THE AMERICAN’S DEVOTION

(Post by: Lilly Hobbs)

The last couple weeks have been nothing short of interesting for me and the older girl Bible Study group that I lead each Thursday evening. I have had the opportunity to take a government college class this semester, which has resulted in so many deep discussions in the Bible Study group about a Christian’s responsibility to government, as well as the things that are needed to get our country back to the founded freedom we once had. https://thefew.blog/2020/08/27/founded-freedom/

I have read multiple devotionals that I have written for my government class to the girls in the group, and many of them have encouraged me to post them so that others can begin to see what we have been uncovering on our nights together.

Since I am six weeks into the class, I will refrain from boring you with every single one that I have written, but here are a couple that we have been going through and discussing as a group recently:

Regarding The Author Of Government:

August 24, 2020 – “I found it interesting that we started off with the topic of submitting to authority, because my family and church have been in deep conversation about that very thing for the past couple of weeks. I agree that we should honor and submit to authority, but only if they uphold our God-given, inalienable rights. Personally, I believe that we serve a “higher power”, as the beginning of Romans 13 states in the King James Version. This “higher power” is God. If government does anything that contradicts our Constitution or what God says in His Word, it is our right and duty as American citizens to throw off such government as our Declaration of Independence so clearly tells us. Does this mean that we are to rebel and cause disputes? No, not at all. However, we are told in Scripture (Rom. 8:16) that the Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit. So, in my opinion, if our spirit knows that something is evil or goes against the truth, we need to submit to that godly authority first and foremost; for it is God testifying to us and guiding us. For example, Acts 5:29 says, “But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than any human authority.” The question of “did God actually establish the rule of appallingly evil rulers” is a tricky one. Matthew 28:18 tells us that all authority in Heaven and on earth has been given to Jesus. Do I think He allows evil dictators and tyrants to be placed in authoritative positions? Yes, I do. However, I believe He allows that to happen with the hope that it will bring us closer to Him and the “higher power” that He alone has.”

Regarding A Christian’s Responsibility To Government:

August 30, 2020 – “As God’s children we are called to do what is “right”. However, I can’t help but think about how many of us actually take that duty seriously. In Romans 13 Paul says ‘’to do what is right and THEN you will be commended”. As believers, we should never be the ones to cause any kind of division, but we cannot be fooled into thinking that being bold and doing the right thing is the same thing as causing division. It’s not. That’s why the question of our responsibility to government as Christians is a little more difficult to answer. James 4:17 says, “So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.” Sometimes it is our very job to not do what government tells us if we know that it is wrong. It is also a privilege and one of the greatest honors to submit to a godly authority who does what is right. Just like children are more inclined to submit to parents who behave according to God’s plan, or wives to their husbands who are submitting themselves to Christ first. I believe that is the point Paul is trying to get across in Romans 13.”

Regarding Who Is Responsible For America’s Actions:

September 6, 2020 – “Knowledge and discernment are not only needed on a leadership level in America, but also on a civilian level. If we, the people, do not have discernment and godly wisdom when it comes to elections, political arguments, and so forth, then we certainly should not expect our country to remain a Christian nation. 1 John 4:1 says, “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.” We live in a world where instead of so many evil things being opposed, they are now tolerated. Christian Americans feel as if they must compromise the truth because that is simply “just the way life goes”. This is a lie that the majority has accepted, and in turn deceived others into thinking is absolute truth. However, as believers we are called to “test the spirits”. This is especially crucial when it comes to electing certain individuals to lead us as a country. We must not only observe our leaders’ doctrine, but their conduct as well. Just because a majority of people believe or do a certain thing, does not mean that it is correct and what God wants of us. There are many of us who need to practice testing the spirits, instead of blaming our leaders for our problems, because this is indeed our responsibility as God-fearing Americans.”

I believe that those are topics that many Christians would struggle to answer from a Biblical perspective and be able to back up with Scripture. We seem to struggle when it comes to finding the balance between politics and spirituality, but my question today is why can’t we just do what is right?

Why do we make it seem as if we can only be involved in one or the other, when reality is that they are really meant to be one in essence? I’m not sure why so many believers and the Church have chosen not to think for themselves in what I think is one of the most crucial times in history to do so.

I’m so tired of people saying that Christians should just be quiet when it comes to politics. The reason believers need to stand up and speak up is because politics effects morality. Politics effect your God-given rights, the unborn, religious decisions, schooling, your safety, etc! Y’all, we have to start standing up for ourselves and the things that we know are absolute truth, because no one else will.

Does God know what He’s doing? Absolutely. But I don’t think He’s called us to be cowards who sit in a building with four walls on Sunday mornings and do nothing, simply because we don’t have the guts to, and then say that “God is in control” as an excuse. Albert Einstein once said, “The world will not be destroyed by those who do evil, but by those who watch them without doing anything.”

I am devoted and determined to fight against the same thing our Founding Fathers did; evil. I’ll fight even if I have to do it alone.

SO WHAT IS YOUR RESPONSE?

= Do you struggle to look at these issues from a spiritual perspective?

= Are you willing to do something so that we can remain a Christian nation?

= What are you going to do differently?