GOD vs GOV

This November 3, we here in the USA will hold a national election, with the Presidential race being perhaps the most polarized, most vitriolic, and most sensational ever. As Christians, we should base our political ideas and involvement upon what the Word of God says. After all, civil government was His idea. Actually, He intended it to be a lot more civil than it is.

We are living amidst nothing less than a cultural revolution, but at least we’re not bored. As you know, the only standard for TRUTH is the Word of God. Without adhering to that, people are at the mercy of an Adversary for whom they are no match. As we are seeing today, they can be manipulated by fear and deception to call light darkness, and darkness light.

As you may have heard, WORDS HAVE MEANINGS! So let us define some terms. The Greek word for “city” is polis. If you dig into the etymology, you will find related words such as “citizen,” “civil,” and of course “politics,” “political,” “policy,” “police,” and even “polite” (how did that get on thelist?). Dictionary.com defines “government” as, “the political direction and control exercised over the actions of the members, citizens, or inhabitants of communities.” Thus, “political correctness” should consist of the least controlling political policies best for all citizens, which are enforced by polite police.

If you have not seen The End Times video, I encourage you strongly to watch it. In it I talk a little about the origin of earthly government and why God instituted it. You may recall that this took place in Genesis 9 after God hit the re-set button on humanity (think Flood), and Noah and his family came off the Ark. God promised him that He would never again judge and punish mankind as He had just done (until He sends Jesus Christ to earth to destroy all wicked people—what a day that will be). At the same time, God instituted the death penalty as the first of many godly laws, clearly showing that He expected mankind to properly govern the world and keep order until He could bring to pass His plan of a perfect race on a perfect earth. In delegating this responsibility to man, God shared His authority with us, which fits with how He relates to us reciprocally.

Why did God leave it up to man to establish godly government? One reason is because He understands the spiritual war going on between Satan and Himself. That conflict is the backdrop before which the history of mankind is playing out. It is a war in which people are the prize, with God doing His best to save as many as possible from sin and death and then help them live quality lives amidst the insanity of this dying world. Conversely (and perversely), Satan is doing his best to steal, kill, and destroy as much as he possibly can.

This is a war waged with WORDS, with God using TRUTH and Satan using LIES. While the Word of God does not speak volumes about political matters, it certainly does address the topic, both directly and indirectly.

God wants to work with His people to make known His Truth; Satan wants to control people so they will do his bidding, usually unconsciously. And, as God has His “heavy hitters,” those who have come to a knowledge of the truth and who are committed to being like Christ, so the Devil has his sold-out soldiers, those whose sociopathic, narcissistic, self-centered mindset and insatiable thirst for power and money has led them into an irreparable and everlasting death sentence. Their consciences are “seared” (1 Tim. 4:2) to the point that they feel no compassion, or even empathy, for others.

God knew that in the spiritual battle going on, wicked people would not fear an invisible God as a deterrent to their criminal ways, but they would fear godly people who would punish them for their crimes. It is plain to see that fear of punishment is the only thing stopping many people from criminal activity, and even that number is shrinking.

Conversely, when a government does not appropriately punish people for breaking godly laws, there is little to deter them from criminal activity. The more godly the laws of a land, and the more swift the justice, the less crime there is. In our seminar The Book Of Romans, we cover Chapter 13:1-7, where God shows how civil government is supposed to work.

How has mankind done in terms of providing godly government on earth? Not well. In fact, there are no adjectives sufficient to describe the tyrannical havoc that government officials have wrought on people throughout the centuries—and every one of them will one day stand before “Judge Jesus” to account for their crimes. The Millennial Kingdom is an intermediate step in God’s plan to totally regenerate the world, and during that wonderful time the perfectly just King, Jesus Christ, will be the monarchical government.

At this juncture, it is important to see what God says about the negative aspects of government, as follows:

1 Samuel 8:1ff

¹ Now it came to pass when Samuel was old that he made his sons judges over Israel. ³ But his sons did not walk in his ways; they turned aside after dishonest gain, took bribes, and perverted justice. ⁴ Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah, ⁵ and said to him, “Look, you are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.” ⁶ But the thing displeased Samuel when they said, “Give us a king to judge us.” So Samuel prayed to the LORD. ⁷ And the LORD said to Samuel, “Heed the voice of the people in all that they say to you; for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me, that I should not reign over them. ⁸ According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt, even to this day—with which they have forsaken Me and served other gods—so they are doing to you also. ⁹ Now therefore, heed their voice. However, you shall solemnly forewarn them, and show them the behavior of the king who will reign over them.” ¹⁰ So Samuel told all the words of the LORD to the people who asked him for a king. ¹¹ And he said, “This will be the behavior of the king who will reign over you: He will take your sons and appoint them for his own chariots and to be his horsemen, and some will run before his chariots ¹³ He will take your daughters to be perfumers, cooks, and bakers. ¹⁴ And he will take the best of your fields, your vineyards, and your olive groves, and give them to his servants. ¹⁵ He will take a tenth of your grain and your vintage, and give it to his officers and servants. ¹⁶ And he will take your male servants, your female servants, your finest young men, and your donkeys, and put them to his work. ¹⁷ He will take a tenth of your sheep. And you will be his servants.  ¹⁹ Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel; and they said, “No, but we will have a king over us, ²⁰ that we also may be like all the nations, and that our king may judge us and go out before us and fight our battles.”

Nothing has changed. G-O-D has “all the cattle on a thousand hills,” and freely gives to His people. Conversely, G-O-V has nothing but what it takes from someone. In essence, Israel was willing to trade freedom for so-called “security.” As per verse 20, they wanted government (the king) to take care of them, no matter the cost or the downside thereof.

Why have nearly all governments, no matter their form, been ungodly? The answer: SIN. The Devil has used sinful man’s propensity for SELF-ishness to corrupt those in positions of power so as to enslave everyone he can, but most specifically to make it difficult for followers of Christ to spread the Gospel. Never forget, that is what the spiritual battle is all about. That’s why Paul wrote the following exhortation to his young protégé, Timothy:

1 Timothy 2:1–4

¹ I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone— ² for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. ³ This is good, and pleases God our Savior, ⁴ who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.

It is very hard for us to live like that when government doesn’t do its job of protecting us, preserving our freedom to pursue “life, liberty, and happiness,” and thus setting us up for success. And certainly, our prayers “for” evil authorities can be for them to be removed.

The Devil has read the above verses, and he wants exactly the opposite of what God wants. He wants no one to be saved or learn the Word. The only way anyone can be saved and grow in an experiential knowledge of the Word is if Christians who know the Word proclaim it in love to those who have never heard. But if they are not free to speak it, and/or if they are spending every waking moment just trying to feed their families, it will be much harder for them to spread the Word. That is why Satan’s attack on any country is aimed most directly at freedom and prosperity. Even if my choice is between the lesser of two evils, I will vote for those candidates who I believe will promote more freedom and prosperity than will their opponents.

Freedom is a big deal to God, and He speaks about it often, as per Galatians 5:1 regarding our freedom in Christ. Practicing Truth makes one free, while practicing error puts one in bondage to some degree (John 8:31-32). Therefore, one major criterion for determining whether a policy or program is godly is whether it promotes individual freedom or a lack thereof. The purpose of government is to promote and protect as much individual freedom as possible, but where ungodly people rule, people’s freedom is greatly restricted on many fronts. Conversely, godly government encourages individuals to pursue whatever they choose as long as it does not infringe upon another’s God-given rights.

Clearly, those who govern are to be governed by the Word of God. God knows, and history shows, that He has designed people with incredible potential for ideas, inventions, and ways to make progress that will benefit mankind. Freedom allows people to maximize their potential, and society benefits as a result. Proverbs is loaded with verses about the difference between godly and ungodly rulers as well as the benefits and consequences of each.

Freedom promotes prosperity, which means “a successful, flourishing, or thriving condition.” Ephesians 4:28 shows that the reason we are to work a job is so that we have something to give to those in need, beginning, of course, with supporting our own families. God says that those who have enough to give should do so from the heart, but it is not the job of government to make them do so. Socialism/Marxism/Communism promotes the involuntary redistribution of wealth, forcibly taking it from those who earn/have it and giving it to those who do not (though much of what is taken goes to those who take it). History shows undeniably that it has never worked, and it never will. Yes, there are many evil people in business who are cheating and abusing others, but overall, capitalism/free enterprise results in the greatest prosperity for the most people. Americans give to charity far more than the people of all other countries. In a truly free society, people could, and would, exercise charity of their own volition, and the poor would receive much help.

The uniqueness of our USA is that we are a Republic, wherein there is supposed to be true representation for all bodies of people, whether large or small. We are not a Democracy, which basically means “majority rule.” Ben Franklin reportedly once described it as two wolves and a sheep deciding what’s for dinner. If we were a “Democracy” (as most of our politicians refer to us), a majority could pass a law that is unfair, unjust, or inequitable just because the majority believes it to be right. Our founders realized that groups of men, large or small, were basically SELF-centered, so they decided upon a Constitutional Republic. The Federal Government is given only those rather limited powers enumerated in the Constitution, and all other powers remain with the States and with individual people.

Given the degree to which Christian principles permeate the founding documents of our nation, it is heartbreaking to see how ungodly our government has become, especially in the last 110 years or so. It was about that time that true capitalism was replaced by our current system of cronyism. Few people realize the incalculable evil perpetrated by those in power, but the Lord has it all recorded in his ledger, and one day he will mete out true justice to every human being who has ever lived.

Today, younger Americans are increasingly attracted to Socialism. Why? For decades, too many American K-12 schools have failed to provide young Americans with a solid grounding in American civics—the study of American history, government, and economics. This has contributed to the attraction so many young people today feel for Socialism.

The majority of America’s colleges and universities are now hotbeds of “progressive” and “politically correct” ideology, including Socialism/Marxism, and are increasingly denying free speech rights to students and others who hold non-progressive viewpoints. Recent polling suggests that nearly half of younger Americans would “prefer living in a socialist country.” According to one analysis of these polls, “The word ‘Socialism’ does not carry the same stigma it did in the past, now that it has been resurrected by certain “celebrity” politicians.

One of the Colson Institute Fellows, a member of the Millennial generation, offered some pertinent insight. “First, the church, fearful of telling people what to think, has largely avoided a whole host of controversial issues, but in the process has failed to help them think through them at all. The vacuum has been filled by many other voices, including from media and education, telling them what to think.

Second, the historical memory of Millennials doesn’t reach back to the Cold War and the existential struggle against Communism. They came of age just before 2008 and the Great Recession. In their earliest economic and political memories, the bad guy was what was then called Capitalism.

Add to those two realities that the emerging generation was never taught history or civics or economics, and it shouldn’t surprise anyone that Socialism has re-emerged as a live option for younger Americans. When it comes to politics, to what it means to be a citizen shaped by Christian faith, to those issues that matter most right now, it’s time to go back to the basics.

He goes on: This will include reflecting on what God intended for human governance, what we can and should expect from those who lead us, and what the limits of government should be. We’ll need to relearn the pitfalls of what Jacque Ellul called ‘the political illusion,’ the belief that all problems are political and therefore require only political solutions.

Today, the political illusion is seen most clearly in those who think elected officials are either the sole source of our best hope or the sole source of our imminent doom. Ellul wrote about the political illusion more than fifty years ago. I can only imagine what he might make of our politics today in which people on both sides of the political spectrum, including Christians, treat political leaders with near-Messianic deference.

At the same time, political realities matter. Elections have consequences. The stakes in November’s election seem higher than ever, and everywhere we turn, we’re being told to pin all our hopes and fears on its outcome. So, what is a Christian to do?”

Winston Churchill said: “Socialism is a philosophy of failure, a creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy. Its only inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery.” Besides being an abysmal economic failure, the Socialist/Marxist/Communist philosophy has resulted in the death of something like 100 million human beings in Russia, China, Cambodia, and elsewhere.

America cannot afford the steep costs of Socialism, which undermines faith and religious liberty. Socialism is the enemy of economic freedom and opportunity. Socialism undermines responsibility and encourages dependence. Socialism destroys prosperity and brings misery wherever it is tried. Once imposed, Socialism is almost impossible to undo.

Generally speaking, our choices in the upcoming election are as follows:

• Godlessness or basic Judeo-Christian values.
• Authoritarianism or Liberty.
• Big Government/Welfare State or Limited Government/Independence.
• Victimhood and Handouts or Personal Responsibility and Self-reliance.
• Socialism and increasingly Communism or Capitalism and the Free Market.

Under Totalitarian, Socialist, and Communist regimes, the elimination of Christianity is always a critical part of the plan. For these slavish systems to work, total dependence on “enlightened” leaders must be absolute and unconditional. Hence, a belief system that teaches people to depend on God must be struck down and trodden under foot. How often throughout the Bible were the governments of the time godly? Hardly ever. Occasionally God found a man or woman who stood for Him and thus was a catalyst for prospering an entire nation. When Jesus Christ showed up after centuries of Israel being oppressed, the Jews wanted him to fix the government, but that was not his mission during his first stop on earth.

When the Lord Jesus again comes to the earth, he will BE the government!In the meantime, God has shown us that He will be with us and help us in miraculous ways, even in the worst of circumstances. Actually, God loves to defy the odds, but He usually needs at least some human cooperation to do so. He hid Elijah and had ravens bring him “Uber Eats” until it was time for him to go speak to the government. The Lord Jesus sent Ananias to meet with Saul, who had government clearance to kill Christians. Governments come and go, but the Word of God stands. The question is: “Where do you and I stand?”

A brief excerpt from The Colson Institute is relevant to why and how Christians should be actively involved in who is making what kind of laws and policies that influence our lives, i.e., “politics.” Politics is the theory and practice of government. It concerns itself with how force should be applied to control people, which is to say, to restrict their freedom. It should be analyzed on that basis, and Christians should be exercising their rights to help elect those who will institute godly principles of government.

In our context, the people are the political authorities. We don’t submit to political authority; we grant political authority to the representatives we elect. So, in our context, voting is the most fundamental way there is to “render to Caesar what is Caesar’s”…To love God with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength means, to some degree, loving what God loves: justice, righteousness, and truth are all things that God loves, and they can be reflected in law and policy.

As Christians, it is our responsibility to try to make a difference by choosing between the better of imperfect options and electing those officials whose policies are at least less ungodly than those of their opponents. We should compare each candidate’s worldview, their policies, and what kind of people will be around them. The closer one’s policies are to biblical principles, the better off the people will be. I assert that freedom and prosperity are two criteria by which we can make that call. Personally, I will vote for someone I consider a question mark if the other choice is someone who is an exclamation point for evil, as evidenced by their rhetoric and restrictive regulations.

2 Samuel 23:3 and 4

3 The God of Israel spoke, the Rock of Israel said to me: ‘When one rules over men in righteousness, when he rules in the fear of God, 4 he is like the light of morning at sunrise on a cloudless morning, like the brightness after rain that brings the grass from the earth.’

Proverbs 29:2

When the righteous thrive, the people rejoice; when the wicked rule, the people groan.

Scripture is clear that the world has been growing more and more evil, and that this will continue until the day when the Lord Jesus gathers together all us Christians to meet him in the air. Ever since Genesis 11, when God divided the one-world language into many so that wicked people could not easily communicate with one another, Satan has been working to bring to pass a global government under his domination. We know that he will eventually succeed in establishing a short-lived global reign, but, as I show line-by-line and word-by-word in The End Times video, 2 Thessalonians 2:1–7 clearly and specifically says that this cannot happen until the Body of Christ is removed from the earth. What I don’t see in the Word is how bad it might get for us before our Lord rescues us from “behind enemy lines.”

Let us never forget that our real Enemy is the Devil. As Ephesians 6:12 says, “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” Evil spirits are manipulating willing human agents to ignore godly laws and institute ungodly laws. Paul goes on to tell us just how to fight our spiritual enemy:

Ephesians 6:13-17 (ASV)

13 Wherefore take up the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and, having done all, to stand. 14 Stand therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 withal taking up the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the evil one. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:

Dear brethren, TODAY is “the evil day,” the “present evil age” from which our Lord will eventually rescue us (Gal. 1:4). Today, “political correctness” dictates that we Christians never say, do, or be anything that offends anyone else. Somehow, Christianity has become one of the most “offensive” things on earth, but that is because Satan has blinded most people to God’s Truth and duped them into calling light darkness and darkness light. One dictionary definition of “offensive” is “attacking,” but we do not use military weapons to get our point across. We speak words of Truth. We attack wrong doctrine with the two-edged sword of Truth. And we do so fully assured of our standing as sons of God, and of our glorious hope.

Philippians 3:18–21

18 For, as I have often told you before and now say again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. 19 Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is on earthly things. 20 But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.

Amen! And that hope is the “bottom line” of how we approach every day (which could be our last) in this ever-darkening world. As we hold fast to that glorious hope, we shine ever more brightly amidst the growing darkness and despair all around us. And that light is inextinguishable!  Therefore, PRAY MUCH for our nation, and VOTE for whomever you believe will institute the more biblically based policies.