"We confess and acknowledge that empires, kingdoms, dominions and cities are appointed and ordained by God; the powers in them...are ordained by God's holy ordinance...Moreover, we state that the preservation and purification of religion is particularly the duty of kings, princes, rulers...They are not only appointed for civil government, but also to maintain true religion and to suppress all idolatry and superstition. (Scots Confession 24).
Thoughts: John Knox wrote the Scots Confession on which the Westminster (see below) was modeled. Knox believed in respecting authority- but he also spoke hard against Mary Queen of Scots. Knox was leading a rebellion against the queen mother who had George Wishart burned at the stake and other protestants martyred in St. Andrews. So while Knox speaks of government being appointed by God, that did not stop him from calling for a government that did not persecute believers. The early cry of the Americans against the British was "We have no King but Jesus." On the day after the fourth of July that is important to remember.
The rebellion against Mohammed Morsi in Egypt was called by many in the west an intervention. Yet it puts fear into all those in power who do oppress others. The fight against the Taliban in 2001 and their oppression was a needed intervention. Similarly Charles I of England, Louis XVI of France, and Nicholas II of Russia fostered rebellion by royal flamboyance and ignorance of the people. When governments do not listen to the people, it often spawns rebellion. In more modern times the collapse of the Soviet Union and the east was not only fostered by economic and political reasons but also by religious fervor in reaction to the vacancy and dehumanization of atheist states. In biblical times Moses rebelled against Pharaoh. Moses asked to let his people go from slavery- but the Pharaoh just got tougher. The Israelites also rebelled against the Philistine oppressors who made them slaves and vassals.
Perhaps a lesson should be learned from Rehoboam. He was asked by his people for tax relief. Rehoboam was advised to be a servant to the people (and not the government structure). But Rehoboam rejected that advice saying, "My father made your yoke heavy, I will make it even heavier." Humility and an ear was really lacking.
But Jesus did not ride a conquering military horse against the Roman Empire- but He conquered them with love. He encouraged rendering to Caesar what is Caesars and to God what is God's. He suffered under them though He had the power to conquer them.
So there is a balance between God's ordination of powers and a time when the people are called to rise up. The general and regular principle is to not rebel. No government-anarchy- is worse than a bad government or even a mildly oppressive government. Yet governments are called to serve the people- leading them in terms of goodness and justice (fairness)- relieving the oppressed but listening to the majority and above all to God. God is not only the One who appoints, ordains, and sustains, but also blesses nations.
Prayer: God, we lift up those who are over us in government. May our government honor you not just with their lips but with their behavior. We pray for all our brothers and sisters under oppressed governments, and we thank you for the freedom we have of religion, of speech, of gathering.
"God the Supreme Lord and King of all the world, has ordained civil magistrates to be under him over the people, for his own glory and the public good; and for this reason, has given them the power of the sword, for the defense and encouragement of those that are good, and for the punishment of those who do evil." (Westminster Confession of Faith 25)
No comments:
Post a Comment