Suffering Gracefully
“There are many Christians today who suffer from the idolatry called democratitus. Don't worry if you've never heard of that word because you probably haven't since I made it up. It's the worship of democracy. These Christians believe that democracy is God's own political system and they peg it at the same level as the Gospel itself. Whilst democracy has much to commend it to be sure, it is not a Biblical concept at all, but a Greek one! Democracy only works as long as the people are righteous. Once they are not, democracy is just another license to wickedness. The Bible offers no support to those who believe that one should always support democratic institutions and become the enemy of dictatorship. The Bible actually does not care about worldly political systems in the least bit. Indeed, it would favor a righteous dictatorship over a democratic system that continually legislates wicked practices. You can be a good and happy Christian whether in a totalitarian state or a democratic one. Both types of state persecute Christians in any case albeit in different ways. Thus when Peter commands respect for the emperor he could as easily have meant a democratically-elected president or prime minister as a dictator. The Romans were, after all, dictators - the people didn't elect them, much less the Christians to whom Peter is writing!” Christopher C. Warren (The New Covenant Church of God; Arvika, Sweden)......So, folks... Does the God of the Bible really not care about worldly political systems? Has the God of the Bible really put ALL His chips on the table where it says "The only thing that matters is how individuals love one another"...?
posted by TheOldMan @ 2:26 AM
