Give The People Bread And Circuses

Have you noticed how our "representative" leaders are accomplishing their goals? It has nothing to do with solving the problem or even reality. They are using the same technique the mafia uses. Through threads of harm or by paying off the opposition. Threats of harm mean threats of lawsuits or destruction of someone's reputation - essentially taking away they life they had. For example, this has been used a lot to get pharmaceutical companies to give support to health care reform. It is also being used against the CIA and justice department attorneys from the Bush administration. The payoffs are easier to see. The latest is the Senator from Nebraska holding out on supporting the Reid health care bill until Nebraska is given extra money (a pay off). Or President Obama promising future payments of $100,000,000,000 per year to other countries, if they support reduction of carbon emissions. Nothing but another payoff. And since others now recognize this is the way Obama works, they won't agree to what Obama wants until they get their share of YOUR money. That's where the money comes from. Your pocket.

I read something interesting a while ago. A survey showed that when asked where the government gets their money, about 45% said, "They have their own money." What's especially interesting is that about the same percentage of people pay very, very low levels of taxes. Let's get in touch with reality!! The government doesn't have any money. All of it comes out of YOUR pocket.

This is why the way the Bible sets up government and taxation everyone pays taxes.

This is also why in the Bible representation of the people is set up on a household basis, not an individual basis. Only those who have a stake in the outcome have the right to decide on the laws that control the outcome.

You will be paying more for health care. You will be paying BIG TIME for reducing carbon emissions. But don't worry, you will still have TV.

Roman poet Juvenal wrote in the first century: give the people bread and circuses and they will never revolt. What was true then is still true today... unless we turn to God.

Scientists Say There Is No Global Warming

Last week I wrote a post about global warming. I though I was done writing about government, but there one more peace of information I'd like to add. Based on what you hear on the news you'd think that every scientists agreed that global warming existed, and we need to do something about it. But that's not true. For example, over 31,000 scientists have signed a petition stating that there is no convincing evidence that human activities that release greenhouse gases (carbon dioxide, methane, etc.) are causing heating of the earth's atmosphere or climate change.

You'll find the petition here: scientists reject global warming.

Another good web site about global warming was put online by an Oregon State professor. It is available at: global warming.

If scientists do not agree about global warming, why is the government working so hard to get agreement that something must be done? Because it's not about global warming. What government is looking for are crisis they "save" us from. This is what happens when the people get lazy and turn away from their responsibilities. When people turn away from God given responsibilities. They bellow for the government to step it, which it is more than willing to do, putting more power into the hands of those in control. The result is a lose of freedom and increase in tyranny.

The roles for government and people, as described by God in scripture, result in the maximum freedom and good for all. When we reject that, and turn to the government for salvation, you can count on tyranny and suffering to soon follow.

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Your Responsibilities Vs. Government's Responsibilities

To start this series I pointed out some of the things government does that they should not be doing, such as welfare. There is a role for government in providing for those in need, but it is very small, with the vast majority of the responsibility falling on:

1. Close Family
2. Distant Relations
3. Friends & Neighbors
4. The Christian Church

Another area the government should not be involved in is that of education. Education is the responsibility of parents, who are also accountable for their children's education. Deuteronomy 6:6,7 says:

"These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up."

We are commanded to teach our children.

Ephesians 6:1 says how children are to respond... they are to obey their parents.

Parents have the ultimate responsibility for teaching their children. In today's world this may involve home schooling, or teaching them through a co-op type school. I describe it as a co-op because it needs to be a school in which the parents are heavily involved, and a school that is accountable to the parents. Government schools do not meet this criteria. Parents are only involved at the edges of the education that goes on and the school has no accountability to the parents.

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Role Of Church and Government - Basics

Let's go back to the basics of understanding the roles government and Christian churches have.

First and foremost, God is supreme. All authority for government comes from God (see John 19:10,11). More than that, all governments come from God (Romans 13:1). Whether we think they are good, bad or evil... all governments are given to us by God and thus should be obeyed when not in conflict with obeying God.

But, government and Christian churches each have a legitimate jurisdiction. Matthew 22:21 makes this clear, we are to give to Caesar the things that are Caesar's. But we are also to give to God the things that are God's. Each has it's area of authority and responsibility (2 Chron 19:11 & 26:16-21)

What is the legitimate jurisdiction of government?

There are three areas:

1. Provide justice
2. Provide order.
3. Provide freedom - this means to protect people from interference with their free exercise of their legitimate rights, such as property rights.

What are the legitimate ares of jurisdiction for the Christian church?

1. Defend and spread the gospel
2. Provide for those in need (welfare / healthcare)
3. Education

We'll take a more detailed look at government's role tomorrow.

Other posts about this subject (also see menu to the left):
Government and Global Warming
Your Responsibility vs. Government's Responsibility
Fixing The Problem - Government

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The Proper Role Of Government

I should have started this series many months ago, but other projects always seemed to push their way to the top of the pile. The Bible very clearly defines the role of government and the role of Christians. Unfortunately Christians have been neglecting what they are supposed to do and government has slowly moved in to take over the responsibilities of the church.

For example, part of the role of government is to provide protection and regulate commerce.

Part of the role of the church is to educate children and provide for the poor, both of which are now done mostly by government.

This ever growing expansion of government into areas of the church's responsibility is the source of many of the societal problems we have today.

I am not advocating a theocracy, a type of government that is run by the church. With the government involved in services such as welfare and education, it may seem that when I say these are church functions I'm saying the church should be running the government. Not at all. We're just thoroughly indoctrinated in those being a government function that we can't think of them being done in any other way. But they should be.

In the next post we'll take a look at the Biblical view of welfare, which includes the hot topic of the day... health care.

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Trillions To Fight Poverty

I was reading a newspaper article today about the trillions of dollars that have been spent on fighting poverty, poor levels of education (and high drop out rates), gang violence, and drugs since the Great Society government programs were started by President Johnson in the 1960's. The author was lamenting that with all the money that has been spent, nothing has changed, and in fact things have gotten worse, particularly in the decline of education. He could not understand why this was. His only answer was that we needed to spend more money and have more government programs.

Do more of what hasn't worked? Does that make sense?

What's has intentionally been left out of these efforts to help people? God, and God's methods for helping people who need help.

Government can never solves these problems.

For example, how does the Bible deal with poverty? Does it say the government should feed those who cannot afford food? No, it does not. Does it say churches should feed those who cannot afford food? No, it does not. The Bible gives the principle of gleaning. People who grow food are to leave some in the fields for those who don't. Do they just give it to those who need food? No. People must harvest their own. They must work for the food they need.

Yes, there are some people who are not physically about to work. But the Biblical principle is that those who are able to should work to support themselves. And the form of charity that we should provide is opportunities for people in need to work.

How does this apply in our situation? We are not all farmers who can leave parts of our fields unharvested so that poor people can gleen. An example of what we can do is: business owners can hire one more person than they actually need. Is this a charity job? No. The person would be expected to get to work on time and do useful work. If they don't show up for work, just like anyone else they get fired. No work. No money. No food. (2 Thessalonians 3:6-12) People not only get fed, they learn good work habits and gain work skills.

But more importantly we can not leave God out. People need to know who they are. That they are created in God's image. That means we are not some unimportant bit of random biological stuff that came from swamp goo a billion years ago. You are created in God's image! You are loved by God. God knew you and loved you even before you were conceived in you mother's womb. God even sacrificed His only Son so that you can be saved from God's wrath.

Since you are created in God's image, you represent God to all the universe. That's important. You are important. Are you representing God well? Or are you misrepresenting who God is?

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Fighting The Truth War

Speaking to Christians: "So we are ambassador-soldiers, reaching out to sinners with the truth even as we make every effort to destroy the lies and other forms of evil that hold them in deadly bondage. That is a perfect summary of every Christian's duty in the Truth War." - John MacArthur (in the book "The Truth War")

The battle is not a physical battle of guns and swords, it is a spiritual battle and the enemy's chief weapons are lies and deception... which we let creep into our churches, some in small ways, others in large amounts--in some cases to the extent that a church is no longer Christian.

Martin Luther said, "If I profess with the loudest voice and clearest exposition every portion of the truth of God except precisely that little point which the world and devil are at the moment attacking, I am not confessing Christ, however boldly I may be professing Christ. Where the battle rages, there the loyalty of the soldier is proved; and to be steady on all the battle fields besides, is mere flight and disgrace if he flinches at that point."

If you are a Christian you are in the battle... aren't you?

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The Biblical Role Of Government

What is the Biblical role of government? What should government be doing and what should it not be doing?

First we need to keep in mind the all government authority comes from God. (Romans 13:1)

Based on the Bible, here is what government is responsible for:

National Security
Restrain Evil
Protect the Innocent
Preserve Truth (ie. standards for weights and measurement, protect against fraud)
Protect Personal Property

So what about the church? What is the church's responsibility?

Spiritual Authority
Teach the Word
Fellowship of Believers (to encourage and point people to the right path)
Welfare (take care of the poor and needy)
Correct and Admonish
Judging (see Ezra for example)
Hold Leaders Accountable (includes a prophetic role)

How is our government doing? Are they protecting the innocent (the unborn for example)? Do our various state governments work to restrain evil (disobeying God) or encourage evil? Does our government protect personal property or take personal property and redistribute it to others?

How is the church doing? Does the church take care of the needy? Does the church correct and admonish? Does the church hold our leaders accountable?