Government and you

The legislative buildings in Victoria, BC,
outlined in lights. - Photo © 2013 by V. Nesdoly

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Romans 13:1-14

TO CHEW ON: "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." Romans 13:1

If you listen to talk shows on radio or watch news channels on TV, you'll know that one of the favourite topics is to criticize the government. People have made careers out of it! Our practice of second-guessing political decisions and freely offering our opinions — often in strong language — has made serving as an elected official an often thankless and unattractive job.

What a different attitude toward government Paul tells Christians to take in Romans 13. Some ideas he puts forward that should impact our behaviour:

1. Governing authorities are actually "appointed by God" (Romans 13:1 - see also Daniel 4:32; Psalm 75:6-7).
Even evil governments, we ask? The footnotes in my study Bible comments:

"Paul does not suggest that God approves corrupt government, ungodly officials or unjust legislation. Sometimes, however, in punishment for the sins of a people or for other reasons known to Him, God allows evil rulers to have authority for a time, as the Old Testament prophets frequently testify" (New Spirit Filled Life Bible, p. 1570).

2. We should be subject to authorities (Romans 13:2).
If they are there by God's permission, even appointment, they are, in effect, God's government of us. Being subject means that we obey the laws of a particular government's jurisdiction (federal, provincial or civic).

However, we can make the case for civil disobedience. If obeying the laws of the land causes us to sin, our first loyalty is to God (Esther 4:16; Daniel 3:12-18; 6:10; Matthew 2:12; Acts 5:29; Hebrews 11:23).

3. Killing done by the state — to keep order and to hand out retribution — is different from murder (Romans 13:4).
Paul talks about the government officials who "bear the sword" (and why would one bear a sword unless to kill, or as a threat to kill?) as "God's minister" and "avenger." My Bible's footnotes explain:

"The fact that God authorizes governments as His servants to use force even to the point of taking human life does not contradict the command 'You shall not murder' in Exodus 20:13. The word used in that commandment refers to criminal murder and does not include judicial taking of life or killing in war, for which the OT uses other words. The same is true of the Greek word translated "kill" or "murder' in such NT passages as Matthew 5:21" - New Spirit Filled Life Bible, p. 1570.

4. We should obey government as a matter of good conscience toward God and not only because we're in danger of getting caught and punished if we don't, (Romans 13:5-7). This includes paying taxes without complaining (...ouch!).

In a democratic society, it's often hard to submit meekly to government as Paul tells us we should. To be fair, we need to utilize all the ways our democratic freedoms give us to get a government we can support (like vote, give feedback to our representatives, even join and support the political party of our choice). But if we really believed that our government was there by God's ordaining, and we spent as much time praying for our authorities as we do criticizing them, we'd probably find them much easier to obey.

PRAYER: Dear God, please help me to have an attitude toward government that pleases You. Today I bring before You Prime Minister Trudeau, Premier Horgan and the mayor of my town. May Your will be done in their lives and, through them, in my country, province and city today. Amen.

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
 

Do your 8-12-year-olds have daily devotions? Point them to Bible Drive-Thru.

Jesus exalted--what that means to us

Exalted Jesus - church in Montaicino, Italy (Image: pixabay.com)

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Ephesians 1:15-23

TO CHEW ON: "He [God] raised Him [Jesus] from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come." Ephesians 1:20,21

In describing how highly Jesus was exalted, Paul didn't leave any area uncovered.

Jesus' exaltation:

• Seated Him at God's right hand in heaven.

• Placed Him not just above but "far above all principality and power and might and dominion."

My Bible's notes explain that the above four (principality, power, might, and dominion) "…are consistently used for ruling authorities in both the visible and invisible realms. See Ephesians 3:10. The NT reveals an invisible hierarchy of evil powers who deceive and manipulate human behavior thereby advancing satanic strategies" - Jack W. Hayford, study notes on Ephesians, New Spirit-Filled Life Bible, p. 1646.

• Exalted Him far above every name that is named.

Name (onoma) means name or term by which a person is called and all that the name implies of rank, authority, reputation, and representative.

• His exalted state applies in every generation, and beyond this life i.e. it never changes ("… not only in this age but also in that which is to come" - Ephesians 1:21).

• He is the head of the church, currently His body on earth - Ephesians 1:22,23.

In context, this grand statement of Jesus' position is part of Paul's prayer for his readers. He prays that they will understand these truths and the power available to them as a result (Ephesians 1:18,19).

This is a prayer that needs to be answered in each new generation. We in the 21st century need to grasp and claim the extent and benefits of Christ's work and current exalted state for our generation as much as Paul's readers did for theirs.

Do we understand that there are no new governments or military powers, including the demonic entities behind them, that supersede Jesus' power? His power is far above that of ISIS, or any repressive regimes, or our own more benign democracies that have taken a satanically inspired direction in legalizing death (abortion and euthanasia), celebrating sexual deviance, encouraging drug use, etc.

What do we do in the meantime, while it looks like those principalities, powers, and dominions are winning? At least two things:

1. Put on God's armor so we can stand against the spiritual forces behind these developments - Ephesians 6:10-13.

2. By faith encourage ourselves and each other with the facts - Ephesians 1:21,22.

PRAYER: Dear Jesus, though Paul's statement of Your exaltation may sometimes seem like wishful thinking, please answer the earlier part of Paul's prayer in me by giving the spirit of wisdom and revelation, and opening the eyes of my understanding about You. Amen.
 
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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Holy Spirit--instigator of civil peace

 

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Isaiah 32:1-20

TO CHEW ON: "The work of righteousness will be peace,

And the effect of righteousness

quietness and assurance forever.

My people will dwell in a peaceful habitation,

In secure dwellings and in quiet resting places." Isaiah 32:17,18

The shopkeepers of a certain section of downtown Vancouver, B.C. probably didn't appreciate the peace and security of their existence until one night in June 2011 when hooligans posing as hockey fans wrecked it all. Civic peace is like that. One is hardly aware of it until it is threatened or destroyed.

Isaiah, in our reading today, connects civil peace with the presence of the Holy Spirit: "Until the Spirit is poured upon us from on high .... Then justice will dwell in the wilderness .... The work of righteousness will be peace and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance forever. My people will dwell in a peaceful habitation. In secure dwelling places and in quiet resting places" - Isaiah 32:15-18.

This result of the Holy Spirit's influence is interpreted by many to speak of a future or end time. Nathaniel M. Van Cleave writes in my Bible's notes on Isaiah:

"Isaiah ... pictures the Holy Spirit as the source of all end times blessings. Here is the first time there is a connection between the ministry of the Spirit and the moral and ethical results of salvation such as justice and righteousness. The Spirit is not only involved in the ministry of judgement (Isaiah 28:6) but He is also the source of a peaceful, ethical existence" - New Spirit-Filled Life Bible, p. 910.

However, I believe this aspect of the Holy Spirit's presence can be very real to us now as we allow Him to steer our actions and reactions. His fruit in our lives (Galatians 5:22-23) can't help but make a difference in how we live among our families and neighbors (refraining from some actions while doing others), and how we serve our homes, churches, and communities.

May the peace and righteousness of the Holy Spirit be poured on us and through us onto our world so that we are builders, not destroyers, of the peace and security of our neighborhoods, cities, provinces/states, and countries.

PRAYER: Dear God, please train me in the practicalities of the Holy Spirit's presence in my life so that I will serve well in my neighborhood, city, province, and country. Amen.


MORE: Ethical living and leading
There is a lot to be learned from watching the lives of ethical people.  They sometimes have to make hard decisions that would appear, on the surface, to be damaging to their cause.

Mike Hyatt is, in my opinion, such an ethical person. In a 2010 interview he discusses with Jim Bradford, Dean of Owen Graduate School of Management, topics like:

• What I learned from a personal business failure.

• A situation where I had to take a difficult ethical stand that almost cost me my job.

• The practical value of humility in leadership

Listen/watch at:  "Candid Answers to Tough Leadership Questions: an Interview"