(as posted for the FB group Treasure in Jars of Clay in Northern Luzon)
Whether those whom we voted for won or lost in the election last May 9, the winners will take their oath and assume their responsibilities on June 30. What must we now do with them, most especially with those whom we did not vote for?
Firstly, let us acknowledge that God institutes or establishes every civil authority (Romans 13:1). As I confessed in my last post, I did not vote for BBM and Sara. But now that they won, whatever Biblical bases I had in not voting for them, I must now recognize them as the ones whom God wills to be our next highest national executive officials. Paul’s statement in Romans 13:1 is clear: “. . . there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.” This principle applies, not only to the president and vice president but also to all the other national and local officials who won the election. The final rule and arbiter concerning who should rule our country is, not us and our votes, but God and His sovereign will.
Secondly, let us submit ourselves to these governing authorities. In verses 1-5 of Romans 13, Paul exhorts Christians to submit themselves to the governing authorities because God instituted them to do good to the citizens whom the Christians were among. When we study carefully the “good” that the civil government ruler (magistrate) must do to his constituents we will know that it refers to at least four things: (1) Protection of human life; (2) administration of civil justice; (3) promotion of social harmony; (4) security of civil requirements. Thus, we must submit ourselves to our newly elected government officials because God instituted them to do us these things. Paul explains in the same place that rebelling against them is rebelling against God who instituted them. Peter, in verses 13-17 of the second chapter of his First Epistle, exhorts Christians as Paul does. He adds that they must submit to the governing authorities for the Lord’s sake. The authorities that Peter refers to is the emperor and the governors whom he sent to “punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right” (v.14). Take note that in Peter’s time, the emperor and his governors were killing the Christians because they hated Christianity, yet Peter exhorted God’s people to submit themselves to these authorities.
Thirdly, let us pray for these governing authorities, that is, let us make intercessions and thanksgiving for them “that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way” (1 Timothy 2:1-2). Paul tells us that doing this is good and “pleasing in the sight of God our Savior,
who desires all people,” that is, all people groups including the civil government officials, “to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:3).
Fourthly, let us disobey in a non-violent way these governing authorities if they will command what the Bible prohibits and prohibit what the Bible commands. In the New Testament time, the governing emperor instituted puppet rulers in the nations that he ruled, including Israel. His puppet rulers in Israel were the king and Judaic religious leaders. These puppet rulers prohibited the Christians from proclaiming the resurrection of Christ and persecuted and incarcerated them for their stubborn actions. We can see in the whole Book of Acts that despite this they insisted on proclaiming the gospel and endured these puppet leaders’ violent treatment without resisting them violently. This descriptive Biblical truth teaches us that we must submit ourselves to our newly elected governing officials if they will fulfill their God-given duties to protect human life, administer civil justice, promote social harmony, and secure civil requirements; but that we must disobey them non-violently if they will make and enforce laws that prohibit what the Bible commands and laws that command what the Bible prohibits.
Lastly, let all Christians repent and obey God’s laws, and beg for God’s mercy on the church. As I showed in my last post, God does not handpick women to occupy the top seats of the judicial, legislative, and executive branches of our government, and the seats whose occupants can become the chief officials of these branches by the law of succession. I also showed that when God allows women to occupy these seats it means that He is making a testimony against the church’s sinfulness and disobedience to His laws. We have a woman Vice President again, and she can, by the law of succession, become the President. There are also many elected women officials for the chief and vice chief seats at our local government level. Christians like me must not take this lightly. Let us repent and obey God’s words, and beg God to be merciful to us. Let us also ask Him to grant us the strength to overcome the pain of submitting ourselves to these women governing authorities who are monuments of God’s disappointment over His church’s rebelliousness before Him.//
- Rev. Marlon P. Launio (Teaching Elder, Hope Presbyterian Church)
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