Bad Ideas of Christians About Government | Dangerous River #2

Better Together - Main

Day 2 | Bad Ideas Christians Have about Government | Dangerous River #2

I have logged more than a thousand miles as class 3-4 whitewater rafting guide. Each summer we would mourn the loss of those that lost their lives on the river. The greatest challenge people face in rivers is that they underestimate the river and overestimate themselves. Ideas are powerful, and unfortunately, there are a bunch of bad ideas. Today we are looking at another bad idea that some Christians hold to as it relates to government. I have called these bad ideas dangerous rivers 

DANGEROUS RIVER #2 | ALL GOVERNMENT IS EVIL

I won’t spend a lot of time here because it holds so little weight. Ideas such as these have come from confused Christians and paranoid preachers. Some have looked to Luke 4:1-12 as support to this dangerous river of thought.  In Luke’s gospel, there is an account where Satan comes to tempt Jesus during his 40 day fast. The Devil comes to destroy Jesus’ divine mission to save the world from the power of sin! Jesus hasn’t even started his earthly ministry, and the Devil is already on the move!

The Devil first tried to tempt Jesus with food, because he was hungry! After that didn’t work, the Devil goes another route and tries to tempt Jesus with power and privilege. We read the following in Luke’s gospel:

And the devil took him up and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time, and said to him, “To you, I will give all this authority and their glory, for it has been delivered to me, and I give it to whom I will.” – Luke 4:5-6

It is important to remember that the Devil is a liar. He takes half-truths and twists them to get others to buy the lie. Jesus called him the father of lies (John 8:44). He as well is seeking to destroy everything that is good and godly.

When the Devil refers to kingdoms and authority, this seems to be a clear reference to governments. While Satan does influence our world, he doesn’t control all things. God does. God causes nations to rise and fall (Job 12:23). He changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings (Daniel 2:21).

God holds all authority. The Devil is limited in authority. He’s on a leash on earth, although he does run around like a rabid dog in a fourth dimension called the spiritual realm and works through the minds and hearts of people, infecting their ideas. Yet his power is limited and God’s remains unlimited. 

Lastly, we must consider what the Bible says about the who holds the true power and authority over earthly government.  In Daniel, we read: “the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will” (4:17). In Romans, we read, “For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God” (13:1).

Satan wants people to believe that he controls the government, but nowhere in the Bible is that idea taught, for any plain reading of the Biblical passages mentioned above should clarify that God creates government, to punish evil and reward good, and one should honor and respect those in authority.

Therefore, any idea of all government being evil is, in a sense, siding with Satan and buying the lie that’s he’s in control of it all, and God is not.

This is like handing over the keys to the devil to run our country and dismiss our Heavenly King! Don’t go swimming in that river; its currents will surely drown you and many others in deception and despair. We have a good God that has established government for our good and God’s glory!