Christians Are Called To Respect Authority
One of the most important lessons we can learn as we develop a Biblical view of the president is that we are called to respect authority. In America, the president represents the highest level of governmental authority in our country. While we may not agree with their decisions or policies, we must nevertheless respect them as an individual.
We must root this respect in the knowledge that God Himself places them in the role of presdient. Respecting authorities, especially those with whom we do not agree, provides an example to the world around us.
In Romans 13:1-3 we read, Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval.
1 Peter 2:13-16 says, Be subject for the Lords sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good. For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people. Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God.
What Does The Bible Say About Voting Government
Wednesday, October 7 2020 by Denison Forum
With the national election just weeks away. Jim Denison, co-founder of Denison Forum, pastor, author and digital-ministry leader, digs into the Bible to discover its insights on politics.
Some Christians say we should stay above politics, especially in such a politically-charged season as 2020, Denison said. At the same time, Gods word calls Christians to be salt and light in their culture. So how can Christians be politically active while remaining Christlike? How can Christians vote biblically? How can Christians make a difference in this season and act in ways that empower their witness when the election is over?
Three points from the Bible offers a way forward:
- God calls and uses political leaders.
- God is calling us to participate in politics.
- Ultimately, we must serve our highest authority: God.
One: God Calls and Uses Political Leaders
It is tempting for Christians to stay above politics and out of the fray. In this day of cancel culture and 24/7 media coverage, and a nation that feels more divided and divisive than ever, it is understandable for good people to want to sit on the sidelines.
However, as Plato noted, One of the penalties for refusing to participate in politics is that you end up being governed by your inferiors.
The Bible makes clear that, despite the stigma often associated with politics, God calls and uses political leaders.
There Are Six Things That The Lord Hates Seven That Are An Abomination To Him: Haughty Eyes A Lying Tongue And Hands That Shed Innocent Blood A Heart That Devises Wicked Plans Feet That Make Haste To Run To Evil A False Witness Who Breathes Out Lies And One Who Sows Discord Among Brothers
When we think about voting, this is a power-packed passage!
Character counts in leaders, and we should do our best to find candidates with strong character. Because cultural mores change, its always best for Christ-followers to go back to the Book. What does the Lord value? What does He condemn?
There are no perfect candidates. But we can get a sense of their character through their words and behavior. They are not likely to speak or act any differently once in office.
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What Id Like To Say To President Trump About The Bible
During a 2016 radio interview, then candidate Donald Trump was asked if he had a favorite Bible verse that impacted his thinking and character. An eye for an eye, he said quickly, in reference to Exodus 21:24. If you look at whats happening to our country, how people are taking advantage of us, we have to be firm and have to be very strong. Never mind that most Jewish scholars dont believe this verse teaches the pure retribution Trump suggested. His interpretation of an eye for an eye has proved fundamental to his self-understanding.
What Does The Bible Have To Say About A Trump Presidency
Donald Trump has been dubbed the ‘President of the Divided States of America’ by Time Magazine. My Twitter feed bears witness to this. I have seen friends heralding Trump as the anti-Christ and others who speak about him in glowing, messianic terms. The world is either in jeopardy or justified in a celebration â and lots of Bible verses have been quoted on both sides. These social media comments have made me wonder â how should we read world events as Christians? What has our Bible really got to say about such things as new presidents?
1. The proof text ping pong
When Osama bin Laden was shot dead by Navy Seal team 6 it was accompanied by a telling object lesson in the use of Scripture. My social media feed had two equal and opposite reactions and both sides used proof texts which were batted back and forth like a ping pong ball.
One would quote Proverbs 24:17: “Do not gloat when your enemy falls when they stumble, do not let your heart rejoice.”
Another would quote Proverbs 21:15: “When justice is done, it brings joy to the righteous but terror to evildoers.”
Or one would quote Ezekiel 18:23: “‘Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked?’ declares the Sovereign LORD. ‘Rather, am I not pleased when they turn from their ways and live?'”
While another would quote Proverbs 11:10: “When the righteous prosper, the city rejoices when the wicked perish, there are shouts of joy.”
2. The prophetic voice
3. The eschatological cup
4. The allegorical angle
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Finally To Honor The President Means We Should Be Subject To Him And Our Government
Be subject for the Lords sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good. For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people. .
To be subject or submit to our government means to obey the government. We may not be happy about taxes or regulations we must follow, but God calls us to do obey our government unless it commands us to sin.
Governing Authorities Established By God
God has set the government in place within a specific realm of authority. The government was given to us to punish lawbreakers and to protect those who uphold the law. Anything outside of that is outside of Gods given realm of authority. This is why so many Christians are opposed to increasing federal mandates. That is giving over more authority to the government than is within the realm of authority that God has said that government should have.
8) John 19:11 You would have no authority over me at all, Jesus answered him, if it hadnt been given you from above. This is why the one who handed me over to you has the greater sin.
9) Daniel 2:44 In the days of those kings, the God of the heavens will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed, and this kingdom will not be left to another people. It will crush all these kingdoms and bring them to an end, but will itself endure forever.
10)Romans 13:3 For rulers are not to be feared by those who do good, but by those who do evil. Would you like to be unafraid of those in authority? Then do what is good, and they will praise you.
11) Job 12:23-25 He makes nations great, and he destroys them he enlarges nations, and leads them away. He takes away understanding from the chiefs of the people of the earth and makes them wander in a pathless waste. They grope in the dark without light, and he makes them stagger like a drunken man.
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Christians Are Called To Encourage & Pray For The President
1 Timothy 2:1-4 says, First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
As Christians, one of our most important callings is to pray for and encourage those in positions of leadership, including our president. Regardless of whether or not we agree with their beliefs or policies, they are performing one of the toughest jobs in our country. While it is easy to pray for presidents and authorities with whom we agree, we must also pray for those who have beliefs that directly oppose our own.
What Honoring Our President Does Not Mean
To honor our president does not mean we must agree with everything he says or does or that we must commend it or condone it. Or that we cannot speak out for truth and righteousness. To honor our president does not mean that we cannot work within legal means to oppose him and change policies we dont believe are righteous or helpful. To honor our president does not mean we cant express where we feel he is wrong.
To honor our president does not mean that we must obey laws if they require us to disobey God. If the President were to forbid us to proclaim the Gospel, we would have to disobey him. But we should obey and submit to all laws that do not cause us to sin, even if we dont agree with them.
Fear God. Honor the emperor.
We seek to honor the President because we fear God. God is the only one we must seek to obey every time, without question. And this wonderful God we fear commands us to honor the President, who is in our Gods sovereign hands and subject to our Gods sovereign will.
has been senior pastor of Sovereign Grace Church of Indiana, Pennsylvania, since 1982. He has written hundreds of songs for worship, including I Stand in Awe and Im Forever Grateful. Mark and his wife, Kristi, have four sons and one daughter. Find out more on his blog, The Blazing Center.
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Giving To Ceasar What Is Caesars
The government requires money in order to properly function. This is how our roads and bridges are maintained. We should research what our government is spending and vote regularly on these issues. But a government requesting money is not unbiblical, but how they go about it may very well be. We should be wiling and eager to obey God, even in the area of giving money to the government for the purpose of maintaining the government.
32) Matthew 22:17-21 Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not? But Jesus, aware of their malice, said, Why put me to the test, you hypocrites? Show me the coin for the tax. And they brought him a denarius. And Jesus said to them, Whose likeness and inscription is this? They said, Caesars. Then he said to them, Therefore render to Caesar the things that are Caesars, and to God the things that are Gods.
33) Romans 13:5-7 Therefore it is necessary to be in subjection, not only because of wrath, but also for conscience sake. For because of this you also pay taxes, for rulers are servants of God, devoting themselves to this very thing. Render to all what is due them: tax to whom tax is due custom to whom custom fear to whom fear honor to whom honor.
Was Jeff Sessions Right To Cite Biblical Texts When Justifying Separating Migrant Families
Illustrated | planetsheldon/iStock, Chronicle/Alamy Stock Photo
The internet exploded in fury recently when Attorney General Jeff Sessions quoted the Bible to defend his policies in separating migrant children from their families at the U.S.-Mexico border.
“I would cite you to the Apostle Paul and his clear and wise command in Romans 13, to obey the laws of the government because God has ordained them for the purpose of order,” Sessions said, when defending President Trump’s “zero tolerance” immigration policy. “Orderly and lawful processes are good in themselves. Consistent and fair application of the law is in itself a good and moral thing, and that protects the weak and protects the lawful.”
The passage in question, chapter 13 of the Apostle Paul’s Letter to the Romans, reads, in part: “Let every person be subject to the governing authorities for there is no authority except from God, and those authorities that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore whoever resists authority resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment.”
Some people, mostly secularists unfamiliar with the Bible, took the passage to mean that Christians should just obey any government, no matter how awful. Other people, mainly Christians, argued that Sessions is full of it, because the Bible clearly preaches an open-door immigration policy.
They’re both wrong. And it’s important to understand why.
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God Might Not Want A Woman To Be President Some Religious Conservatives Say
Four years before Hillary Clinton became the first woman to mathematically capture a major U.S. political partys presidential nomination, a staff member on Rick Santorums 2012 presidential campaign posed a question in an email that shocked many people: Is it Gods highest desire, that is, his biblically expressed will, to have a woman rule the institutions of the family, the church, and the state?
Gods will or not, in 2016, its all that much closer to coming to fruition.
Clinton is poised to be nominated for president by the Democratic Party next week. And so religious hard-liners of all faiths the most conservative Christians, Muslims and Jews are debating: Do their Scriptures prohibit a female president?
They point out passages in the Bible: Eves origin as subordinate to Adam the Old Testament leader Deborahs implication that it was shameful that she had to step up to lead the Israelites when male leaders faltered the New Testament verses that say the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church.
Muslims also have a historical and present-day tradition of believing in distinct, separate roles for men and women. But Imam Suhaib Webb, an authority whom many young Muslims consult for advice on applying the Koran to modern dilemmas, said most U.S. Muslims wont think twice about Clintons gender.
This post has been updated.
Does The Bible Obligate Us To Follow Leaders
wisely shares, No matter how much we disagree with or disapprove of our president, we must realize that God has placed him there to accomplish his own sovereign purpose, as God did with Pharaoh in Moses day Since God has placed our president in office, we should speak of him respectfully, not in a dishonoring, mocking way. We should also pray for him and bless him. God commands believers to pray for our leaders and all who are in authority .
With what Mark said in mind, we are called to trust in Gods placement of leaders. We still can voice and vote for differences of opinion, but we ultimately represent Christ. We need to be respectful whether we personally like or agree with a president or not.
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What It Means And Does Not Mean To Honor Our President
Fear God. Honor the emperor. 1 Peter 2:17
A couple weeks ago I wrote in a post that we should never badmouth the President, but honor him. We are to honor him because God commands us to, not because we deem him worthy of honor. Peter told his readers to honor the emperor, who was Nero, a wicked murderer. But what exactly does it mean to honor our President? Here are a few thoughts:
Bible Verses About Presidents
1 Timothy 2:1-2 – I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men Romans 13:1-7 – Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. Proverbs 28:2 – For the transgression of a land many are the princes thereof: but by a man of understanding and knowledge the state thereof shall be prolonged.Isaiah 32:1-8 – Behold, a king shall reign in righteousness, and princes shall rule in judgment. Hebrews 13:8 – Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.Malachi 3:6 – For I am the LORD, I change not therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.Luke 4:4 – And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.John 1:3 – All things were made by him and without him was not any thing made that was made.2 Timothy 3:16-17 – All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 2 Timothy 3:16 – All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:Luke 21:33 – Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.Luke 6:46 – And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?
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