Dr. Tackett begins this lesson by saying that the student may not love this tour because it’s where many students learn that they’ve been captivated by the world. Whoa! He is not pulling any punches. Praise Jesus!
According to the Webster’s 1928 Dictionary, politics is the science of government and a part of ethics. What? Ethics? Really? This definition goes on to say that politics is supposed to preserve and improve our morals. Did I miss something? That is so not what politics in the USA looks like!
We must ask ourselves how God sees the ethics vs. morals dilemma. Dr. Tackett talks about stealing. The taking of what is not yours implies ownership of property. Tackett poses the question: Can the state steal? The answer is a resounding YES! Did you know that there are some laws that allow the state to steal half the property of a dead man? Look it up. Then take the time to have your Last Will and Testament drawn up!
We must remember that God is in control. He is sovereign over all kings and has placed over each of us the “rulers” to whom we must submit. The contents of the “state” sphere are God, the king and the citizens. And this sphere can become the most terrible monster of all! The state sphere is not sovereign over all of the other spheres (Family, Labor, Church, God & Man, Community). The idea of sphere sovereignty is absolutely critical to God! Take a look at 2 Chronicles 26. Tackett calls this one of the saddest chapters in the Bible. I would have to agree. It shows how the state blurs that line of sovereignty and the corruption that ensues.
Romans 13 tells us that the king is supposed to be God’s servant. This is a powerful responsibility. And sadly, it’s a responsibility that is too often taken lighty and its power is abused. The role of the civil authority is to punish evil and condone good. This means that both good and evil exist and that the civil authority must be able to distinguish between the two. Therefore the civil authority is the delegated agent of God’s wrath. Does this even remotely resemble our government? I wonder what standard our leaders are using to determine right from wrong.
What has happened in our nation and others is that the state is exercising sovereignty over the other spheres. In doing so, God becomes a problem and must be eliminated. The New World Order tells us that we must save ourselves. Then the state becomes the savior to the people that God alone should be.
There are five attributes that marked the Roman Empire when it came to an end: A mounting love of show and luxury; An obsession with sex; Freakishness in the arts; Enthusiasms pretending to be creativity; and An increased desire to live off of the state. Sound familiar?
Dr. Tackett ends our tour with a few questions that we need to ask ourselves: Am I wanting the state to do something because it benefits me and I don’t care if the state “steals” from someone else? Is that the Biblical role of the state? Have we entered into partnership with the state when it violates God’s laws?
Three compelling questions. But what I want to know is how do I change things? Once I’ve asked myself those questions and gotten a less-than-stellar answer, how do I make a difference? Do I live under man’s law as the authority that God placed over me? Or do I take a stand for God’s law? It looks like I have a lot of praying and studying to do.
We must remember that God is in control. He is sovereign over all kings and has placed over each of us the “rulers” to whom we must submit. The contents of the “state” sphere are God, the king and the citizens. And this sphere can become the most terrible monster of all! The state sphere is not sovereign over all of the other spheres (Family, Labor, Church, God & Man, Community). The idea of sphere sovereignty is absolutely critical to God! Take a look at 2 Chronicles 26. Tackett calls this one of the saddest chapters in the Bible. I would have to agree. It shows how the state blurs that line of sovereignty and the corruption that ensues.
Romans 13 tells us that the king is supposed to be God’s servant. This is a powerful responsibility. And sadly, it’s a responsibility that is too often taken lighty and its power is abused. The role of the civil authority is to punish evil and condone good. This means that both good and evil exist and that the civil authority must be able to distinguish between the two. Therefore the civil authority is the delegated agent of God’s wrath. Does this even remotely resemble our government? I wonder what standard our leaders are using to determine right from wrong.
What has happened in our nation and others is that the state is exercising sovereignty over the other spheres. In doing so, God becomes a problem and must be eliminated. The New World Order tells us that we must save ourselves. Then the state becomes the savior to the people that God alone should be.
There are five attributes that marked the Roman Empire when it came to an end: A mounting love of show and luxury; An obsession with sex; Freakishness in the arts; Enthusiasms pretending to be creativity; and An increased desire to live off of the state. Sound familiar?
Dr. Tackett ends our tour with a few questions that we need to ask ourselves: Am I wanting the state to do something because it benefits me and I don’t care if the state “steals” from someone else? Is that the Biblical role of the state? Have we entered into partnership with the state when it violates God’s laws?
Three compelling questions. But what I want to know is how do I change things? Once I’ve asked myself those questions and gotten a less-than-stellar answer, how do I make a difference? Do I live under man’s law as the authority that God placed over me? Or do I take a stand for God’s law? It looks like I have a lot of praying and studying to do.
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