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The Bible also lays down strict laws regarding property losses due to crime. The guilty party is to recompense
victim. Romans chapter 13 teaches that Christians are to obey
law of
land, resisting only when
national law is opposed to God’s law. The chapter also talks about capital punishment. The state is
one entity sanctioned by God to “bear
sword...” The Nohaic Covenant established
right of capital punishment. If a man takes
life of another human being by murder, his life is required for that life. (I’ve never understood
logic behind drafting a teenager to fight and die in a war, and then arguing that it’s wrong to execute a convicted killer. Maybe we should draft
convicted killer to fight and die in our wars and let
teenagers go on with their lives.)
We live in an imperfect society. Man’s justice can fail. Innocent people can get hurt. That’s why it is important to adhere to God’s order of society, laid out in His Word. God with His guidance can be our safeguard against injustices. Nevertheless, just because our justice system in America is flawed by imperfect men does not give us
right to rebel against
law of
land by refusing to render to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s. God has ordained human government. Law and order is good, and God sanctions it for
good of all.
If you would, please indulge me in a few personal comments somewhat related to today’s topic.
American patriots were willing to declare war against England for their National Independence. Do you remember why? It involved more than just a complaint about “taxation without representation.” The American patriots were not lawless men. There had to be a greater cause to rebel rather than unfair trade laws. What was it? As far back in world history as
Protestant Reformation, John Calvin who was one of
greatest thinkers and Biblical scholars of all times began to write and publish his views regarding Biblical societies (what they were and how they operate). He believed that societies could function for
good of
believer and glorify God. He believed, among other things, that law and order had to be upheld in society to suppress
debased nature of man that could be ruthless. His ideas were put into practice and worked well. His teaching influenced many great minds of
day. Together with Calvin, these men and their ideas revolutionized church and state governments. Over time,
teachings evolved and influenced European groups like
Puritans of England. This led to
expansion of Calvin’s ideas of law and order being implemented in
“New England” America. So
philosophy regarding representative rule in government, and
sacredness of human life were sown during
Reformation; they were later carried across
Atlantic by
Pilgrims and Puritans to build
“New Jerusalem”, in
new world.
By
18th century
enlightenment age was producing authors that began to expand on
idea of man’s inalienable rights. These writers agreed that man had God given rights that only God could give or take away. These enlightened writers expressed this in literature that
European intellectuals and
American patriots were reading. The thought that men had rights that no government could infringe upon was fanning
flames of Revolution in America. Over time these American Revolutionaries began to embrace these ideas and promote them openly as America’s right to national independence. With this philosophy in hand,
patriots felt they had a divine right to wage war against England. When they drafted
Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, they defended their right for Independence against tyranny by underscoring man’s divine rights: no human government had
right to supersede
Highest Law in
universe. God’s Law is
highest law.
And now here we are over 200 years later in America again divided on whether or not
U. S. Constitution is
highest law. If it is, then every state and federal law is subject to it, and
U.S. Supreme Court’s interpretation of
U. S. Constitution. I’m calling for a revolution, not with sword or rifle. I’m calling for Christians in America to stand up and be counted. I’m calling for Christians to honor God’s Law, His way of doing things. A nation that denounces God’s Law is bound to fail. That is, my friend,
lesson of history. Pastor T.

Writes devotions