Reformed Living

For several months now I have been searching the Word to find God-given Principles for my self and, hopefully, for others as well to guide us in how we chose a Candidate for President this very confusing and conflicted year.  I have found the study fascinating, but also very complex.  Here is a Summary so far.  I know the issues people "on the street" talk about have to do with jobs, credit, debt and taxes- the fall-out of the "Great Recession" and how to recover and "get back on track again- Economics.  Of course there are many other Issues, from Immigration to the War on Terror and trouble in the Middle East- Foreign Policy.  But, underneath all this debate is a more fundamental one:  what is to be the purpose and extent of the Federal Government in our lives.  Connected most often with that Topic is another: Human Rights.  What are they and what does Government have to do with them?

Francis Schaeffer presents an extensive argument from Scripture and History in support of Civil Disobedience in his "Christian Manifesto".  I will use it as a basis to formulate my own understanding of the subject vis-a-vis how the Colonials were thinking prior to the American Revolution.  We have already established elsewhere that there is a Biblical basis for believing

1.  Government as such is instituted by God for the well-being of a Country

2.  A particular King [or Substitute] is subservient to God and exists as His servant and is accountable to Him for his actions

3.  A King serves his people but that must be under the Law of God and according to it.

4.  As such, the People must obey and support the King (pay taxes)

5.  This arrangement between God and King and People is a Covenant or Contract. 

6.  If and when a King [or Substitute] puts Himself above the Law of God and does not serve Him, ie- if he should break the Covenant, the People are not to obey him. To do so would be to disobey God!  They believe that God will judge the King and remove him in time.

Most Biblical Christians will agree with these propositions. Certainly the majority of people in Medieval Europe, England and the Colonists agreed.  More debate comes with the next point.

7.  Civil disobedience to an ungodly King and suffering for it is not enough in some cases. If the King's actions threatened to destroy the Country or all the Christians in it, the latter have the duty to resist, by violence if necessary. 

I have been studying the history and origins of America's Founding Documents for several months now.  A person could (and many have) devoted their careers to studying, writing and teaching on this Subject.  It has been fascinating and I want to learn more.  But I have reached the point where I can draw conclusions and be personally satisfied that there is adequate, ample evidence for them.  I will add more Essays, but here for now is a brief Summary-