I have been thinking lately about politics in America and the governments of man. I am a Christian; a believer and follower of the Lord Jesus Christ, I have been redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ through faith. Until the Lord calls me home to His Father's house I remain in this world. I therefore believe that there are two kingdoms; the Kingdom of God and the kingdom of man.
The Kingdom of God is an authoritarian ruled Kingdom. God is in charge and what He says is Law. Authoritarian rule in the Kingdom of God is good, because God is good; He is abounding with lovingkindness and truth. Authoritarian rule in the kingdom of man is never good, because men are not good; men are murderers, liars, and thieves. They hate other men and therefore do them harm, they lie to get what they want, and take what is not their own.
I am no better, I have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. I have been justified (declared righteous by God) as a gift, by His grace, redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ through faith. Though I have been justified by God through faith in Jesus my flesh is not redeemed, it remains in this corruptible world. I look forward to the day that I take off that which is corruptible, my earthly body, and put on that which is in corruptible, my heavenly body in Christ Jesus.
With the knowledge that God has given me through His word about the nature of God and the nature of man, I recently pondered a question about politics in America. Since God is good and therefore His authoritarian rule is good, and man is not good and therefore man's authoritarian rule is not good; what is the best form of government in the kingdom of man? The answer has been eye opening; the absolute smallest government possible that protects the lives, liberty, and property of its citizens.
In October 1689 an English Philosopher named John Locke (1632-1704) wrote two treatises on government in which he said: "The state of nature has a law of nature to govern it, which obliges every one: and reason, which is that law, teaches all mankind, who will but consult it, that being all equal and independent, no one ought to harm another in his life, health, liberty, or possessions..... “every Man has a Property in his own Person. This no Body has any Right to but himself. The Labour of his Body, and the Work of his Hands, we may say, are properly his. The great and chief end therefore, of Mens uniting into Commonwealths, and putting themselves under Government, is the Preservation of their Property." (locke, J., 1689).
So John Locke believed that the only purpose of government in the kingdom of man is to protect life and property. It was from this idea regarding government that the American Declaration of Independence was drafted, although the word (property or possessions) was changed to the pursuit of happiness, a foretelling of the corruption to come in the ensuing years. "In anticipation of a vote for independence, the Continental Congress on June 11 appointed Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Roger Sherman, and Robert R. Livingston as a committee to draft a declaration of independence. The committee then delegated Thomas Jefferson to undertake the task." (Declaring Independence: Drafting the Documents).
American government and politics despite its declaration is actually somewhere in-between this idea of liberty rule and authoritarian rule. Men have voted themselves into a mess. Men want what they do not have so they vote for men who promise to give it to them, but in order for them to give these things to the men who want them, they have to first take from the men who have them. Men do not like things that other men do or say so they vote for people to control certain behaviors or speech and at the same time force other behaviors or speech. This may seem good when those who agree with you are in power, but the tide always turns in the kingdom of man. The Democrats and the Republicans both do this, they just disagree on the behaviors that should be controlled and promoted.
Brothers and sisters in Christ, I am calling for an end to this madness. Stop trying to vote the world into what you want it to be and do what our Lord commanded us to do; tell people about Him, what He alone has done, and love our neighbors. Is it scary to allow people to do and say whatever they want? Of course it is, but the alternative is authoritarian rule by evil men which is ever increasing in America. Let us allow the government to do what it is suppose to do; protect life and property, stop voting for governmental control and thievery. If you want the world to change do what the Lord commanded us to do. Go make disciples of Jesus!
And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, " All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." (Mt 28:18-20).
Bibliography
Declaring Independence: Drafting the Documents. (n.d.). Retrieved from Library of Congress: http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/declara/declara3.html
John Locke on the rights to life, liberty, and property of ourselves and others (1689) . (n.d.). Retrieved from On-line Library of Liberty: http://oll.libertyfund.org/quotes/497
Powell, J. (1996, August 1). the Freeman. Retrieved from Foundation for Economic Education: http://fee.org/freeman/detail/john-locke-natural-rights-to-life-liberty-and-property
The Holy Bible, Updated New American Standard Bible. (1995). The Lockman Foundation.
