Jesus said the two-fold greatest commandment is to Love God and Love Your Neighbor as Yourself. Paul, writing before the Gospel traditions were written down, summarized this command with just Love Your Neighbor. First John helps us understand why: we can’t love God if we hate human beings made in God’s image. Paul also shows us through his life and ministry that he held Roman officials to account by their own laws. This is what Bonhoeffer meant when he said, “[the church] can throw the state back on its responsibilities.” And this is what Dr. King meant when he said that the “check” of the Declaration of Independence had come back marked insufficient funds. To love our neighbors, we seek the shalom of society, including participation in the democratic process.