All things come alike
to the righteous
and the wicked; to
the good, the clean,
and the unclean; to
him who sacrifices
and him who does not
sacrifice.
As is the good, so is
the sinner;
he who takes an oath
as he who
fears an oath.
Ecclesiastes 9:2
The apostle
Paul in his book Romans and chapter 13 speaking about governments he does not
specify any single government. All that Paul does is to describe that a
government is ordained of God and are ministers to dole out justice according
to God’s will and purpose. This must be true if government is truly God’s
ministers and if so then we, all people, and especially Christians are to be in
subjection and submission to government. Is this an unlimited power by which
government doles out it justice and purpose or is governments power limited? If
limited then we must look at God’s word to come to an understanding as to what
it means for Christians to be in subjection and submission. We last saw that
people, combine together to form societies to meet their needs, i.e., food,
commerce, protection, etc., therefore, as a society there is a need for those
who would ensure, (government), that this end(s) are met. As God limits our
power and our leadership we too must then follow, as an image of Jesus Christ
Who is God, to not overstep this fact, God has limits. For God to have limits
in one area is that God has limits in all areas of life. Governments are not
exempt from limits. Government’s power is not principle that is it is not what
is the original purpose for a government to exist. Government is only a
fiduciary power. What this means is that as a fiduciary power, that power,
entrusted to them for the benefit of others. Not just for themselves, as so
often happens when government is not controlled. Government’s power then it is
not actual, it is fictitious, not actual because it is only a derivative from
those who allowed, or by voting, made cause for a government to exist.
Government is not independent for it is dependent upon those who allowed, or
elected them and this makes people bound to ensure that government operates in
good faith, a faith that God imposes upon individuals, and government is not in
itself an individual, it is made up of individuals. Government and their power
is not the primary position for as with all individuals they, made up of
individuals operation as a unit, are inferior to God’s ordination, for them,
for families and for society as a whole. As those who are entrusting to others
this power to govern we must never stop inspecting what we expect and this is
done by taking the time to observe what government is doing and to ensure that
God’s justice, that which they have been ordained to do and be is done. We can
choose to be an observer and an actuary or we can choose to be apathetic and
then tacitly approve of whatever government has done, by law, or other means.
Is government imposing harm upon the people that it has as a fiduciary trust or
not? We are to use reasoning, a reasoning founded upon the principles and laws
of God. Unless a person is insane they desire happiness, protection and care,
therefore if this is truly a person’s desire then it would seem logical that
that person would be involved with those who are to ensure what is desired. God
did not demand that a certain type of government be installed to rule, no,
people chose, and do choose for themselves what kind of government they will
allow to be over them and what kind of rule government chooses to rule by. Each
person has the power to make a determination for their particular society, and
has the right to expect that what is determined fulfills that society is
protected, has care, and has happiness. Government exist for the equal and
beneficial us for those that govern. God’s law(s) are not usurped, and allowed
to be so just because a person has the position to govern. When Moses became
the leader and governor for the people of Israel, he had the responsibility to
govern according to the law(s) of God. As being under the New Covenant as
Christians, we too have the responsibility to govern, our families, and those
elected or allowed to govern, that they do so by means of God’s law(s). There
is an obligation for Christians that God imposed upon them; to lead and to lead
by His will and law(s). We lead ourselves, our families, and those to whom we
witness to and demonstrating that we follow His will and law(s). Do not fall
into the camp whereby there are those who think it unworthy for a Christian to
be involved in politics, and some who believe that it is unchristian to be
under any civil rule. Each belief is a perversion of the immutable natural laws
of God that is that the purpose of individuals, societies, and governments are
to govern as they have been ordained to do, and by means of their fiduciary
responsibility. First, remember, as Christians, we are not free from just laws.
To contradict just laws is to contradict the will and purpose of God. There is
a legitimate purpose for government and a legitimate purpose for submit to
government. We are free in Christ but not free from our obligation and to avoid
our obligation to ensure that those who lead us are doing so in accordance with
the laws and will of God. God has an objective standard of righteousness and we
find that Churches, family, society are to be submissive to God’s immutable
laws and are to be followed by every generation. God is not using any
government that is outside of His will to accomplish His plan therefore making
cause for a Christian to presume that they must by in total subjection and
submission to such a tyrannical government.
As
Christians, we are to be the light of the world, to be the image of Jesus
Christ and we are ambassadors for Jesus Christ, and as ambassadors, we ensure that
the will of God is carried out by those in our congregations, families,
societies, and in our government. We are to hold to God’s foundational standard
for justice.
Because of laziness the building decays,
And through
idleness of hands
The house leaks.
Ecclesiastes 10:18
Be involved in Jesus Christ
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