Are You Prepared to Follow God, or our government, Regardless of the Cost? How far is it possible for the Christian to live at peace with all men? “It is possible for him to be at peace with all men, so far as he himself is concerned, all the time. For he is dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto Christ. Christ dwells in his heart by faith, and Christ is the Prince of peace. Then there are no circumstances under which the Christian is justified in losing his temper and declaring war either against an individual or a government . . .” Ibid, p 13.191 If those in authority steel their hearts against the truth of God, and will not be affected by the truth, they will make trouble, but the trouble will be on their part; with us there will be peace all the time. “If you suffer for righteousness’ sake, happy are you; and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled; but sanctify the Lord God in your hearts; and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asks you a reason of the hope (literally – expectation) that is in you with meekness and fear.” 1 Peter 3:14,15 Disobeyed the King’s Order Daniel was “set up” by those in the court who were jealous of the respect given to Daniel by the king. The king was deceived by these jealous men into signing a law that for thirty days, no one could worship any God or man except the king. The penalty was death in the Lions’ den. Daniel refused to obey the law of the land when it went against God’s law. So he continued to pray three times a day to the God of heaven. Spies told the king that someone had disobeyed his order. When the king found out that those in his court had plotted against Daniel, he was very sorrowful, but had to uphold his own law and decreed that Daniel go into the Lions’ Den. As we know, God “shut the lions’ mouths” and saved Daniel. Then the king ordered the wicked men who conspired against Daniel, and their families, thrown into the same Lions’ den, and the lions tore them all to pieces. It is important to note that God did not prevent Daniel from going into the Lions’ den. Instead, God miraculously delivered Daniel by shutting the lions’ mouths. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego Disobeyed the King’s Order In Daniel, Chapter 3, we read the story of the three young Israelites who were ordered by King Nebuchadnezzar to bow down, along with all the other government leaders in Babylon, to the statue of gold the king had built. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refused to obey the law of the land when it was in conflict with God’s law which says, “Thou shalt have no other gods before Me.” Exodus 20:3 The penalty for refusing to bow down was certain death in a fiery furnace. The king gave the three young men one more chance to bow down to his statue. They again refused. The king was furious and ordered his men to make the furnace seven times hotter – so hot that the king’s men died from the heat as they threw the three young men into the furnace. They said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. “But if not, be it known unto you, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which you have set up.” Daniel 3:16-18 But the Bible tells us that not only did the three young men survive, a fourth “man” – one like the Son of God – was seen walking with them in the fire. When the three young men were taken out of the fiery furnace alive, not a hair of their head was singed, neither did their clothes even smell of the fire. How Should We React When Government Makes Laws that Conflict with God’s Law? Don’t be afraid of the terror. Why? Because we have sanctified the Lord God in our hearts, and He is our fear. God is with us, Christ is with us, and when men cast reproaches upon us, they cast them upon our Savior. The most important thing for all of us who have this truth that is bound to bring us into trouble with the powers that be, is to sanctify the Lord God in our hearts by the Spirit of God and His word. We must become students of the Word of God, and followers of Christ and His gospel. It is our duty to preach the gospel - to arise and let our light shine, and if we do that, God will hold the winds as long as they ought to be held. But the gospel will never be brought to the world by people who keep quiet about it, but by those who have their trust in God, and are not afraid to speak the words that He has given them. In doing this we will not take our lives into our hands, our lives will be hid with Christ in God and He will care for them. The truth will be brought to this high place simply by men and women going forth and preaching the gospel and obeying that which they preach. Let the people know the truth. If we have a peaceful time in which to spread it, we will be thankful for that. And if men make laws that would seem to cut off the channels through which it can go, we can be thankful that we worship a God who makes even the wrath of men to praise Him; and He will do it, - He will spread His gospel by means of those very laws that wicked men have enacted to crush out its life. God holds the winds and He commands us to carry the message. He will hold them as long as it is best for them to be held. Our job is to teach the Good News about God, to tell the truth about prophecy, and God will open the eyes and ears of those destined to “hear.” The final answer to the question of the Believer and Civil Government is: “We ought to obey God rather than man.” Acts 5:29 BY BROTHER JOE
Posted on: Sat, 14 Sep 2013 09:36:51 +0000