The President is Not the Commander-In-Chief

Yes, the president of the United States holds in his hands great power and authority.  There is no single human being more powerful than he in the governments of the world.  However, ultimately, it is not the president who is in charge of the world, or even the United States.  Rather, it is God.         

God is the ruler of the United States

The kingdom is the LORD'S and He rules over the nations.  Psalm 22:28
God is not just the ruler of heaven, but he is the ruler of all the nations on earth.  He is the one in charge of all political entities.  On the surface, it may look like that He is not doing a very good job of ruling—things seem chaotic.  However, the Lord’s rule is much like the president’s—if people chose to have an attitude against him, there is little that he would chose to do.  God is rarely in the business of controlling the world, or in sending in the troops to punish a rebel.  Rather, God’s choice is to wait and call people to His ways.God is not only the one in charge of the governments of the world, but he also watches who is ruling every nation in the world, including the United States.  There are some he particularly places in power in order to rule righteously, or to punish the wicked.  There are others he deposes because they have acted in opposition to the Lord, because they were arrogant or because they were excessively violent.  The Lord allows each nation to rule its own affairs, until he sees terrible injustice or oppression—and then he will act swiftly.

God’s purposes are not the president’s purposes

The LORD nullifies the counsel of the nations; He frustrates the plans of the peoples. The counsel of the LORD stands forever, The plans of His heart from generation to generation. Psalm 38:10-11

Any president, any ruler in the world, sees things differently than God.  Rulers of a nation desires to have their nation succeed, to have their agenda passed and to have their nation be secure.  However, God does not look at the world through the perspective of one nation alone, but he sees all the peoples of the world.  The Lord wants to have his glory be known throughout all the earth—and the Lord can see today that there is much work that needs to be done in this.  God wishes to have all people on the earth live according to his will and his principles of devotion and care for all people—but few wish to live in accord with that.  The Lord desires his chosen people (those faithful to Him) to be secure—but he can see persecution and hatred against his people.

            A ruler’s goal of establishing peace in his nation may in fact be in accord with God’s notion—depending on who the president wishes to punish in order to obtain that peace.  Also depending on how much violence he is willing to use to obtain a peace.  God does not see one nation or one group of people as being unworthy of forgiveness, as long as they repent.  And it is the Lord’s agenda to see that all people have an opportunity to repent.  This plan is rarely in agreement with a president’s idea of security.

God’s plan is not the president’s plan

 “My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways," declares the LORD. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways And My thoughts than your thoughts.” Isaiah 55:8-9

The current president has certain plans for Iraq, certain plans for social security and certain plans to boost the economy.  He is sure that he can make the United States a strong country through economic and military might.  God’s plans for the U.S. are completely different, because he is looking at a different perspective.  The Lord knows that ultimately, strength and wealth come only from him, not from a military or economic power of the world.   God’s plans are for making the U.S. more righteous, and so to obtain strength and wealth from Him.  It is the Lord’s plan to see those who despise him repent, so he can offer inner peace to them.  It is God’s plan to personally judge those who oppress the poor who cry out to him.

Knowing this, how are we to respond?

a. Give Honor to the President

Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every human institution, whether to a king as the one in authority, or to governors as sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and the praise of those who do right. For such is the will of God that by doing right you may silence the ignorance of foolish men. Honor all people, love the brotherhood, fear God, honor the king.  I Peter 2:13-17

The president does, in a way, sit in God’s seat, and so we are always to honor him and to submit to him, even if he is an evil man, and especially if he is not.  We are not to be disrespectful, but we are to follow the laws as we can and be good citizens, doing good to everyone.  No matter how bad we consider a president to be, as followers of Jesus we should not insult a president or spread rumors about a president. 

 

b. Depend on God to do justice

Do not trust in princes, In mortal man, in whom there is no salvation. His spirit departs, he returns to the earth; In that very day his thoughts perish. How blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, Whose hope is in the LORD his God.  Psalm 146:3-5

There are two focuses of justice and law.   One is to fulfill the earthly-focused purposes, and that is done through men’s laws—this is what the president focuses on.  The other is to fulfill God’s desire (divine justice) and that is done through God’s law.  If we really want to gain well-being, security and wealth in our lives, we need to focus on God accomplishing his own justice, and not through frail men.  Humans are weak and they will mess up in numerous ways to create justice.  God sees all and knows all truth and will make sure that justice is done to those who ask him to judge on earth (Luke 18:1-8).

            Even if a president is Christian and he prays a lot, that does not mean that he is necessarily righteous.  Praying to God by itself does not mean that one is focused on the law and justice of God—it just means that they want to have God do what they want.  The only kind of prayer God will answer is the prayer of faith.  This prayer is not just believing enough, but being faithful in God and desiring his desires and being willing to do whatever he says.  The only Christian who is worth focusing on is the one who fully obeys the law of Christ—to love his neighbor as himself, to be humble in his leadership, to be devoted to God before his country. 

            c. Change the President’s mind

The king's heart is like channels of water in the hand of the LORD; He turns it wherever He wishes.    Proverbs 21:1

The Lord can take even the most wicked king, and control decisions he makes—for good or for judgement.  Even as every ruler is weak in some ways, the Lord will assist them at times to make decisions that will ultimately be for God’s glory.  This is an amazing process and God is at work at it all the time.  And he also invites us to participate in this powerful political process.  He invites his faithful people—those who have God’s glory and the good of humanity at the front of their minds—to mediate for decisions that need to be made.  All changes of a ruler’s heart is ultimately determined by the Lord, but he welcomes the input of those who are faithful.

The final result

The Lord is at Your right hand; He will shatter kings in the day of His wrath. He will judge among the nations, He will fill them with corpses, He will shatter the chief men over a broad country.  Psalm 110:5-6

Eventually, one president or another will rebel against the Lord.  They will stand against God’s people and persecute them.  They will look at the oppressed and laugh and cause them to die.  And when it happens, the United States will be judged by God.  This is not unique,  God will eventually judge every nation of the world.  He awaits the nations to show their selfish focus by oppressing the poor, either in their own nation or in others.  The U.S. has already oppressed the poor in the past, yet the patience of the Lord is the only thing that has kept Him from judging the U.S.  The Lord showed patience as the U.S. were oppressing the Native Americans and the African Americans.  That patience bore out, for the U.S. is treating those groups much better now. 

But the U.S. is continuing to oppress other nations around the world, and the Lord’s patience is only so long.   Let us pray for God’s glory.  Let us pray for the good of God’s people.  And let us pray for the gospel to be spread so all will have the opportunity to repent before the final day arrives.

The Christian and Government

What to recognize about human governments

v  The government is appointed by God

Every government only gains its authority from God—even evil governments.  Although governments may misuse or even abuse their authority, the authority itself comes from God.  Thus, we need to respect the authority of the government, no matter who is using it. (John 20:11)

v  The government represents God

The government is meant to do some of God’s work on earth—specifically, to punish those who do evil and to reward those who do good.  This does not mean that the government is God’s servant, necessarily.  Satan also punishes the evil at God’s bidding, but he is not an obedient servant of God.  But ideally, the government does God’s will. (Romans 13:1)

v  The government will be judged by God

Men do not have the right to judge governments.  Even as a government’s authority and work has been given to it by God, so it is God who evaluates and determines the fate of governments.  Often, God is patient and willing to wait for change.  But some governments will be destroyed by God immediately: specifically those treat the needy badly and those who do much unnecessary violence. (Psalm 82)

v  There is only one truly godly government

The only government that has been appointed, approved and having passed testing by God is the kingdom of God, led by Jesus.  No other government can call themselves approved by God.  Nor can any other government call itself truly “Christian.”  (John 18:36)

What not to do about human governments

v  Resist them when they do injustice against you

We do not rebel against authorities, but we are supposed to submit to them.  We don’t need to hate them or speak evil against them.  Instead, if a government does us wrong, we pray about it and ask God for justice. (Matthew 5:39)

v  Judge them for not following the laws or principles of God’s kingdom.

Although the governments represent God, they do not understand the principles of God, except in the most general notions.  And so it is not our job to judge them or condemn them for what they do not know.  We can inform them of what God says, but it is God’s right to judge them and to punish them if they were inadequate.  (I Corinthians 5:9-10)

v  Rebel against the authorities

We don’t need to do evil to the government.  If the government is to be fought against, then we can pray for God to judge them, according to his will.   (Romans 13:2)

v  Obey them when they tell you to disobey the principles of Jesus.

We must take care to always place God and God’s will in our lives above the government’s will and desire.  We submit to governments in all things except when they tell us to disregard the teachings of Jesus and the apostles. (Acts 4:19)

What to do with human governments

v  Give honor to whom honor is due

Government officials require that we speak politely to them, with the proper titles.  Whatever honor is expected, we should give it. (Romans 13:7)

v  Pay taxes when you are required to

All governments require us to pay taxes to them.  Even if you feel that the government isn’t representing you or doing what you think is right, you still have to pay the taxes that they demand of you. (Romans 13:7)

v  Pray for the leadership

We need to pray for government officials so that we will show respect for the officials, and also so God will direct the authorities to have wisdom to create a society of peace, so the church can do what God is directing them to do. (I Timothy 2:1-2)

v  Submit to authorities, even when you come to harm

We are to submit to authorities, even if they do evil, even if they irritate us, even if they harm us.  This is how we show that we are fully submitted to God and will do good, even if others do us evil. (I Peter 2:13-24)

v  Obey all laws, unless they tell you to disobey God

Since the governments have the authority of God and act for God, we need to obey them.  Even if you think the law is wrong or unjust, obey it.  The only time we disobey, is if they tell us to disobey God. (Colossians 3:22)

v  Do good to those who do harm to you

When government officials do harm to us, we are to respond with blessings and prayers for their benefit.  We do not curse them or abuse them, but instead do what we can to benefit them. (Romans 12:17-21)

v  Warn them away from God’s judgement by encouraging them to repent

If governmental officials do evil in God’s sight—especially if they are enacting unnecessary violence or harming the needy—they need to be warned that God will judge them unless they repent. (Ezekiel 33:9)

What Christians don’t have to do

v  Participate in the government

Many feel that it is one’s civic duty to vote in governmental elections, sign appropriate petitions or to participate in neighborhood meetings.  However, since we, as Christians, belong to the kingdom of God, we should focus our attention on participating with God’s people, not a secular government. (James 4:4)

v  Agree with any particular politics or politician

Some Christians feel that a certain politics is the only real Christian choice, or that a certain politician is the “godly candidate.”  However, we do not need to support any policy, politics or candidate.  Rather, we need to focus on policies and decisions within the church and among those who represent Jesus. (Ephesians 4:17-19)

v  Call the nation we live in “our country”

The nation of all those who follow Jesus is not the one they were born in or the one they live in—it is the kingdom of God.  And the kingdom of God has no king but God and no lord but Jesus and no realm on the earth.  The non-godly government we live in the midst of is not “our” country.  It is the country we live in .  Our nation is only the kingdom of God. (II Corinthians 6:14-18)

v  Protest injustices

The ungodly governments of this world will do unjust and evil things sometimes.  We do not need to protest them, although we might warn them what God will do in response.  Some might choose to protest, and receive what persecution comes with gladness.  But it is not necessary.  However, when some in the church who represent God does open evil, then we need to respond. (I Corinthians 5:9-11)

Honor government leaders, 

but focus on God’s will among God’s people