The Christian Relating to Government

[00:00:00] This audio sermon is provided by AnabaptistSermons.com and may be freely copied and distributed. You may not sell or edit this sermon. Our prayer is that you would be blessed by this ministry. We met together for prayer. Jay reminded me that they gave me a time limit. And he said, so that means you say the important things first. So, in light of that, I'm going to give a little publicity to the bookstore in here. [00:00:38] If you don't have Lloyd Harsler's little pamphlet on the Christian and the state, get it. They have plenty of them in there, and they'll get more for you if you want them. Get them for your congregation if they don't have them. It's a very excellent little booklet on the Christian's relationship to government. One of the best that we have. Another book that they had, and I think I took the last one they had here, but they have more, where this one came from. And this one is one that's written by David Berset, I think I've said that correctly, he's the fellow that wrote Will the Real Heretic Please Stand Up, and some other things. [00:01:16] Interesting observations in the aspect of the early church and early Christianity in regards to their position on nonresistance and some other things as well. Relationship to the government and some other things. One of the other concepts that is definitely part of all that is, and I see I have my wrong notes here. Next we'll read you the sermon from this morning. [00:01:57] Is that as Christians we live in this world. We're in the world but not of the world. And the question is, how do we live? Francis Schaeffer, a few years back, wrote a book entitled, How Shall We Then Live? I think it's important that as Christians we ask ourselves some of those questions at times. What does it really mean to live the Christian life? What does Christianity look like in our culture, in our setting, with what we're faced with? [00:02:32] One of the things that will come with this subject of the Christians relating to the government And we'll start out with a story. I'll probably finish this one instead of letting you hang until the end. But one of the questions that comes is, should we vote as Christians? If you listen enough of Christian radio, you'll be almost guilty if you don't. [00:03:03] because that's your Christian duty to elect moral and Christian magistrates and officials to the positions that serve the country. Well, I was young and dumb too one time, and I still am, still learning. But one of the things that was interesting to me as I grew up, I was in high school at LMH, And in 1960, the United States had their first Catholic run for president. [00:03:44] Some of the younger people don't know who that was, that was John F. Kennedy. And it was interesting to me in how that stirred up the Mennonite community. Conservative liberal light through the region was stirred up. You can't allow our country to have a Catholic president. I'm not sure what the big deal was, but that was their concern. Anyway, I referred this morning to the fact that I talked with this Amish bishop about what they teach. [00:04:24] And I asked him about voting, too. I happen to know that some of my Amish customers, when I get there on election day, They had drivers that were scheduled to pick them all up and take them to the polling booth. And they'd pick up one audience member after the next and take them. And I just asked Gehman, I said, what does the church really teach about voting? And he says, well, he said, we would suggest that they vote in their prayer closet. But he said, we know, we don't say that they can't, but he said, we know a lot of our members vote. [00:04:55] Well, I was in high school as a freshman in 1960 And John Kennedy was running for office And when you're about 13, 14, 15 You have a lot of answers to the world's problems that you don't have after you turn 25 But at that point, you know, I heard this emphasis We can't afford to allow our country to have a Catholic president. [00:05:26] And that really drummed up and there's a lot of Mennonites registered to vote that never voted before. And my father sort of nonchalantly said, no, he said, we don't get involved. We don't get involved. And I wasn't at the spiritual perspective in life where I asked him why we don't. It wasn't his problem, it was mine. but I sort of resolved in my own heart as a teenager we'll see how this works [00:05:58] but I know when I'm able to vote we're going to correct some of the wrongs in the country we're going to help straighten things out and so I watched Kennedy and Nixon as they ran against each other in 1960 and of course Kennedy won One of the things that I have to ask, and I'll talk about that later, but as I think about that, [00:06:28] Kennedy won at the despair of a lot of Mennonites. And believe it or not, parents, your attitude towards things like that comes through in your teenagers. One of the things that I remember coming through after Kennedy won that election at LNH, as I was there with my peers, was all of a sudden this thing come out that, you know, down through our history, every fourth president has been assassinated. [00:07:00] I believe it was, every fifth one. And Kennedy was one that was due to be assassinated. And some of them were even sort of glorying in the fact that this is the guy that is due to be assassinated. Christians? Gloring in the fact that this leader might get assassinated? Well, we went on in time and he did get assassinated. I can remember where I was at LMH as the announcement came over the PA system that President Kennedy was shot. [00:07:37] He even had a few hoorays come from people. Christian, nonresistance, loving, caring, none. But I was still in the frame, you know, when I'm 21, I'll help make sure things turn out right. Well, lo and behold, when I came to 1968, the same man was running, I said, run against Kennedy, Nixon. [00:08:14] Was running again, and I helped elect Nixon, so to speak. I registered a vote, and I voted, and I cast a ballot for the Republican Party across the board. I just pulled the lever for the Republicans. I didn't know the rest. That's right, to be a Mennonite, you need to be a Republican. Isn't that right? conservative, Republican. The interesting thing was that Nixon did get elected. But Pennsylvania went Democratic. [00:08:51] And God showed me a few things through that whole incident. He showed me this. He said, number one, he said, I don't need your help to get the man in office that I want in. Because technically my vote never counted. Since Pennsylvania went Democratic, my vote didn't help to get Nixon in office at all. But he still got there. Another thing that he taught me over the years was the man that I thought was a pretty moral, just man turned out to be a little less than what I thought he was. [00:09:23] And I had to step back and say, you know, maybe Dad was right. And as we stop and we look at this, we're going to pull that out a little bit today. Why? Why it isn't essential for us to vote? Why you don't, in fact, Christians that are out there doing that, How do they feel, how did the Christians, how did the Mennonites feel after Kennedy was elected, realizing that they voted against God's man? [00:10:09] Now you say, now wait a minute. Let's just challenge your thinking a little bit. I went into one Amishman one day in my feed sales room, and he had just come back from the polls. And I'm not picking any Amishmen, it just happened that I called on a lot of Amish and I got to know them pretty good. And he was sort of excited as to who was going to win this election. And I just nonchalantly said, well, I said, my man always wins, so I haven't worried about it. [00:10:48] He said, well, you mean your man always wins. I said I do my voting in the prayer closet and I'm convinced God doesn't lose elections I said oh come on does God lose elections? No God doesn't lose elections we're going to look at some scripture that shows that so why should I get feel guilty for not quote doing my part as a Christian I think the shoe ought to be in the reverse foot [00:11:19] I think Christians that are out there getting tangled in the world ought to feel guilty for not living up to their commitment for getting in the wrong kingdom let's turn to some scripture first off here do the important things first and notice some things that we'll probably refer back to these again But let's go to Daniel chapter 4. [00:11:52] This is an Old Testament passage, by the way. And the other aspect, if you realize this is Old Testament, and if you try to build a case for nonresistance and noninvolvement in the government from the Old Testament, you're going to lose it. Because that was a different scenario. That was a different covenant. You and I are under the kingdom of Jesus Christ, under the new covenant. And it's different. There may be some illustrations of nonresistance in the Old Testament, but don't try to build your doctrine on it, because you will lose that case of nonresistance. [00:12:28] You must build it on the basis of the New Testament. In fact, a number of years ago, when we had the young people together for a nonresistance meeting, and then afterwards, we sort of, unbeknown to them, We asked them to enter in before a mock draft board and fill out and answer some questions to see if they could pass a draft board quiz on their life and their beliefs. And one of the criteria we had for discerning as to whether or not they are genuinely nonresistant is whether they answer the questions from the New Testament or the Old. [00:12:59] And Old Testament answers didn't fit. Because you can defend military involvement from the Old Testament, but that isn't where we're at. Oh, you can pick a few illustrations of nonresistance out of the Old Testament such as Isaac and his wells and this kind of thing. But basically the Old Testament is our schoolmaster to bring us to Christ. And it's inspiring and it's good. It's there to show us sin and God's judgment upon it and everything else that occurs because of man's sinfulness and his rejection of God. [00:13:30] But we come to the New Testament and we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior through confession and repentance and forgiveness. We are under a new kingdom. And that kingdom operates on totally different principles than the old covenant did. And so our lives are geared and generated and modified according to the directions of Jesus Christ and the law of Jesus Christ as given in the New Testament to Christian believers. That's where we need to build our doctrinal position on our relationship to the state [00:14:01] and on our response to love and nonresistance. Let's look at Daniel chapter 4, and I want to pick out a few verses here. This is the account of Daniel giving Nebuchadnezzar his dream. Nebuchadnezzar couldn't remember his dream. But anyway, over in chapter, Daniel tells it to him, and then as we come over to... I didn't pick these verses out here beforehand. [00:14:32] Let's look at verse 24 on. This is the interpretation, O king, and this is the decree of the Most High, which has come upon my lord the king. So Daniel had just told the king what his dream was, and now he's bringing back the interpretation of the dream. That they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field, And they shall make thee to eat grasses and ox, and they shall wet thee with the dew of heaven, and seven times shall pass over thee, till thou know that the Most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will. [00:15:13] Now you know the account of Nebuchadnezzar's pride, how he went out and he looked over Babylon and he says, is not this the great Babylon that I had built? and from that moment forth in his pride God's judgment fell and they chased him out of the kingdom and he went out and he lived in the fields like a beast and this was a prophecy of God the interpretation of Daniel in his dream he says they're going to chase you from men you're going to dwell in the fields like a beast your hair is going to grow your nails are going to grow there's going to be seven times pass over you till thou knowest this fact [00:15:48] till thou knowest that the Most High ruleth in the kingdom of men. One of the things that we need to get through our thick skulls as Mennonites is the concept of the sovereignty of God. Sometimes we shy away from that one because we look at the free will of man and we say, well, how does the sovereignty of God and the free will of man fit? And so we sort of shy away from the sovereignty of God. Let me tell you, the sovereignty of God and the free will of man is not in conflict. but God is sovereign [00:16:19] and there's nothing happens in the world or in kingdoms that God does not permit to happen some things happen because of the sinfulness of men it's not that God designed to happen that way but God is in control and notice what it says here Nebuchadnezzar had to learn that the Most High ruleth in the kingdom of men and giveth it to whomsoever he will That's an interesting statement. The kingdom is given to whomsoever God will. [00:16:53] Does God lose the elections? No. God doesn't lose the elections. If you read on in this passage of scripture, it tells how it happened. It says, In the end of twelve months, Nebuchadnezzar walked in the kingdom of Babylon. And the king spake, and he said, It is not this great Babylon that I have built. for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power and the honor of my majesty. While the word was in the king's mouth, there fell a voice from heaven saying, O king Nebuchadnezzar, to thee it is spoken, the kingdom is departed from thee. [00:17:24] And they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. They shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and seven times shall pass over thee, until thou know the most high ruleth. And here again, God is repeating himself. Until thou knowest the most high ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will. that same hour was the thing fulfilled upon Nebuchadnezzar and he was driven from men and did eat grass as oxen and his body was wet with the dew of heaven till his hair was grown like eagle's feathers and his nails like bird's claws and at the end of the days I, Nebuchadnezzar [00:17:55] now notice his conclusions at the end of those days I, Nebuchadnezzar lifted up mine eyes unto heaven and mine understanding returned unto me and I blessed the most high and I praised and honored him that liveth forever whose dominion is everlasting dominion and his kingdom is from generation to generation and all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth and none can stay his hand or say unto him what doest thou at the same time my reason returned unto me [00:18:27] and for the glory of my kingdom and my honor and brightness returned unto me and my counselors and my lord sought unto me and I was established in my kingdom and excellent majesty was added to me Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of Heaven, all whose works are truth, and his way is judgment, and those that walk in pride he is able to obeys. In fact, if you look back a little bit further in this passage, it refers to the fact that God gives it to whom he will, and sometimes even gives it to the basest of men. [00:19:00] So may I suggest to you that if you're determined that you need to vote and elect the best man It may be possible that God doesn't want the best man there Huh? Yeah Because God is sovereign God is making choices You know, one of the best things that could happen to the Christian Church of America It's not something we want One of the best things that could happen would be a little bit of persecution because all of a sudden instead of being politically correct to be a Christian and in a church, it would be life-threatening and it would sort the commitments very carefully in our lives. [00:19:47] God may not always want the best individual there for the benefit of his children He knows that And so I simply say in relating to government we need to keep in mind that government functions on a different perspective But that is established by God He puts down whom he will, he lifts up whom he will And he even at times puts the basis of men in responsibility Go to Romans 13, New Testament In fact this is a passage in Romans 12, we didn't say a whole lot about this this morning [00:20:22] But Romans 13 says this In fact maybe we should go back and begin at Romans 12 verse 14 Just for the sake of tying these all together Romans 14 says Bless them which persecute you, bless and curse not Rejoice with them that do rejoice and weep with them that weep Be of the same mind one toward another mind not high things but condescend to men of low estate be not wise in your own conceits recompense to no man evil for evil provide things honest in the sight of all men [00:20:53] if it be possible as much as lieth in you live peaceably with all men dearly beloved avenge not yourselves but rather give place unto wrath for it is written vengeance is mine I will repay saith the Lord therefore if thine enemy hunger feed him if he thirsts give for in so doing thou should heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good. Then chapter 13. Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers, [00:21:24] for there is no power but of God. The powers that be are ordained of God. Wherefore, whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God, and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation. For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? Do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same. For he is the minister of God to thee for good. If thou do that which is evil, be afraid, for he beareth not the sword in vain. [00:21:56] For he is the minister of God, a revenger, to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil. Wherefore ye must needs be subject not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake. for for this cause pay ye tribute also for they are God's ministers attending continually upon this very thing render therefore to all their dues tribute to whom tribute is due custom to whom custom fear to whom fear honor to whom honor let's go back to John 19 Gospel of John chapter 19 [00:22:27] here we have Jesus before Pilate I'm going to read the first 11 verses. After the process of the judging as was happening here, Pilate takes Jesus and scourged him, it says in verse 1, [00:22:59] and the soldiers plowed the crown of thorns and put it on his head, and they put on him a purple robe and said hail king of the Jews and they smote him with their hands Pilate therefore went forth again and saith unto them behold I bring him forth to you that you may know that I find no fault in him then came Jesus forth wearing the crown of thorns and a purple robe and Pilate saith unto them behold the man when the chief priests therefore and officers saw him they cried out saying crucify him crucify him Pilate saith unto them [00:23:30] Take ye him and crucify him for I find no fault in him The Jews answered him We have a law and by our law he ought to die because he made himself the son of God When Pilate therefore heard that saying he was the more afraid And he went again into the judgment hall and saith unto Jesus Whence art thou? But Jesus gave him no answer Then saith Pilate unto him Speakest thou not unto me? Knowest thou not that I have power to crucify thee and a power to release thee? Notice Jesus' answer. [00:24:02] Jesus answered, Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above. Therefore he that delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin. All authority of the kingdoms of the earth are derived from God. Let's go to 1 Timothy 2. 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. [00:24:51] For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who will have all men to be saved and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. Now, those are the background scriptures, and you could pick out a lot more. But in thinking about those background scriptures, I want you to see several things. Number one, I want you to see that the church and civil government are both established by God. In fact, there is no authority of any kind that isn't derived from God. [00:25:24] God is the supreme authority. And all authority that's in the world is delegated from God. And so the church and civil government are both established by God. Romans 13, it says, there is no power but of God. Speaking of the general statement, all power comes from God. John 19, verse 11, Jesus said to Pilate, he said, you don't have any authority unless God gives it to you. And so Pilate's authority came from God. When you go to Hebrews 13, 7, in regards to the church, it says this in regards to the church authority and God's, their responsibility to God. [00:26:02] It says this, it says, Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God, whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation. You go to verse 17, it says, Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves, for they watch for your souls, as they that must give an account to who? To God. And so as you look at the concept of whether it's church or state, the authority of the church, the authority of the state, the authority of the home, wherever you want to take it, all authority is derived from God. [00:26:33] Now, the church and the state, though, are two distinctly separate entities. When you look at Romans 13, you will discover that you have pronouns like we and they and he, describing the difference between the Christian and the government, very distinctly brought out. On the other hand, when you look at the two covenants, and we talked about this, when you go back under the Old Testament covenant, you had Israel was a theocracy. [00:27:08] God was in control. They functioned as a nation with God in the leadership. That's a very unique setting. There is none like it since and there was none like it before. Israel was a theocracy. God was in charge. Their leadership were directly accountable to God. When you come to the New Testament, there's a distinct difference. Now the church is responsible to God. [00:27:39] Yes, the nations are responsible to God as well. But the church has been given a totally different responsibility than what the nations have. The government, in Romans 13, verses 3 and 4, says, For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? Do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same. For he is a minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid, for he beareth not the sword in vain. Does the government write to use capital punishment? Yes, it does. [00:28:15] The government does not bear the sword in vain. The government can deal out justice as it sees it. Its responsibility is to punish the evil and to reward the good. That is a responsibility that is given to God. Does the church have the right to use capital punishment? No! Because they are a different entity, they are a different responsibility, they have different charges given to them. If I go to Romans 12, verses 5 to 21, we have the various duties of the church and the Christian. [00:28:50] Here's what it says. So we being many are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another. Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given us, whether prophecy let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith, or ministry let us wait on our ministry, or he that teacheth on teaching, or he that exhorteth on exhortation, he that giveth let him do it with simplicity, he that ruleth with diligence, he that showeth mercy with cheerfulness, let love be without dissimulation, abhor that which is evil, cleave to that which is good, [00:29:20] be kindly affection one to another with brotherly love in honor preferring one another not sloth one business, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord, rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation continuing instant in prayer, distributing to the necessity of the saints given to hospitality, and then he goes on with what I read there before all together a different picture of the responsibility of the church compared to the responsibility of the state the responsibility of the state is to deal out judgment and punishment and to see that there's order in society to punish the evil and to reward the good. [00:29:55] What is the Christian's responsibility? The Christian's responsibility is to extend the love and mercy and forgiveness of God to a lost and a dying generation. And you can't do both at the same time. I have students come to me at Terry Hill and ask me the question, But isn't President Bush a Christian? How would you answer that? [00:30:31] How would you answer that? One of the things that's interesting We can answer questions like that without implicating someone's salvation my personal response to that question is this in light of what government is supposed to do and what President Bush is supposed to do as commander in chief of the army as the leader of the nation as the leader of the government and all that the government is to do [00:31:02] and over here what I am to do as a Christian I couldn't serve in that position and be a Christian I can't vouch for President Bush what his status with God is But I could not serve in that position and be a Christian Now, let me read here a little bit what the Schleitheim Confession of Faith says Lastly, one can see in the following points that it does not befit a Christian to be a magistrate [00:31:34] Isn't that what we said? Christian cannot be a magistrate The rule of the government is according to the flesh That of the Christian is according to the spirit their houses and dwellings remain in the world that of the Christian is in heaven their citizenship is in the world that of the Christians is in heaven the weapons of their battle and warfare are carnal and only against the flesh but the weapons of Christians are spiritual against the fortification of the devil the world they are armed with steel and iron [00:32:06] but Christians are armed with the armor of God with truth, righteousness, peace, faith, salvation and with the word of God in Psalm as Christ our head is minded So also must we be minded, must be minded the members of the body of Christ through him, so that there is no division in body through which it would be destroyed. Since then Christ is as is written of him, so must his members also be the same, so that his body may remain whole and unified for its own advancement and upbuilding. For any kingdom which is divided in itself will be destroyed. Not all the Anabaptists, early Anabaptists were united on the subject of participation in government. [00:32:45] In fact, Menno Simons was probably a little bit weak compared to some of the others. There was a man by the name of Balthasar Hubmeier who advocated that Christians should get involved in politics and he was a marginal Anabaptist, so to speak. But then there were some that were very carefully, strongly adhered to the principles of scripture and the separation of church and state. You know, some even made this statement, that to be a Christian, you cannot be a magistrate, and that no magistrates are Christian. [00:33:20] They all have the same opportunity that everyone else has, is that if they become Christian, to abdicate their responsibility. Some made some very crude and rash statements in regards to that. But may I suggest to you, as I look at the scripture, as I look at the principles, as I look at the calling of the church of Jesus Christ, as I would understand it, I personally could not serve in a position in government because they are doing something totally different from what I'm expected to do as a Christian. and I couldn't serve there [00:33:53] because I can't see how I can serve out mercy at the same time I'm dealing out justice. It doesn't work. And so the church has different responsibilities. Matthew 28, we have our responsibility under the Great Commission. Matthew 28 verses 18 to 20 says this as Jesus gave it to the church. and I'll just with all authority [00:34:44] and he is delegating his authority all authority is given unto me in heaven and earth go ye therefore he's talking to the Christians go ye therefore and run the country reform all the wrongs no that isn't what he's saying he says go ye therefore and teach all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you [00:35:15] And lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. May I suggest to you that as Christians, our calling and our responsibility is so much higher and so much better than that of the world that we cannot afford nor do we want to get sidetracked from the commission that we've been given. [00:35:51] We've been given a message of Jesus Christ. A message that doesn't only reform society, it changes society from the inside out. Why should I then waste my time trying to legislate reform when I have the message of a changed life, a new creature in Jesus Christ? I feel sorry for our Protestant brethren that get so caught up in the politics of this world and sidetracked from their commission. [00:36:25] I think they need to read their scriptures. I say this, are we at the same time, then, are we evangelistic? Are we out doing what Jesus told us to do? Are we simply enjoying life? All the, you know, I raised this question in light of the great commission that Christ has given to us. How responsible will this generation of American Anabaptists be before God for their failure to use all the resources and all the opportunities and all the freedoms that we have to fulfill that great commission? [00:37:05] we have more resources we have more freedoms than probably any other people on earth ever had and ever will have what are we doing with them? are we doing the call of Christ to go and to teach the all things go ye therefore and teach all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you I'm with you! Go! This is your charge! I have all authority! Go and do it! [00:37:39] And he's given us all the resources that we have and many of us simply are indulging in the pleasures of those resources and at the same time criticizing others that don't see the responsibility of the scripture as we see them but what are we doing with that package? What about the Christian and his relationship to the government? Well, I think, first of all, we should realize that we need to be subject. [00:38:11] Romans 13, verse 5 says this about subjection. It says, Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience' sake. For for this cause pay ye tribute also, for they are God's ministers, attending continually. Titus 3 says be subject to principalities and powers Peter says submit yourselves to every ordinance of man as Christians we will submit ourselves and be subject to the authorities of our land [00:38:44] unless it violates and this is the standard of our fathers it's the standard of Christianity down through the years Peter says we must obey God rather than man when they were told to stop preaching he said we cannot but obey God rather than man. But until that violates, we need to obey the authorities that man has set up until it violates God's standard in our lives. And so we need to be subject to our civil government. We, in a sense, are citizens of the country in which we are in. [00:39:22] Peter refers to the Christian as being part of a holy nation. refers to the fact that we're strangers and pilgrims, and we are, as our brother brought out. And I'd like to use an illustration that I think I learned, and I think it still stands true, between Canada and the United States. When we served our term in Canada in 1983-84, there was a family that was there with us that had a son. They were from the United States citizens, and they had a son that was born in Canada while they were there. If I understand correctly, that son had dual citizenship. [00:39:53] and but when it comes to the point of coming of age he needs to decide where his primary citizenship is because he is only going to be allowed to vote in one country. I mean I suggest to U.S. Christians we are yes quote citizens of this world and we should be the best citizens that our government has. We should not be, Christians should not be the cause of the police needing to come out and quiet rowdy parties and stop guys from putting off Amish bombs and this kind of stuff. [00:40:28] That isn't where the Christian fits. A Christian should be the most compliant person in the government as long as it doesn't violate the orders of God. Ambassadors for Christ in a foreign country. We are ambassadors. We're in a foreign country. ambassadors don't have voting privileges Christ's kingdom John 8 36 18 36 Christ said my kingdom is not of this world if it were of this world then would my servants fight and so the citizenship we live here but our citizenship our primary citizenship is over there and so we are heavenly minded we aren't involved with the kingdoms of this world one of the things that we should do along with being subject and being quotes loyal citizens to the extent that we [00:41:21] without violating the obedience to God. In fact, let me say this, as far as citizens go, Christians pay their taxes. I believe it may be possible that somewhere along the line, the government might come along and say, well, we see that there's some people that have a conscience against contributing taxes to war. If they give us the opportunity to give them someplace else, then we will do that. But until we do that, it's their responsibility with how they pay their, what they use their taxes for. One of the things that I find hard is these individuals that try, and this comes from Mennonite circles, from the quotes, the pacifist movement. [00:42:00] It's this idea of withholding war taxes. How can they look at Jesus paying his taxes when he was under the suppression of one of the most evil governments of the world? He paid his taxes, no questions asked. In fact, he said, give to Caesar the things that are Caesar's and to God the things that are God's. Does money belong where? Money is Caesar's, right? In fact, he took a coin and said, whose image is on it? Caesar's image was on it. He said, give to Caesar things that are Caesar's. The money all belongs to the government. [00:42:31] Give it to him. He's responsible for it. Your life belongs to God. Your life has the image of God on it. It belongs to God. We should intercede for the government. 1 Timothy 2 made this statement. I exhort therefore that first of all supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men for all kings and for all that are in authority that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty [00:43:03] do you pray for your leaders? do you pray for the fact that they would make decisions that will allow you to continue living a godly life allow you to have the freedoms to exercise your faith in Christ allow you to have the freedoms to share the message of Jesus Do you pray that they would make decisions that allow that to happen? Now I think we need to be careful about this praying thing. I had one brother tell me, an individual tell me that he prays for our troops over in Iraq. And I said, now wait a minute, they're not my troops over in Iraq. [00:43:36] They're the government troops. The Bible doesn't tell us to do that. It says, I exhort therefore that first of all supplications, prayers, intercession, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings, and for all that are in authority. And the reason we pray for them and intercede for them is this, that we might be able to live a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty, and that they might come to know the Lord Jesus Christ themselves. Verse 4, who will have all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. [00:44:07] The reason we pray for them is for their salvation, and that they would make the decisions that allow the church of Jesus Christ to be the church of Jesus Christ. We don't pray for our troops in Iraq. They're not our troops. I'm sorry. We honor the king. 1 Peter chapter 2 verse 17 says this. Honor all men, love the brotherhood, fear God, and honor the king. [00:44:42] How do we do that? We give them the due respect that is due their position. I think you will find the apostles and those in the early church as they were there, they respected those in position. Paul even respected the high priest and those who were in position of the Judaistic religion that was persecuting him. One time when he responded to the high priest in a way that he shouldn't have, he explains, he said, I'm sorry, I didn't know he was the high priest. [00:45:14] honor the king a number of years ago my wife and I and our home school daughter made a trip which I don't normally do but we heard that President Bush was coming to the area and we made a trip down to 340 and we sat along 340 and we watched President Bush his motorcade go up 340 everybody stood and waved as he went past honor the king yeah honor them for who they are [00:45:44] be respectful God has put them in a position it's not the church whether or not they're Christians or not it's not for me to decide that's God's but I couldn't be there and serve the Lord as I'm supposed to but we honor those in authority we don't talk about the policemen as what names do we have for them some of the disrespectful terms that are used for the policemen we need to respect them for the position that they're holding. I'm not above failure when it comes to the law. [00:46:17] A number of years ago, I was, in fact, I left Berean Conference Monday noon because I was on the grounds committee and I had to stay until Monday noon to help get everything back in place. And I had to go home and I had to do a whole day's work in a half a day. And I was on my sales route over in Brownstown. And coming through Talmadge, I came through Talmadge. It's a 35-speed limit. I'm not sure what I was doing anymore. There was a policeman sitting there at the park, and he pulled me over and arrested me for speeding. Gave me a ticket. When it was all done, I said, officer, I want to do something. [00:46:54] I'm a Christian. And I said, I should have been obeying the laws of the speed laws. I just want to thank you for fulfilling your duty. And he looked at me and said, huh? I said, yeah. I want to thank you for fulfilling your duty. I was wrong. As a Christian, I should have been obeying your laws. Thank you for being who you are and fulfilling your responsibility. And he said, okay, I'll accept that. Smiled and I waited until the ticket was already written out so he wouldn't think I was trying to convince him he didn't need to give me one. [00:47:31] Give them the respect due their office. What about some questions? Should the Christian vote? I don't think we need a vote. In fact, we're involved in a kingdom where our primary citizenship is over there. Should Christians get involved in government positions? I don't really think you can and be a Christian. You can't fulfill the two responsibilities legitimately. What about demonstrations, petitions, lobbying, or withholding taxes? Why should the church try to dictate to the government how they're supposed to run their things? [00:48:13] I think we can write to our government officials. I don't see any problem in personally sharing our concerns. But when it comes to using mass numbers to try to force an individual to think our way, I think we've got a problem. I think we can write a letter. I think we can approach people. I think you're going to Turkey Hill and ask to talk to the manager and say, I have a problem with all the pornography you have out here. I think we can write a letter to our governor and say, hey, you know, I really struggle with the idea of the way you're pushing gambling as a Christian. [00:48:51] But we don't try to influence him with numbers. We don't threaten him with not voting for him. We don't do those kind of things. I think we can express our concern, that's my personal opinion, but we need to do it in a Christ-like attitude, respecting them and honoring them for who they are. Paul made an appeal, he was in those six chapters where he was in his appeals before Festus and Felix and Agrippa and the Jews. he said [00:49:22] he was sensing that he wasn't getting a good answer he said I appeal to Caesar he went the whole way to the top I appeal to him to hear my story should the Christian utilize government assistance programs social security, unemployment clean and green, herd biots, preserve farms Good question I think as Christians we've sold out cheap in the area of social security [00:49:56] I think the government even would say that The government would say you could have probably done better with it yourselves If only you would have But that's where we are And I'm not going to condemn a brother in my church that has taken social security Unless the church is willing to pick up his responsibility for his care And I'm afraid that wouldn't happen Same thing is true of unemployment Some individuals will take unemployment When I was in a case in Bradford, I remember there was a young fellow that ran out of a job. And jobs weren't very easy to find in Bradford. And he went and signed up for unemployment, much to my dismay. [00:50:29] But then I began to get the telephone calls from Lancaster County. Saying, you can't allow that man to sign up for unemployment! That's terrible testimony! I said, listen, I agree. But are you going to help him out? Unless you're ready to help him financially, I'm not ready to tell him he can't sign up for our employment. We've come a long way, brother and sister, in our brotherhood. A wrong way. Should I sell my herd? [00:51:03] Should I utilize clean and green? Should I put my farm in preservation? It's a question we need to ask. On one hand, if you're only doing it to try to collect funds, it might not be correct, it might not be right. But if the government wants to put your farm in ag preservation, and you sit out here and say, I refuse to do it! You may be just as much in rebellion to the authority of government as you would be refusing to pay your taxes. [00:51:37] If the government was trying to, you know, Lancaster County is an area where they say, we want to preserve this farmland. This is a vital aspect of ours. It's a tourist attraction. It's a vital income aspect. We want to preserve the farmland. And if I sit back there as a Christian saying, I'm not going to accept that concept, I'm going to sell my farm for development, I'm just about as rebellious to authority as I could be in some other areas. We need to take a very clear look at some of those things. If we're doing it for financial gain, personal gain. but if we're doing it simply to be obstinate, we've got a problem. [00:52:16] Some years ago they had this herd buyout in which they bought herds of cows and the guy that sold the herd of cows had to agree that he would not put a herd of cows back in that barn for seven years. And some Christians sold the herd of cows and boy they were labeled. He sold his cows to the government just to get money. Maybe he did. Maybe he was wrong. May I make a suggestion? The reason the government was doing that [00:52:48] is because it was cheaper for them to pay him to buy his cows than it was to pay all the storage and the milk products he was going to give them over those seven years. And so they said it makes more economic sense to us to buy his cows now than it does to pay the storage and the support price and everything else on that milk he's going to produce. So let's buy his herd and put him out of business. There's two ways to look at those kind of things, but we need to be careful before we become too critical on some of that aspect. If it's only gaining for ourselves, [00:53:19] but if it comes down to the point where we are willingly being submissive to government when it is not causing us to be unsubmissive to Christ, maybe we should think twice. Is capital punishment wrong? Should the Christian serve in jury duty? Should we register to vote? One last thing, your young people, your young men at age 18 should be registering to vote. That is not a violation of your Christian conscience. It's simply telling the government who you are. When it comes time to go to the military, then you can tell them you're a conscientious objector. [00:53:54] But you should be registering to vote. Not vote, sorry. Registering with the Selective Service. You should be registering with the Selective Service. That's sort of a contradiction there if I'm telling you to register to vote. Anyway, there's a lot of other things I could give you. My time is up. May God bless you as you seek to be the interceding, submissive, honoring citizen that God wants you to be. But remember this, our citizenship is in the kingdom of Christ. [00:54:28] That's where our emphasis goes. That's where we belong. And it's a different perspective. It's a different goal. It's a different function. It's a different motive than that of the government. Even though all authority comes from God, we're in Christ's kingdom. May God bless you.