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Government Understood Biblically
- 1. Pastor Bruce Bennett Long Island Family Coalition
- 2. Children of God John 1:12 Saints of God 1 Corinthians 1:2 Bride of Christ for the glory of God Revelation 21:9
- 3. God has called us to become like Christ; He is the goal of our lives. The method God has given us to reach that goal is found in the various means of sanctifying grace; such as prayer, scripture, evangelism, obeying His commands, etc. God has called us to become like Christ; He is the goal of our lives. Sanctifying Grace Obedience to His commands Prayer Scripture Evangelism
- 4. Jesus summarized the commandments of God into two directives: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul and with all Your mind.” “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” *Matthew 22:37-40
- 5. The commandment to love our neighbor as ourselves helps us to fulfill: The Great Commission (Matthew 28:19) and the Cultural Mandate (Gen. 1:28) that God has given to His people. The Great Commission Matthew 28:19 The Cultural Mandate Genesis 1:28
- 6. Who am I? Where did I come from? What is my purpose? Where am I going when I die? What is the world? Where did the world come from? Where is the world going?
- 7. VOTER APATHY POLITICS DIRTY? SINFUL? SHOULD CHRISTIANS GET INVOLVED? 1 OUT OF 3!
- 9. Jesus' command to “preach the gospel in all the world” needs to be analyzed in the original language. Properly understood, the word “world” means “order” of things.
- 11. Self Family Church Civil OBEYING GOD’S LAW
- 12. God’s ideal government, whereby the individual person identifies himself as a child of God, is responsible to God and obedient to Him. “No king, but King Jesus!” “Man will be ruled either by the Bible or the bayonet!” RALLYING CRIES OF THE FOUNDING FATHERS
- 13. HUSBAND & WIFE Husband leads, guides and provides. Wife submits to and respects her husband as he submits to Christ. CHILDREN Obey and honor parents and provide for them if necessary (later in life). EXTENDED FAMILY Provide for relatives when necessary and able.
- 14. ELDERS Men called by God to provide: counseling, teaching, discipline and sound Biblical doctrine. DEACONS Assist elders in carrying out physical areas of ministry (widows, orphans, congregants in need). CONGREGANTS Submit to Biblical leadership and donate to common purse of the church.
- 15. TWO PRIMARY MISSIONS PRESERVE LIBERTY ENSURE JUSTICE THE GOVERNMENT DOES NOT GIVE RIGHTS… JESUS CHRIST DOES!
- 16. THEOCRACY But this is not meant to be this side of eternity. Distinction of roles of Civil Government and other God-ordained governments. Matthew 22:21, Romans 13:1-7, 1 Timothy 2:1-4 and 1 Peter 2:13-17.
- 17. SEPARATION OF CHURCH & STATE? IT’S NOT A MATTER OF RELIGION; IT’S A MATTER OF WHOSE RELIGION!
- 18. Judicial Executive Legislative CITY/VILLAGEFEDERALSTATETOWNCOUNTY Judicial Executive Legislative
- 20. Drafter of the Declaration of Independence and 2ND President of the US
- 21. “Father of the Constitution” and 4th President of the US
- 22. General Washington’s orders to the Continental Army, July 4, 1775
- 23. “The true principles of natural religion are part of the common law; the essential principles of revealed religion are part of the common law; so that a person vilifying, subverting or ridiculing them may be prosecuted at common law…”
- 24. First Chief Justice of the US Supreme Court “Providence has given to our people the choice of their rulers, and it is the duty, as well as the privilege and interest of our Christian nation to select and prefer Christians for their rulers.” - John Jay
- 25. “The religion which has introduced civil liberty is the religion of Christ and His apostles. This is genuine Christianity and to this we owe our free constitutions of government.” - Noah Webster "Father of American Scholarship and Education” and Publisher of An American Dictionary of the English Language (1828).
- 26. “These, and many other matters which might be noticed, add a volume of unofficial declarations to the mass of organic utterances that this is a Christian nation.” Decision of the Supreme Court in the case of the Holy Trinity Church vs. the United States (1892).
- 27. Ensure that the ethical standards of God’s law are enforced Demand that populace outwardly obeys relevant precepts of God’s law for the common good Restrain lawless behavior detrimental to common good
- 29. Government Control of Education (evolution, liberal revisionists) Social Security Welfare Excessive Gun control Food Stamps Excessive Regulations Progressive Income Tax Printing Money Legalizing immorality Abolition of Capital Punishment Redefining Family Unit/Marriage, Divorce Resources Determining Political Influence/Viability
- 31. --Civil Government taxes unfairly to support those who in many cases are lazy or rebellious discarding 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12, 2 Thessalonians 3:10 and Proverbs 21:25 (commands to work for basic necessities) --Church Government abdicates responsibility to carry out Matthew 25:31-46, 1 Timothy 5:16 and James 1:27 --The family and the church further miss out on developing relationships with those who need ministry so as to allow them “to work with their own hands.”
- 32. --Preserve a free market economy --Regulate basic weights and measures --Regulate commerce only where it is absolutely necessary to avoid trades and valuations from being distorted (e.g., derivative trading debacle of ’08) --Guarantee the value of money (e.g., currency should be based on gold or silver) --Enact and enforce Safety and Environmental laws that are obvious and necessary
- 33. SHOULD ALLOW FREEDOM OF RELIGION, WHILE PROHIBITING OBVIOUS VIOLATIONS OF GOD’S ETHICAL AND MORAL LAW. NO SUCH THING AS NEUTRALITY IN “RELIGION” OR “PHILOSOPHY!” CIVIL GOVERNMENT ALWAYS PROMOTES A RELIGION – THE QUESTION IS: WHICH ONE?! SECULAR HUMANISM OR CHRISTIANITY?
- 34. IT SHOULDN’T UNLESS IT TEACHES THE BIBLE AS FACT
- 35. “I am afraid that the schools will prove the very gates of hell, unless they diligently labor in explaining the Holy Scriptures and engraving them in the heart of the youth.” - Martin Luther
- 36. “The philosophy of the school room in one generation will be the philosophy of government in the next.” - Abraham Lincoln 16th President of the United States
- 37. SELF/FAMILY/CHURCH GOVERNMENTS POWER & SCOPE OF CIVIL GOVERNMENT RESULT? IDENTITIES, MISSIONS AND PURPOSES GIVEN TO MEN/FAMILIES/CHURCHES BY GOD, DECREASE
- 38. SELF GOVERNMENT FAMILY GOVERNMENT CHURCH GOVERNMENT CIVIL GOVERNMENT
- 39. SELF GOVERNMENT FAMILY GOVERNMENT CHURCH GOVERNMENT CIVIL GOVERNMENT
- 41. POWER CAN ONLY PROPERLY BE HANDLED BY GOD!!! CORRUPT! CIVIL GOVERNMENT IS A MONOPOLY!
- 43. “Government is not reason; it is not eloquent; it is force. Like fire, it is a dangerous servant and a fearful master.” - George Washington
- 44. The closest thing to an ideal government on this fallen earth DEMOCRACY OR REPUBLIC? The government is accountable to the people it serves and is constrained by the Constitution, which is undergirded by a Biblical worldview.
- 45. “If men are not ruled by God then they will be ruled by tyrants.” - William Penn
- 46. GOD’S WORD ABSOLUTE GOAL AND GUIDE DON’T CONFORM TO THE PATTERN OF THIS WORLD (ROMANS 12:2) SELF GOVERNMENT FAMILY GOVERNMENT CHURCH GOVERNMENT CIVIL GOVERNMENT
- 47. GOD-FEARING & GOD-HONORING PUBLIC EDUCATED PUBLIC CONSCIENTIOUS PUBLIC
- 48. WHO IS MAN? WHAT IS MAN’S PURPOSE AND MEANING? WHAT IS GOVERNMENT? WHAT IS A CRIME? WHAT IS MARRIAGE? WHAT IS THE PROPER PUNISHMENT FOR MURDER? WHAT ARE THE STANDARDS FOR USE OF FORCE? WHAT IS THE NATURE OF PROPERTY? STANDARD FOR PROVING GUILT IN A COURT? WHO SHOULD HAVE THE ULTIMATE POWER? WHAT IS THE CORRECT WAY TO TAX SOMEONE?
- 49. CREATION & THE CREATOR GOD’S POWER, SOVEREIGNTY & ATTRIBUTES LIFE MADE BY GOD (PEOPLE & CREATURES) OBLIGATIONS, DUTIES & FREEDOMS COMMANDS, CONTROLS & LIMITATIONS OF THOSE FREEDOMS CREATED ORDER FOR THE GLORY OF GOD UNDERSTANDING
- 50. GEORGE WASHINGTON PATRICK HENRY WILLIAM WILBERFORCE WILLIAM GLADSTONE MARTIN LUTHER JOHN CALVIN ABRAHAM KUYPER WILLIAM JENNINGS BRYAN PAT ROBERTSON JERRY FALWELL D. JAMES KENNEDY
- 51. ALL FOUR SPHERES OF GOVERNMENT DUTY IS FIRM & CONSISTENT Part of Cultural Mandate & Great Commission ENGAGE CIVIL GOVERNMENT WITH SIMILAR DILIGENCE OF THE FIRST THREE GOVERNMENTS
- 54. IDEALISM SALT & LIGHT PRAGMATISM Inaction Impacting the darkness Compromise
- 55. VOTE BIBLICALLY!
Editor's Notes
- As Christians we are identified as children of God, saints of God, and the bride of Christ for the glory of God. Our acceptance by God gives us the ability to serve God not out of fear or a compulsion to earn God’s favor, but out of gratefulness and thanksgiving for who He is and for His work in our lives.
- God has called us to become like Christ; He is the goal of our lives. The method God has given us to reach that goal is found in the various means of sanctifying grace; such as prayer, scripture, evangelism, obeying His commands, etc.
- The commandment to love our neighbor as ourselves helps us to fulfill: The Great Commission (Matthew 28:19) and; The Cultural Mandate (Gen. 1:28) that God has given to His people.
- Obeying the Great Commission is to Understand and Advocate the Christian Worldview --The Christian worldview equals the Biblical framework that answers the questions; where did I come from? who am I? What is my purpose in this world? Where am I going when I die? What is the world? What is the origin of the world? Where is the world going? --How does Christianity affect economics, psychology, sociology, law, politics, history, ethics, science, philosophy, theology, etc.?
- VOTER APATHY - Only 1/3 of Evangelicals vote --Many Evangelicals see “politics” as “dirty” and/or sinful SHOULD CHRISTIANS GET INVOLVED? Virtually no Evangelicals run for office or are involved in political parties Main problems are: virtually no recognition of governmental jurisdictions, and a pragmatic or idealistic view of civil government that serves to neutralize the Christian
- The root is theological and it goes back to Francis Schaeffer’s comments about the Christian culture being pietistic or super-spiritual. The Christian culture does not believe that Jesus is Lord of all of life. The evangelical culture believes the non-biblical idea that Jesus is only Lord of Bible study, prayer and church attendance, and anything outside of that is not really spiritual. – Gary Demar
- Slides 9 & 10 combined
- -- God is the lawmaker for every order of his creation --The individual person is responsible for understanding the law of God and obeying it -- Families are the unit that God has ordained to give and oversee his laws --The church is the unit that God has ordained to assist the family in giving and overseeing his laws --The civil government is the unit that God has ordained to protect God-given liberties and to uphold justice in society.
- COMBINED SLIDES 11 & 12 FOR SPEAKING ONLY – I BELIEVE THEY ARE INTERRELATED Implementing the Christian Worldview into Governing Society --Self-obeying God’s law --Family-obeying God’s law --Church-obeying God’s law --Civil-obeying God’s law JURISDICTION -- The question of authority is absolutely essential—where does authority come from and who dispenses it? -- God has absolute jurisdiction over all of creation thus God decides who has temporal power (jurisdiction) -- God has ordained individuals, families, churches and civil entities to govern in the affairs of men. -- If jurisdictional boundaries are crossed, then each entities’ design and purpose will be compromised and power will be wrongfully distributed.
- Rallying cry of the Founding Fathers: NO KING, BUT KING JESUS! MAN WILL BE RULED EITHER BY THE BIBLE OR THE BAYONET! BEING RULED BY GOD AND HIS WORD WILL RESULT IN THE PROPER ORDER OF GOVERNMENT GOD SELF FAMILY CHURCH CIVIL CIVIL BAYONET
- -- Husband and wife —husbands lovingly leading, guiding and providing; wives submitting to and respecting their husbands. Both are caring and loving their children by providing physical and spiritual nourishment. -- Children —obeying and loving parents by obeying them and by providing for them when necessary. -- Extended family —providing for their extended relatives when necessary.
- -- Elders -men called of God to provide spiritual leadership by counseling, teaching, discipling, disciplining and by providing Biblical doctrine for their sheep to be guided by. -- Deacons -assisting the elders by carrying out the physical areas of ministry as called upon by the scriptures (i.e., widows and orphans, congregants in genuine need, etc.) -- Congregants -lovingly submitted to their elders and deacons and donating to the common purse of the church.
- TWO PRIMARY MISSIONS: 1) Preserve the liberties that God has ordained for people to enjoy. 2) Uphold and ensure justice by making and enforcing laws that reflect Biblical standards. IN A NUTSHELL--THE CIVIL GVT. SHOULD BE DOING ONLY TWO PRIMARY THINGS: Preserving liberty and ensuring justice . **REMEMBER GVT. DOES NOT GIVE RIGHTS, GOD DOES!!
- A theocracy led by our Lord Jesus — (but this is not meant to be this side of eternity; i.e., forced conversions, forced piety, etc...)! The Bible teaches a distinction as to the roles of civil gvt. and the other gvts. God has ordained. (Mt. 22:21, Rom. 13:1-7, 1 Tim. 2:1-4, and 1 Pet. 2:13-17)
- What about separation of church and state? ANS: It is not a matter of religion, it is a matter of whose religion!
- Each level of government has three branches: judicial, executive and legislative branches. -- Village/City level in some communities, this level effectively replaces the Town responsibilities for that community. --Town level --County level (All local gvt. levels serve under and for their state) --State level (Each state has its own Constitution that is ultimately subject to the US Constitution) --Federal level (Dec. of Ind. is its charter; the US Constitution is its guideline)
- --Created a Federal (covenant) government whereby the states would have primary governing authority as it pertains to most everyday issues and the Federal level would only “lord” itself over the states in very narrow areas. --States were allowed to have STATE established churches (9 of 13 had them in 1787) —only the Congress couldn’t establish a particular denomination of Christianity. --Therefore, God’s law was the assumed religion of the USA; albeit through the states as opposed to the Federal gvt .
- We have staked the whole future of American civilization, not upon the power of government, far from it. (Removed this part for space reasons). We have staked the future of all of 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.
- Orders of Gen. George Washington to the Continental Army, July 4, 1775 The General most earnestly requires and expects a due observance of those articles of war established for the government of the army which forbid profane cursing, swearing, and drunkenness; and in like manner requires and expects of all officers and soldiers not engaged on actual duty, a punctual attendance on Divine Service to implore the blessings of Heaven upon the means used for our safety and defense.
- Holy Trinity Church v. US (1892) US - Supreme Court opinion: “This is a religious people. This is historically true. From the discovery of this continent to the present hour, there is a single voice making this affirmation… we find everywhere a clear recognition of the same truth… These, and many other matters which might be noticed, add a volume of unofficial declarations to the mass of organic utterances that this is a Christian nation.” — Supreme Court Decision, 1892 Church of the Holy Trinity Decision v United States
- -- The civil government is the overseer of outward behavior (“after the fact” situations) and cannot and should not be the dispenser of God’s law but should still see to it that the ethical standards of God’s law are enforced . -- Civil government should promulgate the standards of God’s law in a way that does not force a person’s conversion, while demanding that the populace outwardly obey the relevant precepts of God’s law for the good of society (common good). -- The civil government is a ‘parenthesis’ in God’s economy. It exists only because of sin (like death it is a “necessary evil”) to restrain lawless behavior that would be detrimental to the common good.
- HUMANISM -- Humanistic standards...abortion, homosexuality, etc. --Socialistic/Communistic economic standards…they usurp private responsibility, they steal (tax) from the people, compromise the identity, purpose and mission of self, family and church gvts., and take away key freedoms and rights from the people, for example…
- Guarding Self/Family/Church governments from usurpation of their authority by the Civil Gvt. -- Examples : government control of education, social security, welfare, excessive gun control, food stamps, excessive regulations, a progressive income tax, printing money (as opposed to ‘coining’ it), legalizing immorality, abolition of capital punishment, redefining the family unit (civil unions, easy divorce laws), allowing money to determine political viability, etc.
- -- Instead of children carrying out 1 Tim. 5:3-8, Eph. 6:1-2, etc…we often out of mere convenience place our grandparents and parents in nursing homes and allow the civil government to “care” for them. Thus we abdicate Biblical jurisdiction, disobey the 5 th commandment, and steal from our neighbors by raising their taxes to pay for our family governing responsibility.
- --We allow the government to tax us unfairly (progressive tax) while supporting people who in many cases are merely lazy and/or rebellious; thus we jettison 1 Thes. 4:11-12, 2 Thes. 3:10, Prov. 21:25. --Simultaneously the church government lets go of its responsibility in carrying out Mt. 25:31-46, 1 Tim. 5:16. --The family and the church further miss out on developing relationships with those who need ministry so as to allow them “to work with their own hands.”
- -Should allow freedom of religion, while prohibiting obvious violations of God’s ethical law. **REMEMBER THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS NEUTRALITY IN “RELIGION” (PHlLOSOPHY), THUS CIVIL GVT. WILL ALWAYS BE PROMULGATE ING A RELIGION; THE QUESTION IS; WHICH ONE!
- Where Civil Gvt. Should be in Education -- Unless the civil government is going to teach and uphold Biblical standards, it should not be in the arena of education.....!
- I am afraid that the schools will prove the very gates of hell, unless they diligently labor in explaining the Holy Scriptures and engraving them in the heart of the youth . Martin Luther
- The philosophy of the school room in one generation will be the philosophy of government in the next. Abraham Lincoln
- --WHERE SELF/FAMILY/CHURCH GOVERNMENT DECREASES—THE POWER AND SCOPE OF THE CIVIL GOVERNMENT INCREASES . --WHERE CIVIL GOVERNMENT INCREASES—THE RESPONSIBILITIES, FREEDOMS AND LIBERTIES GIVEN TO MEN/FAMILIES/CHURCH BY GOD DECREASE .
- God’s Ordination of Government (in their order of importance)
- Biblical order of responsibility in society
- Contemporary Cultures’ view of Governing Responsibility 1) Civil government 2) Possibly a tiny bit of family and self government (but they would rarely if ever refer to it as “government” since most of our population—even in the church—has been brainwashed into “statism”)
- -- Power can only properly be handled by God. -- Man is corrupt and thus cannot handle power appropriately and thus needs checks and balances to assure the power is handled in the fairest manner possible. -- Whoever has the power in society, will rule that society. -- CIVIL GOVT. IS A MONOPOLY, THUS ITS USE OF POWER IS ESPECIALLY DANGEROUS SINCE THE ONLY ENTITY ON EARTH TO CHECK IT ARE THE PEOPLE IT IS SUPPOSED TO SERVE. -- IF THE PEOPLE FAIL IN THEIR STEWARDSHIP AND/OR OVERSIGHT OF GOVT. THEN THE GOVT. WILL RUN AMOK AND DEFRAUD GOD AND ITS CITIZENS TO SOME DEGREE.
- The Closest Thing to an Ideal Gvt. on this Fallen Earth—The US Constitution -- Democratic-Republic ( Democracy- -the people ultimately govern; Republic- -the rule of law is superior to the people and the government) -- This government is accountable to the people it serves and is constrained by the rule of law (The US Constitution—which is undergirded by a Biblical worldview).
- How to Recover the Foundations of Godly Civil Government -- Allow God’s word to be the absolute goal and guide. -- Don’t conform to the pattern of this world (Rom. 12:2). -- Recover and participate in the spheres of governing that are ordained by God in the order of their importance. 1) Self—obeying God’s law 2) Family—obeying God’s law, mutual love, submission and support 3) Church—obeying God’s law, mutual love, submission and support 4) Civil—obeying God’s Law/obeying the US Constitution, submission and support
- What is Necessary for a Democratic-Republic to Exist and Thrive? God-fearing public ; if not, then there will be no ethical standards to hold the civil gvt. responsible to. - Educated public ; if not, then the people will not have the information necessary to hold civil gvt. accountable to. - Conscientious public : if not, then the people will fail to use the checking mechanisms to hold civil gvt. accountable. CONSCIENTOUS
- --Who is man? --What is man’s purpose and meaning? --What is government? --What is a crime? --What is marriage? --What is the proper punishment for murder? --What are the standards for use of force? --What is the nature of property? --What are the standards for proving guilt in a court? --Who should have the ultimate power? --What is the correct way to tax someone?
- -- Understanding creation and the creator -- Understanding the creator’s sovereignty, power, and attributes. -- Understanding the creatures that God has made, including people. -- Understanding the obligations, duties and freedoms God has given his creatures. -- Understanding the commands, controls and limitations of the creatures’ freedoms. -- Understanding the created order and how it should be viewed for the glory of God; i.e., math, science, arts, music, philosophy, logic, rhetoric, grammar, sports, recreation, etc.
- Some Famous Christians who Tried to or Succeeded in Impacting the civil government for God’s glory GEORGE WASHINGTON PATRICK HENRY WILLIAM WILBERFORCE WILLIAM GLADSTONE MARTIN LUTHER JOHN CALVIN ABRAHAM KUYPER WILLIAM JENNINGS BRYAN PAT ROBERTSON JERRY FALWELL D. JAMES KENNEDY
- Practical Steps in Obeying God in Providing Good Government 1) Recognize that we are commanded to be involved with all four spheres of government. 2) Our duty to civil government must be firm and consistent, and that it is a part of the Cultural and Great Commissions . 3) After providing careful attention and oversight to the first three governments, we must engage the civil government with similar diligence.
- Specific ways of Implementing the Commissions for being Salt and Light in the Civil Government : -- Voting —choosing candidates that more closely reflect the Biblical worldview and the principles of the US Constitution. -- Active participation in governing —attending meetings of legislators/gvt. officials, writing/calling about legislation, joining a political party, running for office, etc… -- Using your right to appeal/petition —e-mails, “snail mail,” phone calls, dialogue, informal and formal statements/discussions/protests, finally lawsuits.
- Errors to Avoid in Impacting the Civil gvt. For Christ -- Idealism —nobody is good enough to vote for, no party is good enough for me to be a part of, and society is too corrupt to hear my voice of reason appealing to a Biblical worldview (this results in apathy). -- Pragmatism —anybody is good enough to vote for, it doesn’t matter what party I support since ideals aren’t followed in the political arena, my voice won’t be heard because I am not “a professional/experienced” (this results in compromise). **The Biblical view to follow is to be “ salt and light ”—promoting and teaching God’s views in a corrupt world, thus moving it closer to God’s standard.**
- Continuum of Evangelical Views on Civil Government --Most believers are on the poles....the minority (where everyone should be) are in the middle!
- BE SALT & LIGHT IN VOTING -- Voting is essential if one of the candidate’s views brings the civil government closer to a Biblical worldview. --There is no such thing as voting for the “lesser of two evils.” All people are evil (to a degree) and we should judge the candidates by their policies and their lifestyle with the goal of seeing which one would bring that level of civil gvt. closer to a Biblical worldview .