Romans 13:1 “Let everyone be
subject to the governing authorities for there is no authority except that
which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by
God.” You ask, why submit ourselves to governing authorities? Because He put them in place and gave them power. Obeying them is not an option. Obeying them is God's will.
Titus 3:1 “Remind the people to
be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do
whatever is good.” Don’t let them forget this is what they are supposed to
do…doing good is the idea. And not only were authorities to be obeyed, they
were to be prayed for. 1 Timothy 2:1 “I
urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and
thanksgiving be made for all people…”
In his own memoirs, John Jay,
America’s first Supreme Court Justice wrote these words: “Providence has given to our people the
choice of their rulers, and it is the duty, as well as the privilege and
interest of our Christian nation, to select and prefer Christians for their
rulers.” Does it sound like John Jay believed that politics and religion were not to
mix?
As captivating as the scriptures are, I found something
just as fascinating…that the organizers of our nation not only believed that
religion had a place in politics…they put it at the very heart of the founding
of our nation.
Take a
few moments to read what America’s Founders stated…Patrick Henry
said, “It cannot
be emphasized too strongly or too often that this great nation was founded, not
by religionists, but by Christians, not on religions, but on the gospel of
Jesus Christ!”
During the Presidency of James Madison, the House and Senate passed this
resolution requesting that the he recommend a day of national public repentance
and prayer, which President Madison
passed on July 9, 1812. Here is part of that proclamation:
“Whereas the Congress of the United
States, by a joint resolution of the two Houses have signified a request, that
a day may be recommended, to be observed by the people of the United States,
with religious solemnity, as a day of public humiliation and prayer…”
Can you imagine this happening today? Can you imagine a Bipartisan Congress
putting aside their political differences and calling on the president to
proclaim a national day of repentance and prayer? Sounds like President James
Madison and the Congress of his day believed that religion and politics should
exist together.
In the first farewell address of any president, George Washington wrote: “Of all the dispositions and habits, which lead to political prosperity, religion and morality are indispensable supports. In vain would that man claim the tribute of patriotism who should labor to subvert these great pillars of human happiness—these firmest props of the duties of men and citizens. …forbid us to expect that national morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle. It is substantially true that virtue or morality is a necessary spring of popular government.”
Friends, we have been deceived too long that faith and politics
should not mix. And we have believed it… And we have heard it long enough that
we believed it to be true, even though the Bible and our Founding Fathers said
otherwise.
Look at what President John Adams
said: “Our Constitution was made only for
a moral and religious people...it is wholly inadequate to the government of any
other. “
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