Let every soul be subject
to the governing authorities.
For there is no authority
except from God,
And the authorities that exist
are appointed by God.
Romans 13:1
Having lived in this country just short of seven decades I have been witness to the events that have shaped this country, both the good, bad, and the ugly. This being the 4th of July, a day set aside to celebrate our independence, to become a nation with its own government, let us not forget that this independence, this freedom so outlined in the Constitution that frames and defines our freedom, a document so formed so that people could be free, free in their choices, free to worship, free to continue in the venue set forth by our founding fathers, that is, we are free inasmuch as we care for one another. Freedom is not licentiousness, it is not having the ability to do just as we please, rather it is freedom built upon the tenants of the Bible. When those tenants are discarded are dismantled in some matter our freedom is affected and lessened and we become more like those countries from which people fled so that the government would not continue to oppress. Furthermore, let us not forget that this freedom did not come without a cost, a cost in lives, those who died, who were maimed, affected in some manner that continues to affect even into those dim days of life. We may forget that the war for independence did come on July 4th, 1776, rather the war was already in progress and would continue until this country would be free from the military sent to hold people under the very government that they had fled and had come to this world so as to begin a new life. Through many wars, the biggest war was that between the states. No matter what side a person may stand, it was this war that finally defined this nation to be one nation Under God, a republic that stands for freedom, united for one cause and that is for the people, we are a democratic Republic, and this nation around the world with all that it has endured represents freedom.
You might ask, "Did not Paul admonish us not to resist?" Yes! Paul writes: "Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves" (Romans 13:2). Paul writes to Titus: "Remind them to be subject to rulers and authorities, to obey, to be ready for every good work, to speak evil of no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing all humility to all men" (Titus 3:1). Does this mean then that Christians are to be pacifist? No! It is to those who do not good works that the government becomes a terror (Romans 13:3), and the government is to do good for the people (Romans 13:4). It is when the government becomes oppressive and discards the principles that God established from the beginning, that is the Ten Commandments, that we must resist, for Paul states: Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good" (Romans 12:21). As Christians we are not to be passive, we are to be active, intentional in making sure that the government does not become oppressive with laws and rules that change this country, a country that allows its people, to participate and make the laws, and this under the auspices of the Constitution. We have in place a document that has determined that this is a Democratic Republic, a nation under God, and being such we are the people that tells the government what should be done, not the government telling the people what is right and should be done.
Here is the crux, in all the years that I have been on this earth, and all that I have seen, the worst is that Christians are so involved with life, making sure that they grab hold of all the good that is available, without following Biblical principles have become non-involved, as a people, with what is happening in our government. Some do, of course, but as for the whole, they don't. Voting, examining the men running for office, using Biblical principles as the litmus for qualification to be our representative has all but been laid aside. The good things that have happened are to be found in the life we live, all that we have to make our lives more comfortable, etc. The bad things is that our government has become autonomous and runs without considering the people, it is pet projects, ideals, etc. that are forwarded and without inspection. The rule to inspect what is expected has been discarded. Why? Because we don't care. Maybe it is because theologically we just believe in eternal security, in other words we are going to heaven no matter what happens here on earth that we just forget that we have a responsibility, in the now, and to our grandchildren, in the future. We don't not know when God will send His Son, we only know that it is on the last day that He comes, not as some would teach that there is a "rapture" of the Church and Christians would be removed until Christ comes again. This is not Biblical, Jesus does not come multiple times, only once, the last day. Until that time, whenever it is, now, or thousand of years from now, we have the assurance that He is coming and we are to promote and teach disciples the Good News, He is coming. In doing so we do not sit idly by until He comes or we, those who are called and are His children, go to heaven in death upon this earth.
The ugly: Abortion, Homosexuality, Licentiousness, adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murder, drunkenness, revelries and the like (Galatians 5:19-21). We walk, and call ourselves Christian, yet we are not doing anything about these ugly evidences that are the fruit of those who will not inherit God's kingdom. These people are free to do whatever they like for they have come to know, they are taught in this culture that is so removed from Biblical principles that they have no fear, they push forward their agenda, only that their agenda is the agenda of our adversary the Devil. When we fight against such ugly cultural divisions so far removed from the Bible we are fighting against the Devil. Paul asks: For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but faith working through love. You ran well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth?" We live, and teach, and bring the truth to all, that includes our government so that to allow the government to run amuck without oversight by Christians is to allow the Devil to have his ways. This is unacceptable.
I wrote this as a concerned individual who also has been in the past affected by false teaching, and living an autonomous life away from the commandments of God. That was then, but, and you will find too, that when reading the Bible and allowing the Holy Spirit to guide, the truth can be found. This is July 4th, it is independence day for this country, it is a call to all true Christians to wake up, become involved, if only it is to be able to vote, do so, under the principles and commands of the Bible. This is our country, not government officials. It was founded upon the principles of the Bible. If you don't agree, then tell me how those principles of the Bible found their way into our Constitution? Therefore, celebrate this day, celebrate our freedom, stop allowing the erosion of our freedom both in this country and in our Christianity to be subterfuged by unchristian men, men who follow other ideals. Remove the ugly, begin living as God would have His people live, that is to love, love the brethren, show love to all people, we are God's children, ambassadors with a message of reconciliation, we are of the priesthood of God, a priesthood of believers in God, act like it. John writes: "You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is grater than he who is in the world. They are of the world. Therefore they speak as of the world, and the world hears them. We are of god. He who knows God hears us; he who is not of God does not hear us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error. Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God....Beloved, if God so loves us, we also ought to love one another" (1John 4:4-7; 11).
Enjoy this day. Celebrate, remember all who died and fought, both in wars, and in the halls of our government to keep this nation free.
In Christ We Stand
Richard L. Crumb
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