Respect For Authority Part 2: How are Christians to live?
In part one, The Order of Authority, I presented the idea of separating earthly power from God's power and separating the two into distinct categories: Spiritual government and secular government. I also explained that both are important and that we should subject ourselves to both. However, if the secular government does not perform its duties prescribed by God, the people have the right to alter or abolish said government and replace it with a new government. One that properly reconciles personal liberty and the right degree of restraint. In part two, How are Christians to live?, I will discuss the duty of Christians in closer detail.
From Where Is Power Derived?
Let us take a moment to explain again where power comes from and our duty, as Christians, to respect that power. All power comes from God. God is the creator of the universe and holds ultimate power and dominion over all things. God is in control even though depraved individuals are free to pursue the desires of their hearts. We understand this in two passages from the new testament.
"Let every soul be subject to power and superiority. For there is no power but from God and the power that exists everywhere is ordained by God. And whoever resists the power, resists God's ordinance. But whosoever resists God's ordinance shall receive condemnation on himself." - Romans 13:1-2
"Be subject to every kind of human order, whether it be to the king as the foremost, or governors as sent by him, as a vengeance on the wicked and a reward to the just." - 1 Peter 2:13-14
Both of these verses clearly state our role towards earthly power and power is ordained by God. This is true for good rulers and bad rulers. Anyone who resists this order from headquarters shall receive condemnation and judgment from God. Therefore, we have the ability to choose: will we subject ourselves to this power or will we reject it? This is true for the subjected people, but it is also true for the oppressive Princes and Magistrates who forget their duty to serve the people. Peter also states the reason again for earthly power. They only have two purposes: to punish the wicked and reward the just.
Christians Respect Secular Law
Aren’t Christians above the law? This is an interesting question. We must first understand something about the Bible. I believe that everything in the Bible is true. It is the word of God; thus it must be true, for God cannot lie. If we find a contradiction between passages, it is not because one is true and one is false. It is only a contradiction to us because of our lack of understanding. Therefore, it is true that Jesus fulfilled the law for us. It is also true that the law of Moses was created for Man, not Man created for law. These both tell us that we are above the law. However, the passages above tell us to be subject to earthy power and to governors. This is also true. Though condemnation can certainly be applied to the actions of ancient Rome, the Third Reich, and King George III's crown, not all laws in those governments were unjust. Let's try to reconcile both of these points. We find in the next passage that true Christians have no need for secular law and therefore, mustn't be bothered by law.
"It [the Sword] is not a terror to good works, but to the wicked." - Romans 13:3
This passage comes directly after the one cited above. Christians, who are just, should not worry about secular government for our sakes. If we are righteous people, we shouldn't be constantly looking over our shoulders to see if the state is watching us. The state would have no need for additional police or resources patrolling Christian neighborhoods. This would be a burden on our system and foolish to employ, unless those that hold this power are wielding it with evil intent. We cannot know a man's heart, but we can tell who is a Christian by his fruit. This is an oft quoted verse and a theme mentioned throughout the Bible. Here Luther[1], uses this analogy to explain the Christian's responsibility to secular law.
"A good tree needs no teaching and no law in order for it to bear good fruit; it is its nature to do so without teaching or law. A man would have to be an idiot to write a book of laws for an apple-tree telling it to bear apples and not thorns, . . ." - Martin Luther
Because of the Holy Spirit and faith, Christians don't need law to tell them right from wrong. They know what helps their neighbor and what harms their neighbor, and Christians do the things that help their neighbor. Therefore, the law in meaningless to Christians. Calvin makes this point as well about how Christians should respond to bad laws.
"If they command anything against [his will], it must be as nothing to us. And in this instance we must ignore all that dignity that magistrates possess." - Jean Calvin
"In the same way, because of the spirit and faith, the nature of all Christians is such that they act well and rightly, . . .and therefore they have no need of any laws for themselves." - Martin Luther
Christian! I offer you good news! Jesus has fulfilled the law for us and has died the death we deserved. He has reconciled us all to the Father and death has been defeated. Your reward is great. You, Christian, no longer live as slaves to the law. You are not expected to follow the law of Moses or the laws of your earthly kings. Yes, you've read that correctly. You are above the law. But there is a catch. For the sake of our neighbor, and to promote domestic tranquility, secular law must be respected. Why? Let me not sully the name of Martin Luther by misquoting him or misleading my readers as to what Luther is saying here. Again, I recommend you read his book on this topic. There is so much wisdom, it is difficult to express them in the short form I have to offer you. Let me continue to quote from this same section.
"If there were [no law and government], then seeing that all the world is evil and that scarcely one human being in a thousand is a true Christian, people would devour each other. . . The world would become a desert." - Martin Luther
There are few Christians. Many in America today claim to be Christian. The last survey I saw had 78% of those questioned claim to be Christians, but I've been to their churches, I've listened to many people here in the Bible-Belt. I would be surprised if that number is greater than 20%. There are many people who grow up going to church who know not our Father. It’s the saddest thing I can image and it's the main reason I started this blog. Don't get me wrong, I cannot judge your salvation. Since I cannot offer you salvation, it isn't for me to prescribe. I cannot and should not attempt to judge a man's soul, but I know from scripture that the path that leads to life is narrow. And 78% percent of Americans is not a narrow path. I was one of those people, but I finally figured out that I can't just say I believe and expect to achieve immortality. I better do my very best to walk in the ways of Christ and be as certain as I can that I will be greeted by my Father. Luther makes this point well.
"For whosoever believes something to be right, which is in fact wrong or uncertain, denies the truth, which is God himself, and believes lies and error. . .Each must decide at his own peril what he is to believe, and must see to it that he believes rightly. Other people cannot go to heaven or hell on my behalf, or open or close [the gates to either] for me." - Martin Luther
Best Form of Secular Government
The best form of government in my mind is a Monarchy, if your monarch is Christ Jesus. But East of Eden, we have sinful, wretched leaders. For those of you believing that it is possible to eliminate secular government and institute only Christian government, let me give you a stark warning. This always leads to anarchy. If we allow Christians to live above the law, why then would the wicked not do evil under the cover of Christian?
"But Christians, . . ., are few and far between, and the world will not tolerate a Christian government ruling over one land or a great multitude, let alone over the whole world. . .And so to try to rule a whole country . . . Is like herding together wolves, lions, eagles and sheep in the same pen, letting them mix freely, and saying to them: feed, and be just and peaceable; the stable isn't locked, there's plenty of pasture, and you have no dogs or cudgels to be afraid of." - Martin Luther
So what does this all mean? It’s the crux of the whole Gospel. God loved the whole world that He sacrificed His only son, Jesus, to carry the sins of the world and die a death that He did not deserve. The answer is Love. For the Christian, it is our duty to love and serve our neighbor. This means doing that which we aren't required in order to make a better world for our Unchristian neighbor. We need secular government to protect the Unchristian. We need to give them virtues, show them the way to a righteous life, and quell their bad behavior so as not to harm their fellow neighbors.
"But because a true Christian, while he is on the earth, lives for and serve his neighbor and not himself, he does things that are of no benefit to himself, but of which his neighbor stands in need." - Martin Luther
This is why we do these things. Its why we pay taxes, respect authority, subject ourselves to the sword, serve and help those in authority over us, and do what we can to uphold their power, so that honor and fear of authority may be maintained. This is our responsibility to the world. It is to us and to us alone, to make a society where wicked men are punished and good men are rewarded with liberty. This is the mission statement in our Constitution.
"We the People of the Unites States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America."
Calvin agrees and this is why he is credited with giving early Americans the ideas for proper secular government.
"I readily admit that if the three forms of government which philosophers refer to are considered themselves, then aristocracy, either pure or a mixed form compounded of aristocracy and polity, greatly excels all the others. This however is not because that form is inherently better, but because it is very rare for kings to exercise such self-control that their will never differs from what is equitable and right. And it is equally rare for kings to be equipped with such prudence and acuity of understanding as to be able to discern what is good and useful." - Jean Calvin
Answer To Unjust Government
What about our secular government? Is the fruit they produce good? Here we must judge the fruits individually, since we are talking about a collection of men and not one man. Meaning our government is made up of many trees for which fruit is gathered, some fruits are good and others are bad. When one tree is determined to be bad, should we burn the whole orchard? Of course not, we cull the bad tree and plant a good tree in its place. This is easy for those of us living in a Constitutional Republic with Democratic elections. But when bad trees spread lies like a disease and it spreads so that it cannot be contained, the whole orchard must be burned and a new orchard restored from the good trees. For we, as Christians, endure suffering for the sake of our Lord, but we fight the oppressors of our neighbors for their sake.
Christians value life, but they honor the death penalty for capital offenses. Christians don't kill, but are ferocious in battling against earthly enemies. Christians value justice, but they don't resist evil done to them. Christians seek to live a quiet life, but fight injustice by seeking public office. Christians value freedom, but humbly suffer jail time. We do these things in love. So what shall we say when a secular government commands of you what is unjust? Luther had a good answer to that as well.
". . .it is not fitting for Lucifer to sit next to God. My good Lord, I owe you obedience with my life and goods. Command me what lies within the limits of your authority, and I will obey. But if you command me to believe, or to surrender my books, I will not obey. For then you [will have] become a tyrant and overreach[ed] yourself, commanding where you have neither right or power." - Martin Luther.
Here's the answer. If Princes and Magistrates overstep their jurisdiction, force a belief on you, deal in things that concern the soul, or command any action against the will of God, you are not only allowed to rebel against this request, but you are required to rebel. These things come from mouths of wolves. It is your duty to quell the wolf and restore domestic tranquility. Not for your sake, but to serve those that know not the Lord. For we have the Lord to watch over us, but who is watching over our neighbor? This is our calling.
Hopel, Harro. Luther and Calvin on Secular Authority. Cambridge University Press, 2013.