In light of the recent elections, politics and government have been on the forefront of the minds of many Americans. And regardless of political affiliation, many people in this country, like myself, are quite glad to finally be done with the constant bickering on social media and the steady assault of scathing attack ads on the television and the radio.

Still, I think there are important lessons to be learned from this election, especially with regard to understanding the relationship between faith and politics. If there’s one thing that we can safely say, it is that the spirit of the present age is division. That is, we live in a time in which the American political climate is more polarizing and, dare I say, mean-spirited than ever before. If Americans thought the Bush tax cuts were reason to fight, surely it seemed like another Civil War was afoot when ObamaCare blew into town.

It’s true that on both sides of the aisle, people in this country hold strong opinions on a myriad of political issues. And with the left-wing and right-wing camps moving farther apart each day, more Americans who might otherwise identify themselves as moderate, are being encouraged to pick a side and dig their heels in.

Christians, however, are faced with the challenging question of how to faithfully follow Christ while being actively involved in politics and government. Living where I do, in Washington, DC, I have no shortage of God-fearing Christian friends who work for elected officials—of both parties, mind you—and are faced with this apparent dilemma every day. These are people who love Jesus, understand Scripture, share their faith, and have a deep-seated desire for God to be known and honored above all else in this world.

To be honest, this describes me as well. I often find myself wondering if I am rightly understanding what it means to be a faithful Christian and a good citizen. Do I care too much about the outcomes of political elections? Do I care too little? To the degree that I take an adamant stance or choose to stay out of the fight, am I commending Christ? Does my engagement in civic life—or lack thereof—point people to a better understanding of God’s character, or does it send the wrong message?

As I’ve wrestled with these questions, I have been greatly helped by a few key resources, and I want to share them with you here. If you are a Christian of voting age, I encourage you to check these resources out—even if you don’t think you need to. Just do it. You might be surprised by how it helps. I realize that there are many other resources that are just as helpful. If you know of any, please send them my way.

Here they are, in no particular order:

Sermon: “Jesus Paid Taxes” by Mark Dever

This is a sermon preached by Mark Dever on Mark 12:13-17 where Jesus is questioned about the legitimacy of paying taxes to the secular Roman government. In this hour-long sermon, Dever presents a biblical, careful, and compelling vision for the Christian’s role in secular government. Collin Hansen of the Gospel Coalition call this the best sermon he knows on Christianity and government. I would have to agree!

Lecture: “Was Jesus a Liberal or a Conservative?” by Garrett Kell

In this lecture to students at Georgetown University, Garrett Kell offers biblical answers for a provocative question. Kell’s thoughts here are especially helpful with regard to thinking through partisan politics and the need to think well about specific issues.

Sermon: “I Am…God’s Only Son” by Mark Dever

Mark Dever preaches this sermon on John 3, which lays out clearly God’s plan for salvation of sinners through the life, death, and resurrection. Among various other points of application, Dever explains why government lacks ultimate power to save yet is worth the Christian’s thoughts and energy.