The Bible was not written to address the proximate problems of political life; it speaks of another Kingdom. Yet, though we are citizens of Heaven, we still live on this Earth. While Christians should consult Scripture as they consider their own involvement in the political process, the Bible does not include something like a comprehensive party platform. You can search the prophets, the epistles, or the words of Jesus, but you won’t find straightforward answers to today’s thorniest public policy questions. God has not revealed what the top marginal tax rate should be. There is no eleventh commandment concerning gun control or third letter from Paul to the church in Thessalonica about student loan forgiveness.

Of course, the Bible is full of principles that should inform our policy preferences. But we must do so with humility, recognizing that other followers of Jesus might disagree in good faith. Jesus’ teaching in, say, the parable of the Good Samaritan might inform the way we think about safety net policies or immigration, but we have to admit the line connecting the words of Christ to our political preferences is pretty fuzzy. There are many passages and many Biblical principles that might inform what we do in the voting booth. Interpreting these passages in community with our fellow Christians today and throughout church history can help us better understand how God’s Word speaks to the specific policy challenges we face.

But isn’t Scripture abundantly clear on some political issues? Yes, it is. While many specific policy questions must be informed by—but are not definitively answered by—the Bible, the Word of God is straightforward and clear about the fruits of the Spirit. In passages across Scripture, Christians are instructed to grow in gentleness, kindness, and self-control. We are to be merciful and cannot withhold forgiveness. We must love even our enemies and always pursue justice. While these virtues rarely tell us exactly how to vote, they do provide clear guidance on what it looks like to engage in public life. The way we dialogue with friends and family about political issues must be marked by kindness. Our ideology must be tempered by humility. When we consume news media, sober-mindedness is not optional. And as we long for better, more just politics that reflect Biblical values, we must do so with a hope that is anchored in Jesus Christ rather than any earthly figure.

For too long, Christians have focused on the fuzzy lines from Scripture to policy ‘whats’ while ignoring the clear commands about the ‘hows.’ Redeeming Babel aims to help the church think more Biblically about how we engage in politics, which is why we’ve teamed up with David French and Russell Moore to create The After Party: Toward Better Christian Politics. Learn more here.