spend some time reexamining your citizenship, your beliefs, your research and your neighbor in light of what the Bible teaches us. The more you know about God and what He wants from us, the more Christ-like you will be in your political engagement.

2 Songs For The Christian Conflicted By American Politics