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What is government?  How should we relate to government?  What was intended by the institution of government in our nation?  How should we as Christians relate to the government?  The divine government of God or the government of man, which do we serve?  All these questions WILL be answered by you in the coming days, whether you know it or not.  Most believe that America is a Christian nation.  I do believe that this nation was founded on Christian principles, but we can no longer say we are a Christian nation today with the immoral and corrupt policies we have adopted.    

Noah Webster sheds light on the subject.  He said, “The moral principles and precepts contained in the scriptures ought to form the basis of all our civil constitutions and laws.  All the miseries and evils which men suffer from vice, crime, ambition, injustice, oppression, slavery, and war, proceed from their despising or neglecting the precepts contained in the Bible.” It would appear that from his statement, he is promoting the kingdom and government of God to influence and rule over all other forms of government.  This must be the stand we as believers must take.  Over the year’s people have been rewriting history and changing what stood as truth.  In 1828 Noah Webster published An American Dictionary of the English Language.  The term Government was defined as: 1.  Direction; regulation.  “These precepts will serve for the government of our conduct.”  2.  Control; restraint.  “Men are apt to neglect the government of their temper and passions.” 3.  The exercise of authority; direction and restraint exercised over the actions of men in communities, societies, or states; the administration of public affairs, according to the established constitution, laws, and usages, or be arbitrary edict.  4.  The exercise of authority by a parent or householder.  “Children are often ruined by a neglect of government in parents.” Let family government be like that of our heavenly Father, mild, gentle, and affectionate.

From Noah Webster’s own words, the only form of government that can work is one that is in keeping with the Word of God.  He goes on to state that government begins with the individual and the regulation of his conduct.  Government in this definition then is moral and personal before it is practical and institutional.  Therefore, from our founding, government began with a personal, family, local, state then the national institution.  The problem we are facing today is that we have reversed the process.  Everyone has relented their responsibilities up the chain to depend on the national chain of government to govern even the personal issues we face.  

The national government will not be successful without a personal government in place, regardless of which form or philosophy that national government follows.  A democracy can only be as strong and successful as the personal government of its people.  Our founders promoted a vision of freedom based on the assurance of the power of the gospel of Jesus Christ.  The further we wander away from the power and presence of Jesus Christ, and neglect His kingdom rule and authority over our lives, the less we have a personal government in place.  Without a personal government in place we are setting up our civil authorities for failure regardless of which philosophy of government is in authority. 

Based on the words of our founders we must have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ in order to even be good citizens of this nation.  Everything goes back to the power of the gospel being offered and received by the people.  It is the will of God that men be saved by His grace, but God never forces men to choose Him.  It is the will of God for people to love His ways, but God never forces men to walk in them.  It is the will of God for people to embrace His word, but God never forces His word on us.  It is the will of God for our nation to flourish, but God will never impose His will on a people that is bent on rejecting Him.  May God continue to strive with this nation by His Spirit and not take His Holy Spirit from us.