FREEDOM THROUGH MILITARY VICTORY Divine Institution #4 - The National Entity (cont...) From these the coastlands of the nations were separated into their lands [geographically], every one according to his language, according to their families [race], into their nations. (Gen 10:5) If everyone in the world spoke the same language, wickedness would intensify. Different languages and the founding of the client nation to God constitute a divine barrier against the proliferation of evil. The Apostle Pauls address to the Athenians establishes the validity of the fourth divine institution for the Church Age, allowing Christians to apply the ancient lesson from Babel to the current dispensation. Paul emphasizes that Gods purpose in separating the nations and setting the boundaries of their habitation is that they should seek God rather that be inordinately impressed with human achievement embodied in the religion, philosophy, and poetry of the Greeks (Acts 17:26-27; cf., 17-21, 23-28). National entities exist to prevent the world from degenerating into chaos. God sanctions nations to restrain mans sin nature. They provide a deterrent against the tyranny Satan seeks to perpetuate on the human race and the lethal tendencies of mankind. God also sanctions government as the authority within a national entity to restrain the unbridled evil that man without boundaries will commit. Government is designed to protect individual volition through law enforcement and external security through military preparedness (1 Pet 2:13-14) Let every person be in subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God. Therefore, he who resist authority has opposed the ordinance of God, and they who have opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves. For rulers [government] are not a cause of fear for good behavior, but for evil. Do you want to have no fear of authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same; for it is a minister of God to you for good. But if you do what is evil, be afraid; for it does not bear the sword [capital punishment] for nothing; for it is a minister of God, an avenger [arbiter of justice] who brings wrath upon the one who practices evil. Wherefore it is necessary to be in subjection [to the authority], not only because of wrath, but also for conscience sake. For because of this you also pay taxes, for rulers are servants to God, devoting themselves to this very thing. Render to all what is due them: tax to whom tax is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honor to whom honor. (Rom. 13:1-7) God ordained that rulers should obey and defend the laws of divine establishment. Likewise, every inhabitant of a nation, whether believer or unbeliever, is exhorted to obey the authority of the ruler. Significantly, Romans 13:1-7 was penned during the reign of the emperor Nero, on of the most tyrannical and unjust regimes in the history of the Roman Empire. The Scripture does not condone the practices of any tyrant, but neither does oppressive governance negate the principle of obedience to authority (Titus 2:15; 3:1). Regardless of the character of a ruler, his office represents the divinely delegated authority in that nation. The office, if not the man, should always be respected. To be continued...
Posted on: Sun, 16 Nov 2014 23:00:38 +0000
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