In my last article concerning the Christian & Civil Government, I wrote about seven basic principles that God’s Word teaches Christians about their responsibility to human government.
- Authority including civil government comes from God
- Authority is for everyone no exceptions—balance of power
- To resist authority is to resist God
- Authority is ordained by God to terrorize evil
- Authority has the right to take life
- Christians should be subject to civil authority
- Christians should pay taxes and show respect to those in authority
Today I want to examine these principals in light of our position as citizens of the United State of America.
1. As American Christians, We Must Stay Informed
My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.—Hosea 4:6
Fascinating facts about our Christian history
Information below sourced from wallbuilders.com
As you walk up the steps to the Capitol Building which houses the Supreme Court, you can see near the top of the building a row of the world’s law givers and each one is facing one in the middle who is facing forward with a full frontal view — it is Moses and the Ten Commandments!
As you enter the Supreme Court courtroom, the two huge oak doors have the Ten Commandments engraved on each lower portion of each door.
There are Bible verses etched in stone all over the Federal Buildings and Monuments in Washington, D.C.
James Madison, the fourth president, known as “The Father of Our Constitution” made the following statement: “We have staked the whole of all our political institutions upon the capacity of mankind for self-government, upon the capacity of each and all of us to govern ourselves, to control ourselves, to sustain ourselves according to the Ten Commandments of God.”
Patrick Henry, that patriot and founding father of our country said: “It cannot be emphasized too strongly or too often that this great nation was founded not by religionists but by Christians, not on religions but on the Gospel of Jesus Christ.”
Every session of Congress begins with a prayer by a paid preacher…whose salary has been paid by the taxpayer since 1777.
Fifty-two of the fifty-five founders of the Constitution were members of the established orthodox churches in the colonies.
Thomas Jefferson worried about that the courts would overstep their authority and instead of interpreting the law would begin making law an oligarchy the rule of few over many.
The very first Supreme Court Justice, John Jay, said: “Americans should select and prefer Christians as their rulers.”
2. As American Christians, We Need to Pray for Our Leaders and All Men to Be Saved
I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time. Whereunto I am ordained a preacher, and an apostle, (I speak the truth in Christ, and lie not;) a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and verity. I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.—1 Timothy 2:1–8
- Pray for our elected leaders to be saved
- Pray for all men everywhere to be saved
3. As American Christians, We Need to Stop Serving Ourselves and Start Serving Our God
And God spake all these words, saying, I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;—Exodus 20:1–5
4. As American Christians, We Need to Stop Justifying Our Sin and Confess Our Sin
If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.—1 John 1:8–10
5. As American Christians, We Need to Stop Condemning Others and Straighten Up Ourselves
For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?—1 Peter 4:17
6. As American Christians, We Need to Stop Conforming to This World and Be Transformed So We Can Represent Christ
Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people.—Proverbs 14:34
And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.—Romans 12:2
But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.—Matthew 6:33
7. As American Christians, We Need to Share the Gospel with All People
And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:—Matthew 28:18–19
- Share with those in authority
- Share with everyone we meet
