God and Government
For many people in our day, the appropriate title of this article could be "God or Government." Why? Because government often trumps God in their eyes.
Government is seen as the god who watches over us, feeds us, employs us, bails us out, rescues us and generally renders us unaccountable to anyone but ourselves. But for those who believe that God is the one who created us, equips us, watches over us and providentially guides us, the title should be "God over Government." Though such a concept is repulsive to many, it is precisely the case that God rules over the affairs of governments, men and angels, as well as the whole of His creation.
On the other hand, God's superintendence over all the affairs of government does not negate His decree to place delegated authority in the hands of government. This is explicitly stated in Romans 13. The practical application of the legitimacy of government's delegated authority is clearly indicated in Jesus' statement: Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and unto God the things that are God's (Mark 12:7).
This does not imply that government is equal to the authority of God, but that government has been ordained by God to carry a designated measure of authority in matters that have been duly prescribed in God's Word. Thusly, it is incumbent upon all Christians to render to such delegated authority all that is due within the limitations or boundaries set forth by Divine revelation.
To render means to give what is due or appropriate to somebody who has authority or power. Therefore, to render to Caesar is to give to governing authorities what is due and to render to God is to give to God what is due. Consequently, seeing that God, who is the ultimate and infinite authority, supersedes all delegated authorities, our ultimate allegiance is to be given to Him. Therefore, when delegated authorities contradict the authority of God, the ultimate authority of God supersedes the commands of God's delegated authority.
For instance, if the government commands us not to preach the Word of God, a responsibility God did NOT prescribe to governing agencies, God's command to preach the Word must be heeded over the government's command. When any delegated authority (parents, schools, government, etc.) contradicts God's written instruction in the Holy Scripture, that authority is overstepping his God-ordained boundaries. All delegated authorities possess such authority as prescribed by God and are therefore limited by divine ordination to their particular domains.
To further illustrate, consider a husband and father of a family who has been given delegated authority in his home by God Himself according to Holy Scripture. If another delegated authority, such as the government, oversteps its ordained realm and interferes with the rights and privileges of a man's God given authority over his family, then the husband's authority supersedes the government's authority in that particular realm.
If the government seeks to disallow biblical principles, such as prescribed discipline in the home, the husband must disobey the overstepping of the governing authority's regulation in order to carry out the specific authority that God has assigned to the father alone. However, if a father is proven to be endangering his children, or his wife, through physical abuse, then the governing authorities have the God-ordained right to punish the father as an evildoer as prescribed in Romans 13. Of course, this can be, and often is, abused by governing authorities that overstep their God-given authority due to the ever-increasing godless disapproval of God's prescribed means of raising children in the love and admonition of Christ.
The concept of corporal punishment (spanking children) in the home, which is clearly set forth in Holy Scripture, is under tremendous attack by the secular world. Many governing authorities are following suit by increasingly seeking to mandate the dissolution of such practices in the home, even though God's Word commands it. This is often carried out under the guise of social work, which is typically driven by a philosophy diametrically opposed to most biblical principles.
Christians must understand that though we must obey God's commands which often directly conflict with the ever-increasing overstepping of delegated authority's commands, such as the government's regulations, there is going to be a price to pay. It may mean prison or perhaps death in the future. but Christians must not compromise the Truth for safety.
Conversely, Christians must not overstep their authority and disobey the God-granted authority of the government in those areas where God has prescribed obedience to governing authorities. When we are summoned to serve, for instance, on a jury, we should obey such a summons unless we are providentially hindered.
If we break laws which do not supersede God's biblical commands, we must duly pay according to the verdict the law prescribes. If taxes are prescribed by the governing authorities, we must render whatever is due. We must seek, to the best of our abilites, to be exemplary citizens and properly obey governing authorities. We must also pray for others to properly carry out their God-delegated duties.
But when delegated authorities such as the government overstep clear boundaries that oppose our allegiance to the Almighty, we must first appeal to the governing authorities. If necessary, we must suffer for the faith with a clear conscience before God. Our forbearers understood such allegiance to God. They were prepared to suffer at the hands of cruel governments due to their genuine and faithful allegiance to Holy Scripture above man-made laws that opposed God's Word.
As a republic, we enjoy certain rights in this country. Our Constitution formally gives U.S. citizens the right for redress against the government, as well as laws that are established which are unconstitutional or place undue burdens upon the citizenry. We also have the right to vote in this country, directly engaging to some extent in the course of the nation's vision and direction.
Of course, the spiritual influence of biblical proclamation, holiness of life and prayer is our greatest means of influencing our nation toward righteousness. The power of politics as it relates to Christian influence is usually overstated and often causes believers to divide their attention. Thus, they diminish their influence upon the hearts of people.
While some engagement in politics is commendable for Christians, too much is detrimental and distracting seeing that legislation impacts the outer man and behavior while the gospel searches the hearts and enlightens the inner man.
Our republic's present trend, which is drifting exponentially downward, is to strip our nation of every vestige of past and present godliness. Of course, the government cannot rob the true Christian or the church of everlasting hope. But it can, and is presently engaged in, systematically repudiating the Theo-centric foundations of our forefathers. Furthermore, it is becoming more apparent everyday in our nation that godliness is considered intolerant, if not openly unacceptable. If this trend continues—and barring a spiritual awakening, in my opinion, it will—the practice of experimental godliness, as such, may be practically forbidden.
How will preachers and churches respond when our proclamation against specific sins is outlawed as being "hate speech" by the government? Will we alter the message and excuse ourselves by saying that we're simply obeying the governing authorities as stated in Romans 13? Or will we be faithful to God's Word and continue to preach the Truth at any cost, seeing that God's authority supersedes all delegated authorities such as the governments?
We may be fined very soon for preaching what the Bible clearly commands us to preach. Will our preachers and churches be willing to go to jail, lose our buildings and have our lands confiscated? Will we be faithful enough to willingly lose our employment due to our stand concerning biblical principles? Will we, as the Second Coming of our Savior approaches, be willing to die for the faith, if necessary, while being increasingly mocked and ridiculed by the world?
Most tragic and surprising to many Christians will be that the greatest opposition to our uncompromising message of God's Word will be from other churches. Many churches have already capitulated and relegated the Word of God to the shelf and replaced it with contemporary concerns such as global warming and how to have your best life now. Admittedly, those who sit under such preaching are experiencing their best lives now, because in the afterlife it won't be so hot. Well, actually it will be so hot!
When it comes to God and government, let us properly and joyfully render to each their due. But know this: God is eternal and the government is only temporary. If they are in conflict with one another, God's law must take preeminence over man's law. You may die for that stand now, but you'll live in glory for eternity later.
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Dr. R.A. Hargrave, Executive Director of GraceWorx Ministries, also serves as Senior Pastor at Riverbend Community Church in Ormond Beach, Florida.
