The Old Schoolhouse Magazine

and should pray toward the end that only good men be placed in positions of power so they could take advantage of the Bible’s promise that “[w]hen the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn” (Proverbs 29: 2).

The Bible, however, contains just as many examples of God raising up wicked and unjust governments and using them to accomplish His purposes. God turns the most wicked and vile ruler’s heart however He wants it: “The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will” (Proverbs 21: 1).

Sometimes God uses hostile powers to punish His people (Jeremiah 51:11a). At other times He uses them to rescue His people (Daniel 2: 37–38). At still other times, God uses wicked people to proclaim His salvation (John 19: 10–11) or to glorify His name (Romans 9: 17, Exodus 9: 16). No ruler rises up unless and until God gives him the power and authority to do so.

Thus, when Christians stand before a court or a state legislature, they are standing before an institution raised up by God, whether that arm of government is good or bad. Fortunately, in the United States, God has instituted a government in which Christians can play an important and active role.

III. Government is sustained and removed at God’s pleasure.

Governments succeed and fail according to God’s good pleasure. When God ceases sustaining a government, that government is finished governing. Many Old Testament passages show how it pleased God to remove certain rulers.

The book of Daniel describes how
God removed Nebuchadnezzar, the
King of Babylon, from power. Nebu-
chadnezzar was a vile man, vaunted
in his imagination and almost unsur-
passed in his wickedness. After he
dreamed a troubling dream, he called
Daniel to interpret it. Daniel reluctant-
ly told Nebuchadnezzar that, although
God had raised him to great power
and authority, He was going to remove
Nebuchadnezzar from his position as
king. For seven years, Nebuchadnezzar
would go insane and live like an ani-
mal and then would be restored to the
throne when he recognized that God,
not the king, was in control:
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This matter is by the decree of the watchers, and the demand by the word of the holy ones: to the intent that the living may know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the basest of men (Daniel 4: 17).

Governments
succeed and fail
according to God’s
good pleasure.

The dream was fulfilled according to God’s Word. Indeed, the king’s sanity was restored to him when he blessed and praised God for His everlasting dominion and kingdom. Nebuchadnezzar finally declared:

And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou? (Daniel 4: 35).

necessarily obeying God. In fact, Christians are not obedient to government because they are good citizens; Christians are good citizens because they are obedient to God.

Christians must not determine to obey only a just government, because there will never be a truly just government until Jesus rules and reigns in eternity. Christians may only disobey that portion of the law that violates their faith, and they should always be careful to obey those portions of the law that do not violate their faith.

The obedient Christian should obey every part of the law that he can without actually violating his faith. A Christian’s credibility is destroyed when an opponent proves in front of a judge and jury that most of the Christian’s disobedience is not attached to his faith. Disobedience of laws for reasons unrelated to faith and conscience is disobedience to God Himself and could very well destroy the righteous stand being honorably taken by the Christian.

Fortunately, as Americans, we can still thank God for His blessing in raising up a good government for our nation. Not only is our government good, but its foundational documents based our laws on the laws of God. It is a blessing to obey laws that are based on God’s law.

IV. Christians who want to obey God must obey government. Obedience to government is obedience to God. Conversely, to disobey government is to disobey God, which is a sin. Christians are to obey government because God commands it, not merely because they are politically conservative or patriotic or good citizens. Christians are not to obey only those governments that are just. Many people who are conservative or who love their country or who are good U.S. citizens are not

Attorney David C. Gibbs III has represented Americans across the country in issues of life and liberty. For twenty years he served as general counsel at the Christian Law Association and is the current president of the National Center for Life and Liberty ( www.ncll.org and www.home schoollegaladvantage.com), with offices in Texas, Florida, and Washington, D.C. Mr. Gibbs is the father of four children and husband to Mrs. Carin Gibbs.