What is your response to the decrees put forth by today’s rulers?
- Do you pray or do you protest?
- Do you obey or boycott?
- Do you comply or complain?
We should consider the example of the Joseph and Mary. Comphy and cozy in Nazareth, waiting for the birth of the Christ Child, along comes Caesar Augustus and his ridiculous decree. How did they respond; did they protest, grumble, or disobey? My suspicion (based on their eventual reaction) is that their response was more in line with Paul’s exhortation found in 1 Timothy 2:1-2, despite having never read it.
Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence.
That’s Faith
Joseph and Mary knew that God was in control. They also understood that God is not capable of lying; if He said something was going to occur, it surely would. And perhaps most importantly they recognized that God occasionally will allow seemingly bad things to happen in order that His will be done. They had to perceive this, otherwise they certainly would not have ventured out of their home to have a baby. It took faith in God and obedience to an unreasonable decree, in order that prophesy would be fulfilled.
“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Though you are little among the thousands of Judah, Yet out of you shall come forth to Me The One to be Ruler in Israel, Whose goings forth are from of old, From everlasting.” Micah 5:2
I am not saying that we need to, ‘Shut-up and pay our taxes,’ but rather that we remember our Lord is in control. He alone has allowed those in authority to be in power and good or bad, republican or democrat, they are nothing more than marionettes in His hand. God has the power to turn ugly into beauty; failure into fulfillment. Our primary recourse is to pray, vote wisely, and exercise the activities our laws allow.
Having said that…
Is there ever a time to disobey the government? Absolutely! If the powers-that-be ask us to break one of God’s laws, then by all means we should disobey, even if it means we will likely suffer greatly — even unto death. But with rebellion comes a warning: if you choose to disobey, you better be able to quote chapter and verse to support the position your taking, otherwise our only godly recourse is to pray, give thanks, and live a quiet and peaceful life trusting in Christ Jesus.
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. Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves. Romans 13:1-2
- What do these verses say about God
- What do they say about us?
- What kind of changes do we need to consider?
These articles may or may not be related to this post:
- The Journey to Bethlehem (shaneleewilliamson.wordpress.com)
- The Decree of God (keyword-power.com)
- Deity (faithfamilyto.org)
- Is Jesus for Real? The Certainty of Faith (lifeandbuilding.com)
- Decree and Declare (1woman2women.wordpress.com)
- Do good Christians make bad citizens? (wordsofgrace.wordpress.com)
- Addio! (damnthefreshman15.wordpress.com)
- Faith Child – The Gospel of Peace (ptl2010.com)
- Luke 1-2 (mybiblereadingplan.wordpress.com)
- Finding Jesus in the Prophecies (sabbathsermons.com)
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[…] Our Proper Response to Government (compassiondave.wordpress.com) […]
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[…] Our Proper Response to Government (compassiondave.wordpress.com) […]
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Good post, Dave. One thing I think it says about God is that He wants us to trust Him. One thing it says about us is that we don’t do very much of that, preferring to take matters into our own hands–that we protest more than we pray, boycott more than we obey, and even if we comply, we complain about it, a lot! I’m not into boycotting, and I’ve not held a picket sign since my freshman year in college (decades ago!), but you may feel free otherwise to substitute “I” for “we” in my comment.
I’m pretty sure God is wanting me to pray more and protest less, because this is not the first time, of late, that I have heard or read something along the same lines. I’ve been convicted of my failure to love my/our enemies, whom I define as those who want to kill us or to destroy all of the values we hold dear. Love them and pray for them, and do so trusting that God has a whole bunch of power at His command; I think that’s what He is wanting me to learn.
I don’t think that precludes my promoting those candidates that I believe are the best of the options, or working against those I think have done and/or will do us great harm. I might be wrong.
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I agree with all you said. I believe the bottom line here is that we can protest and boycott, but it should come about as a result of prayer (not our flesh), and should be done in a godly manner. Blessings Vicki.
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Am reading “Grace” by Bob Lenz. In chapter 4 of the book, the wrote this: “Christianity is not defined by your political agenda. It doesn’t go hand in hand. Have we reduced Jesus to a stance on an issue?..”
Later in the same chapter he told what non-Christians think of Christians. “…According to non-believers, they think John 3:16 could read, ‘for God so loved the world, that He picketed it.'” He says more and in essence says it isn’t necessarily wrong to picket but that is what the world sees and will believe that is what being a Christian is about.
We become to caught up in ourselves..what WE can do, how WE can change things. Once it becomes about us, there is no trust in God, it is just lip service. I have been there and done just that and I know it to be true. I whined and complained about an ordinance in my town requiring me to put in a sidewalk that I couldn’t afford. I did attend meetings to see if we could change things and I still believe we should vote with change in mind. However, once I quit whining and tried to have a better attitude about it, God provided the money in a miraculous way.
I loved this blog, David. Our response does need to be godly.
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Great comments Judy! I also have a signed copy of ‘Grace’ by Bob Lenz! I liked what you said about the sidewalk issue you had as well — you did what you could and gave the results to God (who came through).
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Obedience as reflected in Christ message to pay taxes to Rome, also Paul’s admonition through the Spirit to obey those who are in authority along with Peter’s statements about our relation to Government and praying for those in authority is certainly our approach to Government. Obeying the just laws of the land (conformity to Biblical law or benign type rules or regulations should be our foremost desire. Paul said they were ordained of God to promote good and no evil and if we resist the good government we do wrong. However, he did not clearly speak about a Government committing evil and using the sword in an evil manner in that text given. But we know, all unust (unbiblical) laws and/or rules we have to disobey. Those would be in our current environment, abortion, not praying in Jesus’ name, worshipping the Lord in our own private or public venues, support for homosexuality and marriage of the same to name a few. By clearly on a verbal and written level the Church and its members must articulate this to our leaders in Government we will not support such. Not only do we think this is Biblical, even as John the Baptist called down Herod in his sinful action of adultery, we too have to do the same from a Constitutional level and Bill of Rights level. As one has formerally stated we are a unique nation. Our Government is the Constitution and Bill of Rights designed as our highest law. When the Governmental branches begin to BREAK those laws of our land which give us clear statements we are a Government of the people, by the people and for the people, we are sinning if we do not obey the Government as expressed in those laws and demand those who break those laws such as a President who is not above them, or members of his administration or a member of Congress or even a Supreme Court Justice may do. the probelm is no one is demanding the obedience to the highest law of the land today. WE as Christians should set the example by so stating such and making our voices heard clear and strong. We are NOT a dictatorship, a monarchy, a King or Queen run nation or a Oligharchy. WE are a Republic and with that we have chosen to elect representatives to represent each person. So we are the Government under God personally responsible as a individual and as a combined people to manage and run our own Government. I have some difficulty in unraveling all of this because Paul’s words are true and in the midst of a Dictatorship wicked government. That is not to say we are not wicked and involved in wrongs as a system we now have, but it does say we are one and the same as those involved at Paul’s time. The principles are to be followed and obeyed in any context, but the context, I contend for is a unique one in that we are the Government and as good citizens we must obey God by living and upholding our Governmental documents which GAVE us the power to “hire” or “fire” wrong doing in relation to our laws. As long as the elected leaders follow our established LAW (NOT THEIRS) we must obey them, but when they disobey our established LAWS they are lawbreakers and are not to be obeyed even if not Biblical issues because our Government is ours and they are breaking our laws and are really traitors and criminals. But, it is difficult to arrange a removal from office of those who break the law in our own system. The wheels turn slowly but that should not preclude our adhereing to our form of Government as good Christian citizens. Chaos, violence, inciting hate and war, anarchy etc., are not allowed but rather condemned by our Lord as a non-acceptable approach. Great care must be followed in our activities toward all Governmental authorities. But we must engage if we are being faithful to our Lord and our covenantal citizenship positions.
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Valid points, especially in regard to those who govern wickedly. I’m convicted that the actions of Jesus and even the Apostle Paul (who essentially lived under extremely wicked governments and did not complain), although Paul did petition Festus to have his case heard before Caesar. Some have argued he was in error, while others say that he was merely exercising his rights. I tend o agree with the latter. Whatever the case, Paul behaved in a godly manner.
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Your assuming that we live under a Dictatorship. America is a totally different form of Government. It is by the people and for the people. To say nothing is to condone the wrong that is taking place.
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That’s not my assumption at all. The post is addressing those of us who get negatively caught up in things political, when that is not the Christians calling. When I wrote that our ‘primary recourse is to pray, vote wisely, and exercise the activities our laws allow,’ those activities would likely include the things you’re referring too.
However, the post reminds us that there is a godly way to voice-an-opinion and that it begins with prayer. It’s far to easy to respond to a situation in the flesh and reject the opportunity to seek God’s will. So before throwing the tea in the harbor, we need to know what our Father would have us do.
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