Keep Jesus First While Respecting Your Earthly Rulers

Word-Of-The-Day: ‘(1) Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, (2) to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and always to be gentle toward everyone.’ (Titus 3:1-2)

America never is out of ‘election season’. Recently, pundits have already started talking about the affect the current Presidential actions will have on the mid-term Congressional elections in 2026, and who will be the candidates for both parties for the presidency in 2028. There are, of course, reasons to stay the course we are on with the current administration and not the opposing party’s platform, and vice versa. My prayer is for both parties and all candidates to adhere to God’s Word first, party platforms and agendas second.

No matter who wins in the election, those elected are placed there with God’s Will.  God provides for the secular governance of the nations (Psalm 22:28)(Daniel 2:21-22) based upon the people’s desires and their affiliation with God himself.  The closer the people are to God and His Will, the more governance will resemble God’s Word.  For example, Communism is by one of its own definitions atheistic; it is thus devoid of freedom and human rights, and is persecutory and detrimental to the governed. 

Venezuela twenty-five years ago was democratic, with a Catholic-majority populace (over 89% Christian total) and with an abundance of oil resources, very wealthy and blessed.  Unfortunately, the lure of socialism took over its people, which led to communism, and now Venezuela and its people are struggling in poverty, with its oil production down over 70% since 2004 (from 3.3 billion barrels down to 600 million barrels) with the nation close to bankruptcy and its people fleeing to other neighboring nations as refugees to escape hunger and persecution. 

This has happened throughout history, especially to the Jews.  As long as they were obedient to God’s Word, their leaders reflected God’s Will and they prospered.  When the Jews turned away from God, their leaders also led them into poverty, exile (the Babylonians), and persecution (the Romans).  But through this God told His people to obey the Babylonians and the Romans (“Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s…”), to be good citizens, and follow the edicts of those who governed them – as long as it did not attempt to supersede God’s authority. 

It is OK to ‘agree to disagree’, but as in the military and the corporate world, you can disagree with your boss on direction, but when his/her decision is final, and the direction given is moral, legal, and ethical (even though you disagree), you do it.  To continue to argue a valid (but in your opinion wrong) edict may invoke Titus 3:9-11, which says in summary to turn away those who are constantly bickering and complaining, which may lead to getting fired, or getting assigned undesirable tasks, like ‘KP’ or ‘honeypot’ duty if one is in the military. 

What if the government or boss begins to act in an unethical, immoral manner that is un-Godly?  We can look in Daniel 3 at the ‘Pep Boys’ (Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego) who refused to worship ole Nebuchadnezzar’s statue, or our Founding Fathers whose last resort against the English tyranny was to enter the War of Independence (the Revolutionary War). 

Both cases are examples where it was correct to stand against an evil government. Standing up against un-Godly principles may lead to facing consequences, but doing right is always preferable with God, standing in His principles than simply acquiescing to wrong-doing and evil.  

One should not wait to ‘get into the boxcars’ willingly, as the Jews did in Nazi Germany’s control over Europe.  But, our actions must be of a nature where it is not our will but God’s Will that shall be glorified and pronounced.  Any civil disobedience must come from the High Ground of God’s Morals against evil, and not from our feelings or desires. 

Prayerfully no future election will bring (nor should it bring) such a drastic measure to bear.  No matter who wins, we as Christians should be in the forefront of unity, to obey the edicts of our elected, and accept – up to the point of when it becomes against God’s Will – its secular governance in our lives, in peace with those who we may disagree with.  It is up to us to show God’s Love and Way to those who don’t know what that is.