We're in an election year, and it's likely to be a bumpy ride. So ... what's government for anyway? According to the Declaration of Independence, our rights are "unalienable" precisely because they are given by the Creator. According to our founding fathers, the function of government was "to secure these rights." Wow! We're a long way from that, aren't we? Take them, sure, but secure them? Even the "American Civil Liberties Union," an organization founded on fighting for our civil liberties, ignores our civil liberties when they collide with their agenda. (For instance, the ACLU is never defending the rights of Christians for their freedom for the free exercise of religion, but are often fighting to defend the rights of the LGBTQ folks ... whose special rights aren't mentioned there.) Those guys back there in 1776 had a good idea, but, as it said in the old cigarette commercials, "You've come a long way, baby." Now government exists to secure the preferences of the ruling party. Really not the same thing.
Of course, it can be argued that the Declaration of Independence may not be entirely true. I mean, how many today agree that rights are given by the Creator? Not so many. So what better source can we examine for the purpose of government? Oh, I know (and I would guess you know where I'm going), how about the Bible? According to Scripture, government is established by God (Rom 13:1). Yeah, yeah, you thought it was us. You should have known better. Scripture says that we are to "be subject for the Lord's sake to every human institution" (1 Peter 2:13). Did you see the "why"? For the Lord's sake. Scripture says that government is God's servant for our good (Rom 13:4) in order that we might lead "a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way" (1 Tim 2:1-2). Government "is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God's wrath on the wrongdoer" (Rom 13:4).
Now, human government is, obviously, lacking. The best of human government fails in the plan. That's why, in the end, we don't trust in human government. We trust in God. In the fire, we can be sure that God is there with His plans intact and His work ongoing. In the meantime, our job is to vote the right way ... oh, wait ... that's not in there, is it? We are supposed to pray with supplications, intercessions, and thanksgiving for those who are in high positions (1 Tim 2:1-2). We are to honor everyone, including, specifically, bad government (1 Peter 2:17). And, unless we are commanded to violate God's commands, we are to be subject to government (Rom 13:5-6). I bet there is not a small number of Christians who find these commands from God's Word just as offensive as they find the government today.
4 comments:
I just saw something, I'll try to find it, that quoted various atheists making the point that the concept of individual human rights was something that came from a biblical worldview.
To those on the Left, you would be considered a Christian Nationalist simply because you believe our rights are endowed by a Creator rather than government. Of course, they would then be calling this a Christian Nation because the Founding Fathers clearly believed in that.
Craig, anyone that would argue that the concept of individual human rights doesn't come from a biblical worldview is an idiot and doesn't know history. They may argue that it has progressed beyond that, but I cannot be honestly argued in any capacity that the concept doesn't come from Christianity. No other society, modern or historical, has held to individual rights that wasn't influenced by Christian thinking.
David,
That's my point. If Atheists can acknowledge that human rights are a product of a Christian worldview, then it's pretty obvious.
I appreciated, Stan, how you contrasted the founding fathers’ stated function of our government--i.e. to secure the colonists’ “Creator-endowed rights”--with its current mission--i.e. “to secure the preferences of the ruling party.” Our government has moved from its initial error of withholding full rights to its female residents and those of African origin to its current error of promoting preferential accommodation to those with gender dysmorphia, same-sex attraction, or a desire to murder their unborn babies. So yes, “in the end, we don't trust in human government.”
I also appreciated the encouragement to consider above all else the Bible’s description of the purpose of human government--which is less focused on all those “God-given rights” of ours and more on God’s plan and His will for those whose trust is in Him. In fact, when I look to God’s Word to learn what “human rights” I have as a Christian--if any--I find many references to believers being “slaves” of Christ, as well as the teaching that I am to imitate Jesus, who gave up His rights to accomplish the Father’s will (Phil. 2:5-8). Once again, I see the stark contrast between the mindset of the follower of Christ and those in the world--who cherish those rights “endowed by the Creator” but not the Creator Himself.
In any event, thinking about that “bumpy ride” ahead makes me grateful for that abiding peace of God you wrote about yesterday.
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