You might think that since the State nailed the Founder of the religion to a cross, Christians would deplore government. Surely its murder of the Son of God renders it a thoroughly evil institution, the stronghold of Satan himself, let alone the martyrs it has made since. And that’s to say nothing of the Biblical commands it breaks: “Thou shalt not steal,” not even if, thinking thyself clever, thou re-namest it “taxation”; “Thou shalt not kill,” no matter who giveth thee a uniform and medals and assureth thee it’s patriotic; “Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor,” even if thou workest for the FBI.

But no. Sadly, Christians aren’t any smarter than the rest of the herd, despite other Biblical commands to study, learn wisdom, and mature. Instead of calling government on its wickedness, they collaborate with it. Many openly ask God’s blessing on it rather than its victims as it lies, steals, and murders.

I sat through another in a long line of such petitions at church earlier this year. Though the pastoral prayer was a short one, it was devoted almost entirely to the State. Astoundingly, the preacher beseeched the Almighty for “unity” during the elections, still some months off at that point. He didn’t clarify who was to unite with what, but none of the choices were good. If he meant the electorate as a whole, why should those millions cast their lot together, given that government pits them against one another with its favored and disfavored groups? His request becomes not only illogical but profoundly offensive if he’s speaking of the Church: should we who profess Christ unite with the State as it aborts unborn children, murders people in war, and lies profoundly, repeatedly, constantly – all while kidnapping and caging those who defy it?

As if this weren’t enough, the pastor also asked God to bless politicians as they “lead us into the future.” But only the Lord ought to be leading Christians anywhere, especially into the unfathomable future.

This particular church’s bulletin includes quotes, whether from Scripture or secular sources, that pertain to the sermon’s theme. Ironically, one of that week’s came from Dietrich Bonhoffer. I wonder if he ever prayed for unity with the Nazis or asked God’s watchcare over them as they led Germans to a horrific future.

To the Church’s eternal shame, the pastor’s prayer was usual rather than unique.  Anyone who attends services regularly has no doubt squirmed through similar statism. Romans 13 with its “Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities” is a perennial favorite of the modern American clergy -- but when was the last time you listened to an exposition on Judges 9 and its comparison of government to a worthless thorn-bush? Many churches elevate “patriotism,” by which they mean “nationalism,” to holy status: they prominently display the American flag, often near the Communion table as though it’s part of the sacrament, and they may even steal time from worshipping Christ to pledge allegiance that belongs to Him alone to the “flag and the Republic for which it stands.”

But the Bible that some churches still claim to honor condemns the State. Repeatedly and vehemently.

Sometimes that condemnation is as obvious as Judges 9 or I Samuel 8’s list of government’s evils, from the wealth it steals to its corruption and the poverty it causes.

Other passages are subtler. The minor prophets excoriate government, often without identifying it by name. A passage from Habakkuk is typical: “Because you have plundered many nations, the peoples who are left will plunder you. For you have shed man's blood; you have destroyed lands and cities and everyone in them. Woe to him who builds his realm by unjust gain to set his nest on high, to escape the clutches of ruin!” Then there are the myriad verses that prohibit murder, theft, and lying – all so endemic to the State that no government has ever survived without them. Peter even implies that believers cannot affiliate with government when he says Christians shouldn’t be “murderers, thieves, evildoers or busybodies in other men’s matters.” And the Golden Rule rules out coercion: no man wants others to compel him, so he may not compel them.

Indeed, the Bible as a whole commands us to deal with others as God does with us: in love. But the State knows nothing of love. It is force and force alone, actual or threatened. Love requires freedom; it cannot co-exist with compulsion. Ergo, we must choose whether we’ll walk Christ’s path of love or goose-step to the State’s coercion – especially today, as the American government openly tortures men and strangles liberty.

So why doesn’t the Bible plainly forbid government? Why isn’t there an Eleventh Commandment, “Thou shalt not rule thy neighbor”? Indeed, rather than banning government, some passages seem to condone the State. The Lord interests Himself in Israel’s government to the point that He directs Samuel in choosing King Saul’s successor. He assures us that rulers exercise power, however tyrannical, with His permission (Prov. 8:15, Prov. 21:1, Dan. 2:21). And the New Testament urges us to pray “for all that are in authority” – a command that pastors who uphold the State always and immediately cite.

Intriguingly, we find the same ambiguity with regard to another great evil: chattel slavery. The Bible not only condemns the cruelty and violence that slavery necessitates, it also orders “be ye kind one to another, tender-hearted,” treating others as we wish to be treated. I haven’t met the man who yearns for another to enslave him, so God apparently created us to live free of both personal and political slavery. And yet again, some Scripture seems to condone slavery. The Mosaic law contained provisions for life-long slavery; both Paul and Peter exhort enslaved Christians to serve their masters faithfully – and Peter says that applies even when masters are abusive; Paul’s letter to Philemon never tells him to liberate Onesimus.

Still, I doubt those Christians who endlessly recite Romans 13 to excuse their statism are about to rush out and buy slaves. They flutter in horror at chattel slavery while idolizing political slavery.

Why?

Becky Akers, an expert on the American Revolution, writes frequently about issues related to security and privacy. Her articles and columns have been published by Lewrockwell.com, The Freeman, Military History Magazine, American History Magazine, the Christian Science Monitor, the New York Post, and other publications.

 

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CG said:

... I hate articles that end in a question.

November 10, 2009

Jason said:

... Romans 13 describes a government that protects it citizens and punishes those that are evil. I think there are plenty of examples of Gods people defying the government because that governments laws were oppressive and contradicted God's laws. Old Testament heroes like Daniel and Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego all defied the government. We are to obey the government as long as its laws do not cause us to break God's laws. I hate when progressive pastors who worship the state us Romans 13 to scare us into serving the government even though they break just about every one of God's laws. Chuck Baldwin has a great archived article on his website about Romans 13.

November 10, 2009

Bonnie said:

... God indeed does not prefer governments. In the Garden, before the fall, there was no government. But Eve was beguiled by the devil and fell into sin. Adam happened along, and while he was not beguiled as had happened to Eve, he did inexplicably and suddenly allowed his brain to drop 38 inches and followed Eve into sin. From that time until the Flood, there was no recorded government. The earth was filled with violence and anarchy ran rampant. We all know how that turned out! After the Flood, we begin to see governments instituted. In Israel, during the time between Joshua and Saul, we see what could almost be described as the first republic... a rule of Law (God's Law as expressed in the Pentateuch), being administered by a series of God ordained judges. The people did not want this, and wanted to be like other nations. That gave rise to Saul, and in the books of Samuel, Kings, and Chronicles, we see God's warnings of what government would mean, and the history of those warnings fulfilled. Our Founders recognized that government was evil, but anarchy was even worse. So, they gave us enough government to prevent monarchy, but wanted as little government as possible to elude the evils enumerated in God's Holy Word. As Christians, we should recognize the need for, as well as the evils of, government. To "idolize" government, to make it our "god" or want more of it is indeed wrong. But we DO need to support the necessary level of government, if only for our own safety. We DO need to pray for those in authority over us, but pray that they conform to GOOD (minimal) government, pray that they would begin to exercise Godly government when they are doing the opposite. We DO need to pray that they would come to recognize God as their own PERSONAL God and Creator, and develop a yearning to serve Him in a Godly capacity.

November 10, 2009

JJ Suprise said:

Why? CG, Why?

November 11, 2009 | url