This week’s devotions are based on Week 4 of Stormproof – Election Earthquakes (CLICK HERE)
Religion and politics are an interesting mix.
We hear people talking about the “separation of church and state.”
We are encouraged to avoid discussions about religion and politics at Thanksgiving dinner.
So, is government completely secular? Can it have the influence of faith in it?
The quick answer is…maybe not so quick and not always easy.
However, here’s a few key truths to remember:
Every government exists by God’s authority, even if it doesn’t acknowledge God’s authority.
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.
So while a government may claim to be completely secular and completely separated from faith, it is impossible. A government may not acknowledge God, it may even enact laws that persecute Christians, but it doesn’t change the fact that they have no authority unless God allows it. It is a lie of Satan that leads governing officials to believe they have the power and position because of their own prowess or authority. Like Jesus said as he interacted with Pontius Pilate as he was on trial.
John 19:10 “Do you refuse to speak to me?” Pilate said. “Don’t you realize I have power either to free you or to crucify you?”
11 Jesus answered, “You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above.
Pilate didn’t acknowledge the true God, but his authority was only because God allowed it AND God was going to use it to carry out his plan for the salvation of the world. Pontius Pilate is known to every credal Christian who confesses in the Apostles’ Creed, “…suffered under Pontius Pilate.” Ironically, this governing official is part of our longstanding confession of the Christian faith!
God uses government to carry out his plan, even if government rejects God’s principles.
Like Pilate, Caesar Augustus was used by God to carry out his salvation plan: Luke 2:1-3 In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. 2 (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3 And everyone went to his own town to register.
God took the greed and control of Caesar and turned it into the way he moved Mary to Bethlehem to have his Son born in the city of David.
God is not the president nor is the president god. Yet to say that government is secular would not be accurate. Government exists under the authority of the Creator and is intended to be a blessing to people.
So we can be sure that while government and its officials try at times to separate themselves from God and any acknowledgment of Him, God has not separated himself from government and continues to use governing officials to carry out his purposes for benefit of his people. To be sure it is not always evident, but it is always happening.
Apply: What other examples do you have of God using governments or governing officials to carry out his purposes.
Prayer: Lord, thank you for guiding and directing the affairs of nations to carry out your purposes. AMEN.