Biblical Worldview of Civil Government

It has been a busy summer for Elijah Ministries.  We’ve done more radio, printed media, and TV interviews in the last couple months than perhaps the last twenty years combined.  We’ve conducted two Leadership Institutes that equiped, inspired, and trained young people to become leaders a time like this demands.  We’ve preached at a few “Shake the Nation Rallies” with its vision to dynamite Christians out of their pews and into the battle.  We’ve ministered at public schools calling upon parents to rescue their children from the spiritual, moral, and intellectual harm perpetrated by our government-run schools in order to fulfill their God-ordained duty to train their children in the fear and admonishment of the Lord.

 

The most powerful event this summer, however, was our call to Washington DC to confront the dangerous “Hate Crimes” bill.  Within those three days in July, our witness and testimony literally reached around the world.  Our message was not only picked up by the national media, but People for the American Way, the homosexual agenda, and the Muslims recorded our activities and pass it on to their constituents.  The light of God's truth shined forth in the enemy's camp.

 

Part of the message we brought to Washington DC is contained in our press statement.  I’m not going to convey the entire message, but only the latter part as it pertains to this message on the Biblical role of civil government.  I believe we live in a time where there must be clarity of thought and belief on how the Church of Jesus Christ relates to civil government, especially, when our freedom of speech and freedom to practice religion are being threatened.  And make no mistake, if the homosexual agenda wins the day, the Bible will become “Hate Speech” and ministers who dare preach God’s word as it applies to the sin and crime of homosexuality will face fines and imprisonment.  We cannot afford to ignore the fact that as our nation codifies evil into law, it must of necessity punish the righteous.  This is a reality, we’ve not been willing to face, but we must, if we are to resist tyranny and preserve freedom for our children and grandchildren.

 

The following is the ending statement of our press conference.  “It was Thomas Jefferson who stated, “The legislative powers of government reach to actions only, not to opinions.”  Civil government is due our prayers, taxes, tribute, and submission to lawful authority.  They are not due, however, our faith, consciences, or thoughts.  No government official has the authority to determine our beliefs, regulate our faith, or punish our thoughts.  We have come to Washington DC to appeal to our government to back off, stand down, and return to their lawful jurisdictions.  Get out of our churches, quit policing our thoughts, and stop trying to sear our consciences by framing mischief into law.  This is where every liberty-loving Christian should stand, and America should do no less!!!”

 

In light of this statement, let us look at Romans 13:1-4.  God's word states, "Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.  Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation.  For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same: For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil."

 

First off, this passage of Scripture teaches what good government looks like according to God’s design.  This passage does not address when civil government betrays their sacred trust as a “Minister of God,” and becomes a dupe of Satan that devolves into tyranny, injustice, and oppression.  There are other passages of Scripture that deal with this betrayal against God's authority, such as, Peter and the Apostles before the authorities of their day.  In summary of their conflict, the Bible teaches the Church is to obey God rather than men when the laws of men conflict with the law of God.  This truth is revealed throughout the Old and New Testaments.  One can recall Daniel in the lion’s den and thrill to the exploits of the three Hebrew children in the fiery furnace as examples. 

 

This Biblical theme is vitally important as it relates to the modern-day church that falsely believes we are to obey civil government, regardless if they foolishly seek to usurp the place, position, and authority of God, Himself.  The Bible calls this idolatry as it violates the first commandment, “Thou shalt have no others gods before Me.”

 

Secondly, godly government recognizes that God is the supreme authority and they are a delegated authority that owes their allegiances to Him.  Since He created and established civil government, they are duty bound to uphold His will as it applies to the civil sphere.  Again, they are His ministers.  Good civil government must recognize like the tyrant Kings of old that God rules and reigns in the affairs of men.  He sets up kingdoms and knocks them down.  He possesses and dispossesses nations according to the dictates of His good will.

 

This is one of the fundamental truths that blessed America in times past.  We believed we were One Nation under God.  When mankind rejects this Biblical truth of God’s sovereignty, however, man has only two other options available.  First, the state is sovereign and the ultimate authority, which historically has led to every murderous regime that has crushed the freedoms, lives, and property of those they claim to serve.  In the 20th century alone, hundreds of miilions of innocent people were massacred by this monstrous lie.  The second option is man as an the individual is sovereign, which has led man to anarchy, chaos, and confusion.  Only One Nation under God can secure the delicate tension between social order on the one hand and individual freedom on the other.  All else is sinking sand and cisterns that can’t hold water.

 

Next, good civil government acknowledges God’s law as the standard for good and evil, right and wrong.  Therefore, civil government is called to punish evildoers as God defines evil and protect those who are good in God’s sight.  It is only the law of God that can define for man these important concepts.  Otherwise, the sinful nature of men will rebel and end up calling evil, good and good, evil.  We see this travesty most clearly when it comes to our government decimalizing abortion and homosexuality.  Instead of punishing these crimes as prescibed by God's law, they protect these abominations with the sword of civil government.  Why, because our government refuses to uphold God's law.  

 

Throughout Scripture, however, God warns rulers that it is an abomination to punish the righteous and pardon the wicked (Proverbs 17:15).  Pslam 2 extends this warning to kings and judges, "Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth.  Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling.  Kiss the son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him."  Isaiah 10:1 states, “Woe unto them that decree unrighteous decrees, and that write grievousness which they have prescribed.”  Rulers descend to this deplorable condition when they refuse to acknowledged God’s law and their duty to uphold it in the civil sphere.  

 

Today, in pagan America it is popular to spout that Christians cannot and should not legislate morality.  The truth is every law and public policy is based upon some ones definition of morality, some ones view of good and evil, and some ones view of right and wrong.  One cannot escape this reality.  The only question that remains is it God’s morality and objective truth that under girds the laws of men or is man’s immorality and subjective reasoning that is the basis for law.  Regardless, some ones view of morality is being legislated. 

 

The following similarities and differences between church and state come for Buddy Hanson's tremendous book called the "The Christian Prince."  I recommend that every pastor, Christian legislator, and Christian home secure this book for their library.  To order one go to http://www.graceandlaw.com/.

 

• There are some similarities between the Church and state and there are distinct differences. 

 

• They both are from God.  They are His ministers and they both shall give an account of their administrations before God.

 

• Both must observe the commandments of God related to their sphere of authority.  God has granted both specific directions and principles from Scripture to guide them.

 

• Both are appointed for the glory of God and the benefit of mankind.

 

• Each should compliment the other rather than being in competition as they are both extensions of His will in the earth.

 

• In their ultimate goal, the Church is to be concerned about God’s salvation and the eternal welfare of the souls of men, while civil rulers should concentrate on the physical safety and temporal welfare of men.

 

• The Church is to be a minister of grace, while civil government is the minister of justice.  The Church has the authority to punish evildoers by excommunication, while civil rulers have the authority to execute capital offenders.  The church is to expose evil, while the civil government is to punish and restrain evil.  The Church should teach God’s law, while civil government enforces God’s law.  Whereas the church is supported by God’s social tax, the tithe, the civil government is supported by God’s civil tax-the head tax.  The Church has courts just as valid as judicial courts.  The church is to concentrate on the welfare of mankind, while civil government is concerned about warfare to protect and serve its citizens.

Lastly, both the Apostle Paul and Peter admonished the Church in our duties towards the state.  They called the church to obey civil authorities and yet they both died at the hands of civil authorities. What can we make of this apparent discrepancy?  One thing for sure, they were not hypocrites that contradicted the will of God.  They simply understood that civil government was to be a “minister of God” who punished evil doers as God defined evil and protected those who were good in God’s sight, as God defined good.

When civil government, however, devolves and reverses this divine calling, and punishes the righteous and pardons the wicked, Christians are duty bound to obey God rather than men.  Thus when the laws of men countermand the laws of God, we must for conscience sake trust God and continue to do good, even though we may suffer persecution for our faith.  This is God’s directive to His people in times of tyranny and is also His living rebuke to a civil government that is in defiance against its divine calling.

I pray this message was a blessing to you.  Please keep us in your prayers.

IN KING JESUS' SERVICE,

Rev. Rusty Lee Thomas

Elijah Ministries

P.O. Box 3126

Waco, TX 76707

elijahmin@ifriendly.com

www.elijahmin.com

P.S.  To hear this message preached click on http://www.churchontherockwaco.com/loudblog/

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