Robert Hibbard Retired Christian High School Teacher

This gets into the mystery of God's sovereignty and man's choice. Since I believe in God's ultimate sovereignty over all things, I have to say that the leaders that come in to place are within the scope of God's plan (see Daniel 2:21). And yet I also believe that where there is choice, e.g. and election, God uses that to bring about His will. Though I don't deny an aspect of "free will" wherein we can make choices, ultimately our choices will never overrule, or thwart, God's ultimate plan.

March 02 2023 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Justin Hale

GOD only establishes or removes something called 'supreme authorities,' (Biblical Greek: 'hyperechō exousia,' Romans 13:1). Jesus describes them when He gives us His now famous 'Turn the other cheek' commands, (Matthew 5:39-41), which the secular world has intentionally twisted and distorted into a false message of absolute pacifism and Christian subservience to any form of their 'exerted power.'

In reality, Jesus was only giving us these commands regarding 'supreme authorities' which are secular entities capable of doing the three things He mentions: 

1) Physically approaching you to actually assault you, (through whatever defenses or escapes you may have available); 2) Suing you in court and literally coming to collect; 3) Compelling you to serve them physically by force.

Jesus is saying to us that any person or group of people actually capable of this and willing to do it, (not just 'threatening' it), are 'supreme authorities' established by GOD to teach us something. So not only should we 'obey' them, but we should 'double-obey' them out of recognition of GOD being present there as our Teacher. Consequently, this is also a direct prohibition against fighting 'lost causes' and 'suicide missions.' 

You should note that Jesus obeyed this Himself, NOT 'turning the other cheek,' for example, to angry mobs with aims to stone Him or hurl Him off of cliffs. In these cases, scripture tells us that He 'passed through their midst and went on His way,' (Luke 4:28-30, John 10:39).

These were not 'supreme authorities.' They only represented the 'wrath of men.'

"For the wrath of man does not achieve the righteousness of God." (James 1:20).

So who EXACTLY are we 'voting' into office? Are we governed by an actual 'supreme authority?' Or is the authority we see only a manifestation of the 'wrath of men?'

We actually have the liberty granted to us by GOD to attempt to 'prove' this one way or the other. So we are allowed to set up 'defenses' and 'escape plans' using the greatest form of genius available to us. Interestingly, the purpose of these secular 'supreme authorities' has always been to teach us exactly how to establish those 'defenses' and 'escape plans.'

At the far end of the 'divine learning curve' GOD envisions a system of 'social defenses and escape plans' for preserving liberty from tyranny, that ONLY He can circumvent. Thus, there will remain only one 'supreme authority.' That 'Supreme Authority' is the ONLY one truly dedicated to preserving liberty itself, (2 Corinthians 3:17).

We are, in effect, being 'trained' to ultimately welcome the coming kingdom of GOD. We should be well versed in the art of 'double-obedience' by then!

However, we need to also have the courage NOT to treat the undeserving or tricksters as 'supreme authorities,' giving away our power without making them 'prove' it. 

For example, Jesus made His disciples quite nervous by refusing to pay taxes until Caesar's thugs physically came out to inquire whether He actually pays taxes or not. When these men did approach the disciples, they immediately answered, 'yes.' However, they went and asked Jesus directly.

Jesus reasoned that only 'foreigners' are obligated, (they were forced to pay tribute by conquering powers), and that 'the sons' (that is, 'citizens'), were 'naturally exempt.' However, Jesus 'double-paid' the taxes, using a coin recovered by His disciples from inside a fish. In essence, Jesus was 'finding and returning' some of Caesar's own misappropriated wealth instead of using His own, (Matthew 17:24-27). 

That is actually our model for when we are 'forced' to pay taxes. Otherwise, we are admitting that we are 'conquered foes' of our own government. 

Who are YOU electing?

Are you voting for those who recognize this model or those who think that citizens should be 'funding' everything themselves while they get away with 'misappropriating' your money?

Are you part of 'finding and exposing' that misappropriation before surrendering any more?

March 03 2023 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report