Friday, December 28, 2007

Christianity and Government


For years, Christians have argued that the Founders were devout Christians who meant to create a Christian republic. If you notice, the Constitution makes no direct reference to God. The Philadelphia convention was represented by numerous Christian denominations: Congregationalist, Episcopalian, Dutch Reformed, Presbyterian, Quaker, Lutheran, Roman Catholic, Methodist, and Deist. The First Amendment was designed to prohibit the federal establishment of a national Church or the official preference of a particular Christian sect over all others. If you remember history, The Puritans set expamples of democratic principles before America was born. The Puritan devotion to democratic principles had an important effect on American life. The Puritans were interested in establishing a degree of separation of church and state because they had been persecuted by the English government and wanted to ensure their own freedom of religion in Massachusetts Bay. They also disagreed with the Catholic/Anglican idea that the church should be should be universal, encompassing every member of the community. This implied a division between the institutions of society (government) and the institutions of the church.

America was created with the influence of Christian people as well as non-christians. The world who are without Christ also have their own views. More often than not, the secular world view is in conflict with the bible. To Christians, this should NOT be a surprise. To the world who are without Christ, this conflict is not a surprise either. My question is this, regardless whether the Government is godless or not, are we denying that one form of Government is NOT ordained by God even though the Bible said "ALL Governments"?

Civil government should recognize the sovereignty of other God-ordained institutions (Church, Family) because civil government is necessary and divinely ordained by God (Rom. 13:1–7). We are called to render service and obedience as to submit to civil authority (1 Pet. 2:13–17 ; Matt. 22:21). Even though the Government is God-ordained but human (sinners). Government is not the problem. Its PEOPLE who are running the government. I do believe very much in being a responsible Christian citizen. As good testimony to outsiders, Christians can work with non-Christians (& government) in attempting to promote justice and civic peace because it is good for all people, not just Christians (Galatians 6:10; 1 Thessalonians 5:15). There is NOTHING in the Bible that we can get around the Government in our lives except "disobience" against His Ordained Governments.

In conclusion, we must careful not to identify Christianity with any political parties because Jesus Christ have HIS OWN Party which is HIS KINGDOM. Christ stands alone, above and outside of every ideology of any political parties. Jesus does not and will not join any of our parties. I am having a major problem with people today using God for their own interests into man-made political issues. Jesus said "My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence" (John 18:36).

No comments: