Who’s In Charge?
November 9, 2012 § Leave a comment
I was looking through some old posts for another blog and happened across this one I wrote exactly four years ago. It really doesn’t need any updating.
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Every four years, I find it’s a good thing to take into account what God says about our leaders and our attitude toward them. When moral principals are compromised by government, a certain amount of “righteous anger” is justified, but at the same time we need to remember that God had a hand in putting our leaders in office. Whether I like the person in the White House or not, I need to respect their authority. We answer to our leaders, but our leaders have an even bigger responsibility. They are answerable to God (whether they want to be or not). A read through any of the Old Testament prophetic books will give you a picture of what happens to rulers that turn to God and the ones that turn away. We have measures in place for voting and lobbying and other forms of action that allow us to affect change in certain things. But as for the things we can’t change, I think the better route is leaving the judgment up to God rather than complaining about the president.
“Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every authority instituted among men: whether to the king, as the supreme authority, or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish men. Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God. Show proper respect to everyone: Love the brotherhood of believers, fear God, honor the king.” (1 Peter 2:13-17)
“Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and he will commend you. For he is God’s servant to do you good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword for nothing. He is God’s servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also because of conscience. This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God’s servants, who give their full time to governing. Give everyone what you owe him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.” (Romans 13:1-7)
This election has been a hot topic for a long time with plenty of passionate feelings about the candidates. The reality is that our president is in office as a part of God’s plan. And whoever he is, good or bad, the president is just one man. He’s not really the One in charge.
God&Neighbor 
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