Realms of Power

Nowhere in the Bible does it advocate for a Christian government. Nowhere.

Starting with John 18 verse 36:

Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here.”

This is what He taught His disciples, and what scripture teaches us still today.  Let us got to Mathew 22 starting at verse 17. The pharisees are, as usual, testing Jesus:

Tell us, therefore, what do You think? Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?”

18. but Jesus perceived their wickedness and said, “Why do you test Me, you hypocrites?”:

19 show Me the tax money.” So they brought Him a denarius.

20. and He said to them, “Whose image and inscription is this?”

21 They said to Him, “Caesar’s.” and He said to them “Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”

A clear demarcation between earthly and heavenly governments and instruction to be obedient to the Roman government of the day.

1 Timothy 2: 1-4:

1. Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men,
2. for kings, and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence.
3. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour.

In Romans 13 verses 1 to 7, Paul is clear:

1. Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God.
2. Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves.
3. For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good and you will have praise from the same.
4. For he is God’s minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is Gods minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil.
5. Therefore you must be subject, not only because of wrath but also for conscience sake. For because of this you also pay taxes, for they are God’s ministers attending continually to this very thing.
6. Render therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honour to whom honour.

We, as Christians, are to be under authority, not ruling over others. God has appointed those people He has called to those positions. I do not see any precedent in scriptures for Christians to dominate those around them, force others to live according to our understanding of God’s law, which remember, is based on love, not hate. We are called to be servants, ministering to His people, being channels through which He works to bring others to a knowledge of Him.

We are specifically told not to judge others – we can judge sin and recognise it, but not sinners for that is the Lord’s task and His alone.

Romans Chapter 14, v 10

But why do you judge your brother? Or why do you show contempt for your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgement seat of Christ.

11. for it is written:

As I live says the Lord, Every knee shall bow to Me, and every tongue shall confess to God.”

12. so then each of us shall give account to himself to God.

13. therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather resolve this, not to put a stumbling block or a cause to fall in our brother’s way.

Moving to verse 16

Therefore do not let your good be spoken of as evil;

Ecclesiastes Chapter 5 verse 2 gives some handy to advice:

Do not be rash with your mouth

And let not your heart utter anything hastily before God

For God is in heaven, and you on earth;

Therefore let your words be few.

I am convinced that the move in America to take over the Government is not of God, it is the will of greedy men seeking to control what is not theirs, forcing their judgement on a peoples and thus bringing division, hatred, and violence.

I grew up in the years of apartheid, an evil regime that also used biblical reference to justify their actions. What I see happening in America feels much the same and it frightens me. Please God we do not want or need another autocratic regime in this fallen world of ours.

Finally, Donald Trump’s words to Jill Biden about getting her fat husband off the couch is so far out of line that he should be disqualified once and for all. He is not funny, he is not entitled to speak that way because, ‘Oh, it’s only Donald, that’s how he is’. No. His manner of insulting and denigrating is totally unacceptable and particularly on the world stage. As a citizen of another country, I am appalled by this man and his aberrant behaviour and there is no excuse or justification for him.

To align him in any way to my precious Saviour Christ is anathema and I want to say, ‘Shame on you who applaud and laugh and egg him on.’

My God, my Jesus, how Your heart must ache!