Hebrews 13:17 – Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account.
When I was in the army, I visited a Nazarene church off base. An Army Officer invited me to a dinner. He was a chaplain so I thought it was a religious event. He wouldn’t tell me. When we got there, it was an Amway recruiting event. So sneaky it was diabolical. Don’t mix messages nor causes. The early church did not mix the beautiful message of Jesus Christ with anything else. It cheapens the message. It’s like someone trying to sell you a watch with other watches sewn inside his overcoat
Christians should stay out of pushing anything else except the marvelous love of Christ. They shouldn’t be giving their negative opinions about politics or authorities.
We are sinning if we bad mouth our authorities, whether it’s the president or any part of law enforcement. We are ambassadors of Christ, not hate. In fact, other than voting, we have no political authority, only spiritual. Stay in your lane. I am just as guilty as anyone. Stop inciting hate and anger. Be a peace maker.
1 Peter 2:9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.
Everyone that has authority over us must be obeyed. Police, ICE, DHS, everyone. God ordained them to rule over us. He let them be in that position of power. Even down here, or the last presidency in the states, even though I don’t have a clue what the authorities are up to (none of us do because we can’t trust any information that we get) we must trust them and obey (unless you are told to do something completely immoral and sinful). Otherwise, we must shut our mouths and obey, without murmuring. God HATES murmuring! Lots of Christians have been murmuring lately. Don’t be a murmurer.
Philippians 2:14-16 Do all things without murmurings and disputings: That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked.
Any Christian (priest) that is bad mouthing the president at any time needs to be rebuked. It doesn’t have a place in our testimony. Paul was under the authority of Nero Caesar (the most evil of all time) and never once in the Bible do you read Paul saying that ‘Nero was a meany’. In fact Paul wrote most of the verses that I am using here about respecting our authorities under the vicious Roman soldiers and sadistic Nero.
Romans 13:1 Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.
Also when you are judging the president or police, you do not have any idea of what’s going on behind the scenes. Amazing how many ‘experts’ there are on mideast policy who have never served in the military, been ‘in the sand’ nor left their hometown. All their ‘intel’ come from an extremely biased msm, lunatics on youtube and liars on fb.
Not only are we to respect and obey our authorities, but we also must pray for them. Cubans, Venezuelans, Iranians, Russians, Nicaraguans and Americans all must pray for their God ordained authorities.
Notice every Bible verse I quote links the well-being of our souls to how well we respect our authorities? Respect of authorities and spiritual well being go hand in hand. Like respecting parental authorities, honoring your father and mother etc. You see this in every verse I am quoting today. Pastors, you are doing your fellowship a great disservice griping about your authorities, rebelling and protesting. Be a political protestor or a Pastor of the Gospel. Either/or, but not both. Are you going to go to jail with them when they follow your advice a little too enthusiastically?
Honestly I doubt that anyone (not even an almighty Pastor) can do any better when you know the actual truth of the matter (which you only get as the president).
The Bible says to trust and obey, first God, and then the authorities He put over you. Your authorities are placed there by God, pray for them. If you don’t, it’s sin. Oops! I didn’t pray for my president today yet!
1 Timothy 2:1-4 I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.
Bad mouthing a cop or the president is sin. Sure there’s corruption! I’ve been arrested 2 times down here for not paying bribes. I still honor police though. Failing to honor a cop or the president is sin. As a Christian, you have no right to do so. The last presidency made a huge mistake with AFG. I had to bite my tongue, but I never stopped praying for him. Never stopped trying to honor him, hard as it was. He was the president, I was not. Honor whoever is in charge, because God lets them be there. He ordained them, just like He ordained me to be a pastor. He can ‘take them (or me) out’ whenever He wants to. For now he has them (or me) there for a purpose, whatever that may be.
1 Peter 2:17 Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king.
God does not expect us to ‘figure it out’, nor to even survive. He only expects us to believe and be faithful. Even if the authority is what you would deem a bad cop (I was in law enforcement, it’s a lot harder than you think) or corrupt political leaders, it’s not up to you to decide who’s good or bad. You do not have any valid information to decide. It’s your job only to obey and comply (as long as it is not sin). Anything beyond that is evil. I don’t bribe down here, which is expected by the authorities. It has caused me a lot of grief. Bribing is sin, even if it is expected, I don’t.
Romans 13:3-4 For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same. For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil