Politics pull like gravity. Strong political persuasions can also divide. Like a saw, politics can sunder families, turn friends into foes. Even for Christians, political affiliations can, sadly, make the blood of Christ pale in worth. We can use our party card as a blade to cut the throats of our brothers and sisters. But how should Christians engage in politics? My answer: we engage in politics as pilgrims.

A pilgrim journeys through life. They are like nomads who build temporary huts instead of permanent houses. Pilgrims resist the gravitational pull to be ‘earth-dwellers.’

The book of Revelation classifies earth-dwellers as those whose hope is in earthly systems. Earth-dwellers gravitate towards temporal things. They mock pilgrims whose hopes transcend the transient (Rev 11:10). Earth-dwellers settle in the land on which they stand and through which they ought to sojourn. The world and what it offers is all for which they live and die. This momentary world is their destiny. And upon these, God’s judgment falls (Rev 3:10, 6:10, 8:13).

Because this life is all the earth-dwellers have, the book of Revelation tells us that they worship earthly politics and power. The beast which represents earth-bound and earthly dominion (Rev 13:8, 17:8) dominates their life. This beast deceptively fools earth’s citizens (13:14), promising what it cannot and does not intend to deliver. It eats them alive.

Christians, on the other hand, are pilgrims, belonging to another world. They occupy earthly cities and villages as guests rather than citizens, for their ultimate citizenship is in heaven (Phil 3:20). As such, they engage in politics differently from how the earth-dwellers do. Let us consider below five ways that believers can live in light of politics.

𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝗘𝗻𝗴𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗣𝗼𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗰𝘀 𝗮𝘀 𝗮 𝗣𝗶𝗹𝗴𝗿𝗶𝗺

𝐸𝑛𝑔𝑎𝑔𝑒 𝑖𝑛 𝑝𝑜𝑙𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑐𝑠 𝑤𝑖𝑡ℎ 𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑐𝑒𝑟𝑛𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡: To engage in politics as a pilgrim requires wisdom. Christians should be aware that though we live in the world, we are not of it. And part of this discernment is to know the limits of earthly power and the human heart’s corruptibility. It is also to know that political promises are always sweet when given. But delivering on those promises is another ballgame altogether.

Additionally, to live as a pilgrim is to recognize that human governments still lie under the sway of the evil one, regardless of who occupies them. It is to know that power tends to corrupt and does so to even well-meaning leaders. As such, we do not follow the trail of politicians unquestionably.

𝑅𝑒𝑓𝑢𝑠𝑒 𝑡𝑜 𝑤𝑜𝑟𝑠ℎ𝑖𝑝 𝑝𝑜𝑙𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑐𝑠: To engage in politics as a pilgrim is to refuse to venerate or praise politics. We know we worship politics by how we handle our political disappointments or ‘victories.’ Whenever we make politics the saviour of our souls, we make it an image and a god. To place our redemption hope in who occupies the State House or White House is to bow down to an idol—a beast. But it is also to put too much expectation on the wrong shoulders.

Because God made us for himself, no politician can deliver heaven for which we all yearn. Indeed, pilgrims understand that their hearts, until they find rest in God, will remain restless no matter who occupies the office.

𝐸𝑛𝑔𝑎𝑔𝑒 𝑖𝑛 𝑝𝑜𝑙𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑐𝑠 𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑝ℎ𝑒𝑡𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑦: By what I say above, I do not suggest that Christians cannot support or challenge their leaders and even hold them accountable. They must. Indeed, such is an opportunity for witness. To call leaders and earth-dwellers to God’s standard is a testimony to God’s infinite wisdom, goodness, and holiness.

There is a way we can prophetically call leaders to account without asking of the beast a replica of the city to which we travel. Pilgrims prophetically call politicians to see the gospel of God without seeing them as their redeemers. Pilgrims infuse transcendence into politics by refusing to make the beast of power ultimate as earth-dwellers do.

𝐿𝑖𝑣𝑒 𝑎𝑠 𝑤𝑖𝑡𝑛𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑒𝑠 𝑡𝑜 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑖𝑚𝑝𝑒𝑛𝑑𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑗𝑢𝑑𝑔𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡: As pilgrims, we are witnesses to the imminent judgment of God against all the earth-dwellers who do not repent, regardless of their political affiliations. It is easy for those who hope in politics to use our party affiliation as a litmus test for who loves God or not. It is tempting to think that heaven endorses our candidate and welcomes those who surround him/her. We may forget that parties circumcise no one’s heart.

And then we may forget our primary mission—to warn the earth-dwellers of the woes coming upon them, no matter who they vote. Pilgrims seek to preach the gospel all times, through all their conversations and lives. Like Abraham, pilgrims tell their neighbours why they seek a city with foundations whose designer and builder is God (Heb 11:10). Like Lot, they warn the earth-dwellers that the Lord is about to destroy their habitation—and their State/White House (Gen 19:14).

𝑊ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝐶ℎ𝑟𝑖𝑠𝑡 𝑢𝑛𝑖𝑡𝑒𝑠, 𝑙𝑒𝑡 𝑛𝑜 𝑝𝑎𝑟𝑡𝑦 𝑠𝑒𝑝𝑎𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑒: Lastly, we live as pilgrims when we do not allow the party card to cut through Christ’s blood and render it inconsequential. Christians must never let their commitment to political parties threaten their unity in Christ. People can tell where our ultimate allegiance lies even through our political conversations—on Twitter, WhatsApp, or Facebook.

If we are tempted to hate anyone for politics, if we become rude and uncharitable to Christians on the other side of the political debate, we must reconsider our allegiance. When we demonize political adherents and leaders on the other end of the spectrum, we must check our heart. Pilgrims remember that no matter who temporarily rules on earth, Christ eternally rules in heaven. Thus, God’s family and his vision for the world must claim our loyalty and shape how we engage in politics. Pilgrims should not be uncharitable to their fellow-travellers. We can disagree politically and love unconditionally.