This post continues where THE LAW AND CHRISTIANITY – PART 1 left off. In Part 1, we defined the problem and the threat. We learned that in order protect our life and liberty, we must protect our right to private property.  In this section, we will address the threat posed by politicians.  In addition, we will discuss what the Bible says about stealing and limited government.

How And Why Politicians Pervert Our Notions About The Right Private Property

The Statesman Versus The Politician

We elect different types of people to lead us. The quality of the people we elect depends upon us. If our leaders do their job well, most likely we chose those people to lead us for the right reasons. When our leaders fail, we probably chose them for the wrong reasons.

The Statesman leads wisely. Such were the type of gentlemen who established our nation. Instead worrying about great social programs and running the economy, they focused on the proper role of government, protecting our rights.

A Politician focuses upon self-aggrandizement, to be enriched and idolized by the “masses.”  Instead of doing what is best for the country, Politicians seek to buy our support and our votes with “other people’s money.”

The Tyranny of Conformists

Though they pretend otherwise, many people are conformists. To cover up their drive for conformity, these people make a big show of nonconformity, but the behavior of their fakery contradicts their show in two ways. These “nonconformists” want to look like all the other “nonconformists.” In addition, they insist that others conform. When others don’t behave the way they think they should that bothers and even frightens them. Then these “nonconformists” look to Big Government to assuage their concerns. That is why, for example, we have government-run education. In spite of the obvious bureaucratic absurdities and the ridiculous costs, public education ensures mediocrity (i.e., conformity). Thus, to make certain everyone educates their children (the right way?), these “nonconformists” demand taxpayer dollars (other people’s money) to educate other people’s children their way.

When some people insist upon infringing upon the rights of others, we need the force of government to stop them.  This is the primary purpose of government, to keep people from doing things they want to do, bad things.  Big Government goes way beyond that. Big Government is bossy, busybody government. Big Government makes people do things they do not want to do, supposedly good things. What power mad “nonconformists” forget is that that face in the mirror is the one that should concern each of us. We cannot make others good, but we can allow our Maker to use us as His hands and feet. As our Lord demonstrated, we can set a good example. Unfortunately, merely setting a good example is not enough to satisfy the ego of a self-righteous “nonconformist.”

The Government We Deserve

We get the government we deserve.  Whether we vote for Statesmen or Politicians determines the type of government we get. We can and do say we deserve better, but that is nonsense. When we will not hold ourselves to high standards — when we demand things from government we have not earned — how can we hold our leaders accountable? If we accept a Politician’s offer of other people’s money, we will get bad government-run by bad people.

What The Bible Suggests About Limited Government

Right To Property

What does the Bible say? It says “You shall not steal” (Exodus 20:15). Look up the definition of “steal.” Is stealing that hard to recognize or define? Apparently, it is.

What the dictionary does not do is connect government with stealing. Yet we all know tyrants use government to steal. Don’t gangs of thieves come in many forms?

But the Bible goes further; it tells us not to covet our neighbor’s property.

Exodus 20:17 (New Century Version)

You must not want to take your neighbor’s house. You must not want his wife or his male or female slaves, or his ox or his donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.

The Bible also tells us that God expects us to be merciful.

Proverbs 6:30 (Today’s New International Version)

People do not despise a thief if he steals
to satisfy his hunger when he is starving.

In fact, God expects to share with those in need.

Ephesians 4:28 (Today’s New International Version)

Those who have been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need.

Yet if government steals and then waste what we earn, what will we have to share?

Whether it is you or I or someone else who does it, stealing is wrong and violates God commandments. When government confiscates a citizen’s hard-earned property and gives it to someone else, does that make stealing moral? Does the fact that this “redistribution” helps a politician to buy votes make it “moral” stealing? Or is redistributing the wealth just theft masked with legality and disguised in flowery language of compassion?

The Consequences Of Unlimited Government

Before the Israelites had a king, God ruled over them, but that was not good enough. The Israelites wanted to be like all the other nations. So they demanded that Samuel, then the man of God who judged them, appoint a king to rule over them. When Israel asked for a King, God granted their wish, but he gave Samuel these words.

1 Samuel 8:10-18 (Today’s New International Version)

Samuel told all the words of the LORD to the people who were asking him for a king. He said, “This is what the king who will reign over you will claim as his rights: He will take your sons and make them serve with his chariots and horses, and they will run in front of his chariots. Some he will assign to be commanders of thousands and commanders of fifties, and others to plow his ground and reap his harvest, and still others to make weapons of war and equipment for his chariots. He will take your daughters to be perfumers and cooks and bakers. He will take the best of your fields and vineyards and olive groves and give them to his attendants. He will take a tenth of your grain and of your vintage and give it to his officials and attendants. Your male and female servants and the best of your cattle and donkeys he will take for his own use. He will take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves will become his slaves. When that day comes, you will cry out for relief from the king you have chosen, but the LORD will not answer you in that day.”

There are only two types of government. There is a republic with limited government, and there is an oligarchy with Big Government. When the Israelites chose to have a king rule over them — when they chose to conform and be like all the other nations — they chose Big Government.

What to Expect in Part 3

• Reinvigorating Christianity In The United States
• Our Instructions From The Bible

–Tom Salmon