For Kings and All Those in Authority

"I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. As you make your requests, plead for God's mercy upon them, and give thanks. Pray this way for kings and all others who are in authority, so that we can live in peace and quietness, in godliness and dignity.-Paul, To Timothy (1.2.1-2, NLT)

I was deeply disturbed about the news last week concerning a "Christian" militia allegedly planning to murder police and then explode a bomb at the funeral of the police they murdered. All of this, according to their website, was to "prepare for the end time battles to keep the testimony of Jesus Christ alive."

It's upsetting enough they planned all this on a faulty interpretation of certain biblical texts and that they gave the media yet another "example" of why Christianity is only for crackpots. Most upsetting to me, though, is that they believe that the idea of "militia" and the ideas of a particular political group are inherently part of what it is to be "Christian".

First, in regard to the idea of militia, nowhere in the New Testament are followers of the Way told to wage war against governments, police, or other officials. Jesus mentions swords during his earthly ministry, once asking whether his disciples had one (they had two which must have been concealed-Luke 22.38) and on another occasion stating that he had brought a "sword" into households because belief in him would split families (Matthew 10.34). Jesus also said, though, that those who "live by the sword will also die by the sword (Matthew 26.52)." In other words, Jesus said those who live by force and violence will die by force and violence. Jesus' people overcome evil with good (Romans 12.17-21).

Even in the book of Revelation, the saints "fight" by maintaining the testimony of Christ and by the blood of the Lamb (Revelation 12.11). Jesus and His angels fight Satan and his forces for us, not with us. We can defend ourselves in general, remove ourselves from dangerous situations if possible but never retaliate. We trust God to do our retaliating for us.
Second, in regard to their thinking that Jesus is a Conservative Republican American, Paul had been placed under arrest by the "king" he told Timothy and the church at Ephesus to pray for in the passage above. Paul was later beheaded by the order of this same king. I have very little faith in human government and lean toward the Revelation's view that all government ultimately ends up under the control of the Dragon and his beasts (chapter 13). The kingdoms of this world, whether they have a Republican or Democratic president, congress, or senate in control, are not the kingdom of God. Both the Republican and Democratic parties promote things with which the Kingdom of God would agree, but they also promote things with which the Kingdom of God would disagree.

We're commanded to pray for our President, the Commander in Chief of our brothers and sisters serving in the military and our own political leader. We pray for him (and all those in government) so that we might be able to live in peace and quietness, godliness, and dignity. Notice Paul did not command us to pray for lower taxes, less government, social programs, health care reform, off-shore drilling, etc.

We are not to speak evilly of our leaders (Exodus 22.8). Telling jokes which belittle the President, whichever party to whom he or she belongs, is unbecoming a Christian. So is passing emails around accusing one president of purposely lying to get control of Iraq's oil or lying to get control of health care. We are citizens of Heaven and are only visiting here (Philippians 3.20; 1 Peter 2.11).