This article is part of a series of posts regarding how Christians should view and engage the great institution known as government. If you are just now jumping into the series, then welcome to the ride! I would recommend you start here at the first post, second post, third post, or fourth post.
Thinking Realistically
It seems to me far too many citizens and Christians specifically are thinking idealistically and not realistically when it comes to the current situation in America. We tend to think things are the same as they always have been and that they will always continue on that same path. Our fundamental belief is that the current situation in our government is fundamentally the same as it has been over the last couple of centuries. However, this only goes to show the naïve nature of certain individuals. The U.S. debt at the time I am writing this is nearly 28 Trillion dollars which amounts to almost $85,000 per citizen.1 During one of the great crisis points of our nation in terms of Coronavirus, election fraud, and so forth, the House of Representatives is voting on a bill to change rules where the House no longer uses gender pronouns such as father, mother, son, daughter, or husband and wife.2 With all of the crucial things going on and all of the needs of the citizenry, this is the best our politicians can come up with to fill the hours of their day?
Despite our massive debt numbers, the government sent out a 2 trillion dollar package which during a financial and national crisis frivolously included 25 million dollars for a so-called absolute necessity such as the Kennedy Center.3 While at the same time, this government is the same one which has declared some businesses essential and other nonessential during lockdowns.4 Therefore, they have devastated the livelihoods, businesses, and incomes of many citizens in our nation. Of course, there is also the entire matter of voter fraud and the breakdown of our electoral process. Lest you think I am conspiracy nut I would urge you to watch this video5 then attempt an explanation other than election fraud for how President Trump lost hundreds of thousands of votes and was the only candidate to experience this type of anomaly. Of course, I have saved the most important issue for last and it is that our government has sanctioned the murder of over 60 million unborn lives since Woe vs. Wade.6
So, what is a realistic assessment of our current situation? The government has neglected its responsibility before God to protect human life and allowed murderous slaughter. It has become entrenched in insanity regarding the area of gender. Apparently, our politicians for a large part have lost the ability to manage the financial situation for decades. Our election process is insecure, our jobs and religious freedoms are being taken via the cry of lockdowns. To be certain, there are a handful of good men left in the government, but they are far and few between. The men left in office to ring the bell of liberty and freedom is growing smaller and smaller. Our most-pressing question now becomes, what is a Christian to do in all of this? The first step is to realize we are in an absolutely dire situation. The second, is to ask what are we going to do about it?
The Sacred Duty of The People
My entire reason for going through this series of blog posts regarding Christians and the government is because I think many of us need a reminder of our duties in this realm. In this nation, the primary responsibility for the preservation of freedom, truth, and goodness does not fall to the government but to the people. Our founders preserved this truth for the American people in the Declaration of Independence part of which says:
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.–That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, –That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.”7
It is the duty of every citizen to preserve the government and the peace of the land. The Constitution starts with the phrase “We The People” showing the bottom line is the people and not merely the politicians of this country. Many times Christians carelessly engage in conversations on Romans 13 and concoct wild interpretations. I humbly agree with the idea we should submit to authority, so submit to the government and see your responsibility according to these words to preserve that which is good and fight against evil! The biblical duty of the citizen, as we covered in part 3 of this series, is to do that which is good. They are to be submissive as far as they can to authority and promote good in the land. However, as we discussed in part 4, there is a sober and thoughtful time and a place when disobedience becomes necessary.
If the government allows strip clubs to remain open but closes churches across the land should not the churches disobey? It is their solemn duty before God to disobey in this example. If we see our neighbors oppressively being told not to work by the government, is it not our duty to stand up for them and theirs to disobey by continuing to labor? Or, are we so cold as to allow our neighbor to sink into the depths of poverty and be unable to provide for his family? What we see is that it is our duty, yours and mine, us the people to preserve the God-given liberties given to man at Creation.
The Rudder Which Guides Liberty
Whenever many Christians hear terms such as liberty and freedom, I believe they value their comfort over fighting for these critical concepts. They love to decry the debt in our country while never attempting anything as a solution. Like the Pharisees of Jesus day, far too many will submit to Nero in order to live for the momentary earthly pleasure instead of fighting for biblical truth. Many Christians cry that the kingdom of God is not dependent upon America so let us not get entangled in a battle for this nation and for freedom. I agree at one point, that the Kingdom of God will continue to march on even if America were to vanish away. However, any sort of Christianity which says we should not care about the liberty and freedom of our neighbors and fellow citizens I maintain is a defective Christianity.
Do you not care if your neighbor is free to worship at church without being killed? Do you not find the idea of your future sons and daughters being born into a nation where they are imprisoned and tortured if they disagree with the authorities enough to fight against? Do you not care if you leave more debt to your posterity than you inherited yourself? To not care about these things is to not love our neighbors as commanded by God. To stand up for true freedom and liberty as defined by God and given to us by God is to stand up for what is righteous in His sight.
The rudder which guides the ship of true liberty is Christians standing up and proclaiming the Bible. The Scripture is what leads to liberty and freedom. Therefore, if these things are going to be upheld it must be because a healthy church exists. This healthy church proclaims the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the entire counsel of His Word. We oppose that which is evil and stand for the good as defined by God. If the ship of Liberty is to be steered back to our land, it will be because Christians stood up and piloted her back!
The Solemn Call
I close this series out with a serious call to Christians across this land. I am not saying the time to join up in arms and start another revolution where states see a need to secede has come. That time may occur at some point in the future, or it may not. I pray we never have to take that step, I pray if we do we will have the courage to perform our duty before God. Nonetheless, the time for the people to see their responsibility is undoubtedly overdue. It is time for Christians to see the Biblical commands for believers in this realm and obey them. Our calling is to bring the Word of God to bear in life by living it out. Let us then seek to stand up and defend the rights of others. Let us speak out against abortion and seek legislation for the abolition and criminalization of it. May we proclaim the Biblical teaching of sins such as the LGBTQ agenda and call on our government not to buy into insanity and sin. For it is God and God alone who defines gender and morality. May we vote for the best of candidates and not foolishly toss our votes aside. If we are in positions where we must disobey authorities, let us do so properly and biblically so that we may glorify God and do what is good for our fellow man.
The aim is simple, the path clear, the objective set. Our goal is to glorify God as Christians and that includes living biblically in the realm of citizenry and seeking to see the government fulfill its ordained mission. I ask you then, will you fulfill your duty before God or shirk your responsibility to the generations of the future? Now, is the time for Christians of this country to return to our roots and steer the nation to biblical Christianity. This is the moment to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ, to see the sufficiency of His Word, and to walk in obedience to that Holy Word in this sphere of government. I pray we will accomplish that goal for the glory of our God who has ordained us to live in this moment for such a time as this!
When Benjamin Franklin exited the constitutional convention, he was approached by a woman who asked what they had given the people. He responded, “A republic, if you can keep it.” So, will you keep it? Or will freedom die at the feet of men who profess to love its benefits but refuse to fight for its security? John Adams once said, “You will never know, how much it cost the present Generation, to preserve your Freedom! I hope you will make a good Use of it.” May the same be said of our generation so that our future descendants may be blessed. Let us undertake this battle for the glory of our God!
Sources
1 https://www.usdebtclock.org/#
2 https://rules.house.gov/sites/democrats.rules.house.gov/files/BILLS-117hresPIH-hres5.pdf
3 https://www.cnn.com/2020/03/25/politics/stimulus-package-details-coronavirus/index.html
5 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8eXUafhp9zA
6 https://www.texasrighttolife.com/more-than-61-million-babies-killed-in-47-years-of-legal-abortion/
7 https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/declaration-transcript
Leave a Reply