Dec 23, 2008 | Articles
Some of our readers may remember that back during the election we posted some information about the Christian and the Civil Government and God’s relationship to the Civil Government. I am glad to inform you that much insightful and spirited conversation ensued from that article, perhaps eliciting a greater response than any we have yet put up. In regards to some of the questions and comments I think it good to revisit the issue and establish more firmly some biblical facts.
There are many today who believe that it is not only a Christian’s God given right, or liberty to vote, but that it is a Christian’s responsibility, some even saying that it is a sin NOT to vote! Others believe that it is not only unwise or unnecessary, but even that the it is a sin TO vote! I believe that this alone is reason enough to give the issue some due consideration.
God’s Providence
There are few subjects more awesome, mysterious and wonderful that that of God’s providence or, his management and guidance over this universe. While we are insured time and time again of God’s omnipotence, there is not much that we are told of how God works insomuch as this is involved. It seems that the old adage, “the Lord moves in mysterious ways” is very applicable. Even inspired writers were hesitant to label something as definitely being the product of God’s providence. (Esther 4:14; Philemon 1:5) This is a subject which merits a lengthy study in its own right, but for now we consider what if anything, the Bible says about God’s providential control of the Kingdoms of Men.
The Devil and Civil Government
As was said in our last article, it is the belief of the writer that in a most intimate way, the Devil is the Ruler of Earthly Kingdoms. What does that mean? Well, quite simply it means that our President and congress are not making decisions and policies based upon the Bible, which is the sole medium through which God leads men’s actions in the world today. As far as I know there is no nation on this earth who is governed by strict adherence to the scriptures, if there was it wouldn’t be a nation, it would be a congregation of the Lord’s church! And so we have no reason to doubt at least a part of Satan’s statement to Jesus in Luke 4 “for this has been delivered to me…” (verse 6) man kind delivered a measure of the service to their devil when they turned their backs on God as their kings chose to follow after the flesh and carnal desires. Satan continued by claiming to Jesus that he “gives” authority and glory in earthly kingdoms “to whomsoever he wishes.” Well now, that is an interesting thought isn’t it! Here Satan Claims that HE gives out the power in man’s kingdoms! Is that true? Well Jesus did not argue with him, he did not tell him that his words were false. How could it be that Satan gives civil authority? I find no scripture to indicate that Satan has the powers of deity; I don’t believe that he does, but it does seem that sometimes the works of his followers are attributed to him. The world serves the devil, whether knowingly or unknowingly, and the world chooses who is put in office, whether by voting in an election or by violently taking and giving a throne in a civil war or some such thing. The word of God does not lead men to these things, so they are attributed to be works of the Devil.
God and the Civil Government
That being said we must also recognize that the Bible clearly teaches that God rules amidst the kingdoms of men as well. How does he do it? I do not know! The Bible tells us that years ago God “sent” nations here and there to do this and that. He called wicked Gentile kings his “servants” when he “used” them to accomplish some task. In fact in some cases we find were the Bible specifically tells of God raising up a man to set on the throne and striking another king dead for allowing himself to be worshiped. These brief glimpses behind the curtain of mystery which hides God’s providential work from our eyes only arouse our interest and amazement, but they do not answer the question of how. It is this writer’s firm conviction that God has in his power the ability to create and destroy as he wills, and that regardless of the Civil leaders, God is the master of this Universe, but how directly or indirectly does he involve himself? Beyond what the Bible specifically reveals we cannot know!
Does God Use Christians to Vote in His Candidate?
It is really amazing how providence is viewed as ammo for both sides of this issue! Some tell us that God providentially chooses every civil leader and if we vote, and happen to vote for the wrong person we have violated God’s will by voting against His candidate! Others tell us that God providentially uses Christians to put his person in office. To this writer there is still a great question that might never be fully answered as to how involved God is with the election and authority of every civil leader, but lets just say that God did use Christians to vote in his candidate. How would he do it? How would we know who to vote for? God does not highjack the free-will of men and guide them supernaturally, separate and apart from the scripture! If God wanted us to vote he would have told us how to vote in the scripture! He would have given some kind of principles to follow in our civil work, but the Bible still only tells Christians: pay, pray and obey. To just suppose that God wants you to vote and that some how he is going to ensure that you vote for the right person is to make broader, more sweeping assumptions about God’s providence than even the Apostles were willing to make! If there is justification or commandment for a Christian to vote, I do not believe it is to be found here. – CED
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Oct 27, 2008 | Articles
The subject of the Christian’s relationship to the government is certainly a very controversial one, with opinions ranging from total participation (even mandatory) to living without any consideration of the civil authorities at all. Certainly both of these are extreme positions and there are numerous ideas in between them.
The Origin of Civil Government
The Bible first mentions temporal civil governments appearing after the fall. Prior to that time God’s perfect system was that Man would come to Him for guidance and the result would have surely been paradise. After the fall, man’s number increased and with the “lifting of the veil of innocence” lawlessness increased as well. Cain’s children walked in the ways of their father to murder and steal and rape and, “evil filled the earth.” Obviously God did not approve of this chaotic situation for it grieved Him in His heart and caused Him to destroy all but eight souls upon the earth. After the flood, the descendants of Noah grew in number and among them was a man named Nimrod, who the Bible would tell was the first man to claim rule over others, not in his direct family. In Genesis 10:8-9 the Bible says, “Cush begot Nimrod; he began to be a mighty one on the earth. He was a mighty hunter before the LORD; therefore it is said, “Like Nimrod the mighty hunter before the LORD.” The original language says a “hunter, or and enslaver of men.” This seems to be the first arrangement of temporal civil government in sacred record. The government apparently grew to encompass the whole of the human population (?) and we are led to the scene at the tower of Babel. God’s reaction would insinuate that while He did not necessarily disapprove of “civil government” as it were He did not sanction a world wide government. Throughout the Old testament God nowhere claims to have created, or instituted civil government, in the way that He did marriage, or the church, but He does seem to see the good that it accomplishes in preventing a recurrence of the Antediluvian anarchy.
The Ruler of Civil Governments
As mankind advances we do not see for many, many years any particular government that was any more close to God than another (except perhaps Salem of which very little is said). When God instituted the Civil Government of Israel, a government like none other, for in it’s earliest stages it was without a human ruler but solely ruled by God, God made a statement recognizing that this was a peculiar relationship. “Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine.” (Exodus 19:5) God himself wrote the laws of Israel (Moral, Ceremonial (Religious) and Civil) so that as long as they followed that Law they could not do what was displeasing in His sight. This direct involvement in the affairs of Israel is what sanctified them from the other nations of the World. In harmonizing God’s statement that “all the earth is mine” and the Devil’s statement to Jesus that, “Then the devil, taking Him up on a high mountain, showed Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. And the devil said to Him, “All this authority I will give You, and their glory; for this has been delivered to me, and I give it to whomever I wish. Therefore, if You will worship before me, all will be Yours.” And Jesus answered and said to him, “Get behind Me, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the LORD your God, and Him only you shall serve.’” (Luke 4:5-8) The answer is simple, God can claim what Satan can never claim and that is omnipotent control over all the universe. The fact the “all the earth” belongs to Him doesn’t mean that He approves of, or personally dictates every thing that happens in the earth. There is no reason to doubt the truth of Satan’s statement, if he was lying, surely Jesus would have known and thus it would have been no temptation to him.
God’s Relationship to Temporal Civil Governments
Over the years, God’s relationship to the civil governments of the world seems to have been great, but not in a direct sense. The only nation that God was regularly, directly involved with was the nation of Israel, however he was clearly involved with others providentially, at least from time to time. It is clear that in times past He “used” heathen nations to teach other nations, including sometimes, unruly Israel, a lesson. Many times God would send a nation to punish Israel and then, in return allow them to be destroyed as a punishment for the brutal and immoral methods they employed in their carnal wars with Israel! (Nahum 3:1) What is seen by this is that though God tolerated and even occasionally used other civil governments of the world in the OT, He did not fail to hold them accountable for their sins. When the Church was established God did not allow the provision of any earthly king (Hosea 13:11) and carnal armies (Isaiah 2:2-4;9:6;11:6-9;60:18, Hosea 2:18, Zech. 9:10). This was undoubtedly fulfilled in the church (2 Corinthians 10:4 and Ephesians 6:12). Today God has recognized the precarious place of His children in the evil world. How can a group of peaceful, “harmless as doves,” (Matt. 10:16) golden rule following, lover’s of enemies (Matt. 5:43-48; 1 Cor. 13) not be wiped off the face of the earth when Satan’s legions are not bound by any such constraints of kindness? The answer is: the temporal civil governments of the world! God still uses them! He no longer uses them to punish his children, but rather to protect them! Protect them by doing what Christians could never do! (Romans 12:17-21; 13:8-10; 13:1-7) The fact that God uses them is what makes them his “minister.” In the same way that God called Nebuchadnezzar His servant and then punished him, God will not over look the sins of the kingdoms of men and will punish them when the day of judgment comes. In times past when the government turned completely against the infant Church of Christ, God destroyed the government and preserved the Church.
Some have suggested that God handpicks every civil leader that holds office. There are a few problems with this theory. 1) In some governments, that would call on him to take control of the free will of men and force them against their will to “vote” for “His candidate.” 2) We have already established that it is the devil who is in control of the Civil government in the most intimate way, God is in charge of them only in as much as he is King of the Universe and every thing in it. 3) The fact that God did things in the past, doesn’t necessarily mean that He does them today. The fact that God’s people in the OT were a physical nation mandated that He take a more direct involvement.
The Christian’s Relationship to the Civil Governments
We are much more able to approach this subject after understanding the relationship of God to the government, after all we are his children. God recognizes the value of civil government, so should we, in fact we should be the best of citizens where ever we live, (Rom. 13:1-4; 1 Peter 2:13) God sustains the civil government, so should we, in fact we are commanded to pay our taxes, (Rom. 13:6-7). God desires that the civil government treat His children fairly, so should we in fact, we are commanded to pray to that end! God uses the civil government, and we are permitted to use the services of the civil government, just as Paul did when he hired a battalion of Roman soldiers to guard him, but notice that he did not fight himself. The constant and consistent description of the Christian’s relationship to the Civil government, is us and them, them and us, never do the twain meet in any doctrinal teaching of either Christ or the Apostles. The Christian has no biblical instruction on how to run a government if he tried, he is only told how to pay, pray and obey. In matters where a Christian would be called by the government to disobey the word of God, he is told to obey God rather than man, (Matt. 22:21;Acts 5:29) there are no exceptions to this rule!
To Vote or Not to Vote?
This is undoubtedly a question of great and pressing importance in this year’s election particularly. Many preachers and church leaders are resorting to bizarre methods to attempt to turn the tide of the election in this nation away from the Democratic candidate Barak Obama. In recent months, I have read numerous articles and e-mails, tediously documenting Obama’s highly un-orthodox views of Christianity, his Muslim roots, and even some claims that he might be the Antichrist of the Revelation! That is not what this article is about. This article is simply asking the general question, “Does the Bible permit Christians to vote in the election of civil leaders?” Notice that I leave this question un-specific to any given nation. This is because I am convinced, from the above study, that God’s relationship is the same with EVERY nation! Many, many things that would not be tolerated of Christians in other lands are justified by and for Christians in America because of our supposed “Christian Foundations.” In coming weeks I will be addressing that particular subject in an online audio sermon. But now it is sufficient to say that I do not believe that God’s relationship with America is any different than His relationship with any other nation, and thus the question of voting will be kept general and un-specified.
There are a number of reason why I believe that a Christian has no business voting in the election of civil leaders:
1. The teaching of the Bible places a gulf of separation between church and state, and since a Christian must carry his values wherever he goes and in what ever he does, it would not be conducive for him to take such involvement in the affairs of the civil government.
2. The Governments of this world are, in a most intimate sense, under the dominion of Satan, and this should be a great deterrent to Christians getting involved with the government more than the Bible requires or allows. The electoral process of worldly kingdoms should be handled by worldly men. “Let the dead bury the dead.” (Matthew 8:22)
3. We are said to be pilgrims and sojourners in this land (that is, the earth) and thus we must behave as pilgrims, “not at home, just passing through.” (1 Peter 2:11) If you were visiting another country around their election time it would not befall you to take any part in that process. Your responsibility would always simply be to obey the laws (which may include paying taxes) and offer the necessary respect to those civil leaders.
I believe these are sufficient reasons for us to spend our days, including November 4th, extolling the virtues of Jesus Christ and His Cause rather than trying to lift up some ne’er-do-well politician, and to trust in God through it all. I have never been convinced that God “hand-picks” every civil leader, especially in this age, but I am convinced that who ever is on the throne, whatever their attitude toward us as Christians, our attitude and relationship toward them is the same. I pray that this will aid you in your study of God’s word. CED
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Sep 23, 2008 | Articles
A great topic of discussion in sectarian circles these days is the need for instilling a “Christian World View” in the minds of believers. As I understand this term, it refers to the attitude that we have when addressing all the areas of life around us. A true “Christian World View” would insist that we base all of our decisions and opinions of things on what the Bible says. This is easier dreamed of than done. Many people today will tell you that they believe Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and they believe the Bible is His word, but those truths should be restricted to the Church House. To try to carry that into the realm of science, morality, entertainment, culture, etc… would be going too far. This is an interesting thing to consider.
The Example of the New Testament Church
What makes a church a Church of Christ (Romans 16:16) is not that some conclave of men recognizes them as such and their name is stamped with a seal of approval and put on record in a basement somewhere. It is not being able to “rattle the chain of church secession,” nor is it determined on following one or two core creedal beliefs, but rather what makes a church a Church of Christ is submission to the instruction of the Bible alone (2 Tim. 3:16-17), and the example the early Church provides for us. When we do things as they did them, in the manner in which they did them, we will be one of them. So we ask, what of the Church under Apostolic guidance? What was it’s world view? Did Paul and Peter teach that Christianity should be confined to the worship service, but left out of daily affairs? Let us consider our only source:
A Christian View of Science
As Paul stood in the midst of the Areopagus, surrounded by the greatest intellectual minds of his day, he did not hesitate to present a “Christian World View”. To these poly-theists, pantheists and atheists he declared, “God, who made the world and everything in it… is Lord of heaven and earth. He gives to all life, breath, and all things. And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their pre-appointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings.” (Acts 17:24-26) He further affirmed that man could be, and often was wrong in his scientific theory. “O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called…” (1 Tim. 6:20) Some might say, “well I want to know what Jesus Christ thought about science and religion, surely he did not seek to mix the two?” Quite the contrary, there was never a more outspoken defender of the miracles and wonders of God than Jesus Christ. Surely the scientific world of today would balk at the claims of a man to be the Son of God, to have the power to heal the sick and raise the dead, to have control over the very forces of nature. The Lord convinced many of the great minds of His day, for example Luke, the gospel writer and author of the book of Acts was a physician, and held a “Christian View” of science.
A Christian View of Morality
It is interesting to see people trying to keep the Bible out of discussions on morality. Interesting I say, because there would be no concept of morality in human civilization and we would be but a raging chaotic race of cave men if not for the master work of God. Moral concepts that are realized without the scriptures are said to be “written in our hearts” by the hand of the Creator. “For when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do the things in the law, these, although not having the law, are a law to themselves, who show the work of the law written in their hearts.” (Romans 2:14-15). So we see that indeed even our most basic understanding of right and wrong comes from God, but we ask, “How do we now what is truly ‘good’?” Jesus gave us the answer, “No one is good but One, that is, God. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments.” (Matthew 19:17). There is no good to be found in this world, but by the word of God. Furthermore, we note that in the scripture we have “the truth,” the absolute standard that settles all matters of faith and practice. “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” (John 8:31-32) The only fitting view of moral issues is a Christian view.
A Christian View of the Government
One area where we find a great deal of activity today is the attempted merger of Church and State, but as we look into the scripture, we will see that this goes against the “Christian View” of earthly politics. The church is not told to take an active role in the affairs of the state, aside from being submissive, inasmuch as God is primarily served, and being good citizens, but of the Church it is said that we should behave as “guests” in the kingdoms of this world. We are in the world, but not of the world (1 Jn. 4:4-6). We are strangers and pilgrims (1 Pet. 2:11). We are not to involve ourselves with the affairs of the world (Rom.13:12), nor are we to love the world (1 Jn. 2:15). When I see Christians who are more concerned for the state of the State than the condition of the Church I am greatly troubled. When I see God’s people busier seeing to the President’s business than the King’s business, enthused and invigorated to go out and campaign for a ne’er-do- well senator, but unwilling to lift a finger to proclaim the sinless Christ, that is disturbing indeed. We thank God for the civil authorities, they are a gift from Him. They are sinners that the Lord uses to do the things Christians could never do (enact vengeance, take up arms, etc…) unto our protection from other sinners. We are to obey the Laws of the land, whether we think them unjust or not, so long as we give to God first (Matt. 22:20-21), pay our taxes, not speak evil of those in power (Titus 3:1-2) and pray for them.
Indeed we can all agree that a “Christian World View” is essential to being a New Testament Christian and being a Member of the New Testament Church. CED
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