A Biblical Perspective On Religion and Politics

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June 3, 2007  A.D.

A Biblical Perspective On Religion and Politics

What is a proper position for Christians to take in regard to government and politics? What about other hot topics such as Church and State? Is there any word from God in the bible on this? Just what are the “Things of God” spoken of by Jesus? What if various ‘religious factions’ disagree on policy with regard to the government, or doctrine, or for that matter anything at all? Well open your bible take a few notes and listen in today as we return to our ongoing study through the gospel of Mark in chapter twelve as our teacher Pastor Fisher shares in a lesson which he calls “A Biblical Perspective On Religion and Politics” So, open your bibles and listen in, as we pray along with our teacher.

Old Testament Scripture Reading: Genesis 9:1 – 6  (KJV)

Gen 9:1  And God blessed Noah and his sons, and said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth.

Gen 9:2  And the fear of you and the dread of you shall be upon every beast of the earth, and upon every fowl of the air, upon all that moveth upon the earth, and upon all the fishes of the sea; into your hand are they delivered.

Gen 9:3  Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you; even as the green herb have I given you all things.

Gen 9:4  But flesh with the life thereof, which is the blood thereof, shall ye not eat.

Gen 9:5  And surely your blood of your lives will I require; at the hand of every beast will I require it, and at the hand of man; at the hand of every man’s brother will I require the life of man.

Gen 9:6  Whoso sheddeth man’s blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man.

New Testament Scripture Reading: Mark 12:13 – 27  (KJV)
Mark 12:13  And they send unto him certain of the Pharisees and of the Herodians, to catch him in his words.
Mark 12:14  And when they were come, they say unto him, Master, we know that thou art true, and carest for no man: for thou regardest not the person of men, but teachest the way of God in truth: Is it lawful to give tribute to Caesar, or not?
Mark 12:15  Shall we give, or shall we not give? But he, knowing their hypocrisy, said unto them, Why tempt ye me? bring me a penny, that I may see it.
Mark 12:16  And they brought it. And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription? And they said unto him, Caesar’s.
Mark 12:17  And Jesus answering said unto them, Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s. And they marvelled at him.
Mark 12:18  Then come unto him the Sadducees, which say there is no resurrection; and they asked him, saying,
Mark 12:19  Master, Moses wrote unto us, If a man’s brother die, and leave his wife behind him, and leave no children, that his brother should take his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother.
Mark 12:20  Now there were seven brethren: and the first took a wife, and dying left no seed.
Mark 12:21  And the second took her, and died, neither left he any seed: and the third likewise.
Mark 12:22  And the seven had her, and left no seed: last of all the woman died also.
Mark 12:23  In the resurrection therefore, when they shall rise, whose wife shall she be of them? for the seven had her to wife.
Mark 12:24  And Jesus answering said unto them, Do ye not therefore err, because ye know not the scriptures, neither the power of God?
Mark 12:25  For when they shall rise from the dead, they neither marry, nor are given in marriage; but are as the angels which are in heaven.
Mark 12:26  And as touching the dead, that they rise: have ye not read in the book of Moses, how in the bush God spake unto him, saying, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob?
Mark 12:27  He is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living: ye therefore do greatly err.
Transforming Power Statements: 

#1) Government possessing authority to rule, up to even capital punishment when duly warranted is God’s idea, and was created for the benefit of man at large, and should therefore be executed primarily for the purpose of preservation of the life of man who is the ‘image and glory’ of God. 

 

#2) The existence of the “Theocracy” of Israel is an example of blended ‘Church and State’ and was ordained for the benefit of the people and worked well as long as the focus of both it’s politics and religion were practiced in equity and aimed at the glory of God.

 #3) When religious factions divide careful biblical exegesis with sincere prayer would deliver a proper verdict for those who are really true seekers of God trusting in His Word alone as the sole source of authority, nevertheless the sins of pride and worldly contamination most often result in suppression of the truth and sectarian separation.