Fear, Honor and Submission

Yesterday, a free people elected a new government in the United States of America. Unlike much of the world, the election was completely without force of arms and absent violence and intimidation. God has truly blessed us as He has few others with peaceful transitions of governments. There has never been a “night of the long knives” as there was in Nazi Germany. We have never seen the guillotine in our public squares as did revolutionary France. We have never seen a bloody communist revolution as did Russia and China. We have never seen a Cromwell execute a sitting monarch as did Great Britton. Why is this so? It is so because the United States of America was founded on the principle that the rights of man descend from God and not other men. Liberty is a gift of God, not a thing to be grasped from other men.

We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal and are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights, among which are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. – The Preamble to the Declaration of Independence

Regardless of who each of us as individual citizens might have preferred to obtain the various offices, God’s Will has now been accomplished. It is now our collective opportunity and duty to hold them all up often to Heaven’s providence, care and protection that they might govern in such a way as to make possible the furtherance of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. To do so is God’s express will for it is the purpose of Heaven to lift up various souls to govern. From the lowliest elected clerk all the way to President-elect Obama, we are enjoined by God to continually lift them all up in prayer.

Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceful life in all godliness and reverence. – I Timothy 2:1-2 (NKJV)

We are all blessed by God to have this opportunity for it glorifies Him as our ultimate king. I am told that Thomas Paine was asked after the Revolutionary War if America would ever have a king. Reportedly he replied, “America already has a king, the Lord of Heaven.” God places whom He wills to govern the affairs of men. It is, therefore, our collective opportunity and duty to fear God, to honor the king and to submit to the ruling authorities as we “proclaim liberty throughout the land.” Let us join with Peter and “Honor all people. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king.” – I Peter 1:17 (NKJV)

May the God of Heaven bless the church of Christ and the United States of America! May He bless every leader for the sake of the gospel! May that gospel ever be proclaimed from our shores, from “sea to shining sea,” until He comes!

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