Christian citizenship in Church and State Civil Government Christian citizenship in Church and State

Outline • Lesson One—A Christian Is a Member of Two Kingdoms • Lesson Two—The Christian’s Responsibility to Civil Government • Lesson Three—What to Do If the Government Demands Disobedience to God • Lesson Four—The Business of the Church Is Not the Civil Government’s Business • Lesson Five—The Business of Civil Government Is Not the Church’s Business • Lesson Six—Christian Citizenship Is an Opportunity and a Challenge

Outline • Lesson One—A Christian Is a Member of Two Kingdoms • Lesson Two—The Christian’s Responsibility to Civil Government • Lesson Three—What to Do If the Government Demands Disobedience to God • Lesson Four—The Business of the Church Is Not the Civil Government’s Business • Lesson Five—The Business of Civil Government Is Not the Church’s Business • Lesson Six—Christian Citizenship Is an Opportunity and a Challenge

Questions to Ponder What should my attitude be toward government? What about my life as a Christian citizen? What about the proper relationship between church and state?

Question Why is government necessary? Although some people may conduct their lives with decency, others will not. The gov’t with is civil law controls and curbs evil at least to some extent.

Matthew 24:1,2 Jesus left the temple and was walking away when his disciples came up to him to call his attention to its buildings. 2 “Do you see all these things?” he asked. “I tell you the truth, not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.”

Ephesians 1:22,23 22 And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.

Outline • Lesson One—A Christian Is a Member of Two Kingdoms • Lesson Two—The Christian’s Responsibility to Civil Government • Lesson Three—What to Do If the Government Demands Disobedience to God • Lesson Four—The Business of the Church Is Not the Civil Government’s Business • Lesson Five—The Business of Civil Government Is Not the Church’s Business • Lesson Six—Christian Citizenship Is an Opportunity and a Challenge

Question Why is government necessary? Although some people may conduct their lives with decency, others will not. The gov’t with is civil law controls and curbs evil at least to some extent.

Question How do I vote if the only candidates available take an unscriptural position on a moral issue?

Government “Unfortunately, governments often have not been the blessing God intended. Often they have been models not of justice, but of injustice, not of peacekeeping but of violence and cruelty. That should not surprise us. The fall in the Garden of Eden had consequences that spread through all the institutions by which God intended to bless the human race. It brought tragedy to the family life of Adam and Eve. It destroyed any possibility of unity in the church, for most people rejected the promise of the Savior and set up their own forms of worship. But human perversions of God’s intentions do not cancel out those intentions. God calls government to serve as a blessing for his people and so rules history that in spite of human perversions, God’s will is done.” ~ Daniel Deutschlander Civil Government

Government “Unfortunately, governments often have not been the blessing God intended. Often they have been models not of justice, but of injustice, not of peacekeeping but of violence and cruelty. That should not surprise us. The fall in the Garden of Eden had consequences that spread through all the institutions by which God intended to bless the human race. It brought tragedy to the family life of Adam and Eve. It destroyed any possibility of unity in the church, for most people rejected the promise of the Savior and set up their own forms of worship. But human perversions of God’s intentions do not cancel out those intentions. God calls government to serve as a blessing for his people and so rules history that in spite of human perversions, God’s will is done.” ~ Daniel Deutschlander Civil Government

Government “Unfortunately, governments often have not been the blessing God intended. Often they have been models not of justice, but of injustice, not of peacekeeping but of violence and cruelty. That should not surprise us. The fall in the Garden of Eden had consequences that spread through all the institutions by which God intended to bless the human race. It brought tragedy to the family life of Adam and Eve. It destroyed any possibility of unity in the church, for most people rejected the promise of the Savior and set up their own forms of worship. But human perversions of God’s intentions do not cancel out those intentions. God calls government to serve as a blessing for his people and so rules history that in spite of human perversions, God’s will is done.” ~ Daniel Deutschlander Civil Government

Questions to Ponder What should my attitude be toward government? What about my life as a Christian citizen? What about the proper relationship between church and state?

The Two Kingdoms Christians are citizens of the kingdom of God through faith in Christ Jesus. We are also citizens of this other kingdom by virtue of our living in this world. Even though the first kingdom is by far the more important one, we cannot ignore this kingdom. God tells us he gives the government power and authority over us. God tells us about the blessings he wants to give us through government. God tells us about our responsibilities toward government. In the one kingdom God rules by his Word. In the other kingdom, God rules through government.

Church and State Church State: Head: Christ Government Mission: Make disciples Provide for the citizens. Means of Operation: Word/Sacrament Rules, threats, reason, punishment.

Abraham Lincoln “I know that the Lord is always on the side of the right. But it is my constant anxiety and prayer that I and this nation should be on the Lord’s side.”

Outline • Lesson One—A Christian Is a Member of Two Kingdoms • Lesson Two—The Christian’s Responsibility to Civil Government • Lesson Three—What to Do If the Government Demands Disobedience to God • Lesson Four—The Business of the Church Is Not the Civil Government’s Business • Lesson Five—The Business of Civil Government Is Not the Church’s Business • Lesson Six—Christian Citizenship Is an Opportunity and a Challenge

Outline • Lesson One—A Christian Is a Member of Two Kingdoms • Lesson Two—The Christian’s Responsibility to Civil Government • Lesson Three—What to Do If the Government Demands Disobedience to God • Lesson Four—The Business of the Church Is Not the Civil Government’s Business • Lesson Five—The Business of Civil Government Is Not the Church’s Business • Lesson Six—Christian Citizenship Is an Opportunity and a Challenge

Church and State Church State: Head: Christ Government Mission: Make disciples Provide for the citizens. Means of Operation: Word/Sacrament Rules, threats, reason, punishment.

Question How do I vote if the only candidates available take an unscriptural position on a moral issue?

Question Is religious freedom vs. equality under the law as in the Kim Davis situation an issue whereby we must obey God rather than men, or is the believer subject to obey the law when elected to uphold the law?

The situation you are referencing is a good reminder of how challenging it can be when Christians live in two kingdoms:  the church and the state.  While God’s word guides life in the church, natural law and human reason are to guide life in the state.  Sometimes the state enacts laws that are contrary to natural law and human reason.  What then?  Is the state, the government, still God’s servant (Romans 13)?  Yes, but not a very faithful servant.  God requires our respect of and obedience toward government officials not necessarily because they deserve respect and obedience by their actions but because governing authorities owe their existence to God, serving as his representatives. Christians who want to serve in the state can do so—even when laws run contrary to God’s word—by recognizing that the state operates on different principles than the church.  Moses recognized that.  As the leader of the church, he penned under inspiration of the Holy Spirit the establishment of marriage as a lifelong union between a man and a woman (Genesis 2:20-24).  As the leader of the state, he wrote certificates of divorce (Matthew 19:3-9) that served to preserve order among Israelite society.  A Christian judge might find himself in a similar situation:  being in full agreement with the Bible’s teachings of marriage and divorce (perhaps even taking part in a congregational vote on excommunication related to an unscriptural divorce), yet granting an unscriptural divorce in his court.  Such actions on his part are not hypocritical; they reflect his involvement as a member of the two kingdoms of church and state that operate with different guiding principles.

In the situation you referenced, we are not talking about a judge issuing a final decree of divorce for unscriptural reasons but a county clerk refusing to issue marriage certificates to people whose union is not biblical.  While same-sex marriage is ungodly, it is legal in our country.  Christians who find themselves in a situation where they are legally bound to issue marriage certificates to people of the same sex can take the approach of Moses or the Christian judge mentioned above, or they may take a different approach because of reasons of conscience. Here is where approaches will differ among Christians as they explore various options.  One of the options available for the person cited in your question is to seek a different vocation where conscience would not be disturbed.  Even though she was elected to her position, she is not forced to continue in her office against her will.  It would be very understandable if she resigned for reasons of conscience.  It would also be understandable if she followed a different course of action for reasons of conscience and suffered whatever consequences might follow. The bottom line is that there is no easy, one-size-fits-all answer to the question you posed.  Christians will prayerfully seek to determine how they can best serve and honor God as citizens of both kingdoms, recognizing the principles that guide each kingdom and applying them as faithfully as they can to their situations.

Philippians 2:1-8 If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2 then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. 4 Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. 5 Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: 6     Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, 7     but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8     And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death— even death on a cross!

Romans 13:1,2 Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. 2 Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. Respect for authority is required of all. Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, “for there is no authority except that which God has established.” Consider the context in which Paul is writing…

Romans 13:3-5 3 For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and he will commend you. 4 For he is God’s servant to do you good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword for nothing. He is God’s servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. 5 Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also because of conscience.

Romans 13:1,2

4th Commandment

Joshua 5:13,14 13 Now when Joshua was near Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing in front of him with a drawn sword in his hand. Joshua went up to him and asked, “Are you for us or for our enemies?” 14 “Neither,” he replied, “but as commander of the army of the Lord I have now come.” Then Joshua fell facedown to the ground in reverence, and asked him, “What message does my Lord have for his servant?”