Arkansas State press. [volume] (Little Rock, Ark.) 1941-1959, 1944-11-17
CHRISTIANITY AND
DEMOCRACY

LESSON TExT-Mark i2:i3l7 Ro-
mans 1870: ! Peter 2:i3l7.
GOLDEN TExT-Bear We one anoth'
er's burdens, and SO fulfill tho law Of
Christ.-Galatians Ga.
No form OF government can claim
divine authority. for Gods Word
does not prescribe any special form
of government. But land this Is most
Important the principles upon
which government should be estab-
lished are clearly given In Gods
Word, and the form OF rule which
best fits into the teaching OF the
Word necessarily calls for our inter-
est and support,
We find In the Bible the declara-
ton that men are equal In the
sight Of God. that government is to
be a ministry for God tsee last
weeks lesson. receiving Its authori-
ty from Him and serving Him In
exercising that power. Men are to
be loyal to the government be-
cause they are loyal to God.
Our lesson carries forward the
teaching Of last Sunday. 1t tells US
that;
The Christian Citizen Is
l. Subject to Both God and Coun-
try Mark l2:13-1D,
His devotion to God and the things
Of God Is to be expected Of the Chris
tlan. We almost said that 1t is taken
for granted. and sometimes that Is
so true there is no reality In his
life. But surely II he Is a follower
Of Christ he must be devoted to Him
and to His cause.
But what about his country? That
relation appears anew In the strik-
ing story Of Christ and those who
came to test Him. yes, to trap Him
with skillfully worded question.
The Pharisees. who hated Rome
for its domination Of Palestine, and
the Herodians. who supported Rome
in Its control Of the land, were ene-
mics, but they Joined forces to
tempt Christ. They knew that If He
said Eyes" to their question. the
Jews would be angry. and II He said
No." He could be condemned as
q traitor to Rome.
The trap was set, but 1t caught
only the crafty hunters. Taking their
own pocket money He declared that
II they used Caesars money they
ought to pay taxes to Caesar. The
coin stood for an orderly govern
ment benefits Of which they enjoyed
and which they ought to support.
No real Christian will evade his
duty to his country whether 1t be to
pay taxes, to take part intelligently
In Its government. to defend it. to
pray for 1t, or otherwise to show his
love. One Of the blots on the Chris
tian church Is the lack Of civic right
eousness on the part Of many Of Its
II. Devoted to Both Brother and
Nelghbor (Rom. 1890.
The Christian loves his brethren;
indeed that love Is one Of the tests
by which we may know that a man
Is truly born again Il John $40.
But that love reaches out beyond
the circle of the brethren and
touches every man who has need Of
It. The teachers OF the Jewish law
had sought to circumscribe that
word "neighbor." but the Lord ef-
fectively dealt with that viewpoint
In the story Of the Good Samaritan
Luke l0).
All the commandments concern
ing the vital matter Of personal re-
lationship are summed up In the one
admonition, Love thy neishbor as
thyseh' ". 81. When love controls,
there will be no social dishonesty,
strife or ill-will There will be no
violence to the person or property
of another, for "love worketh no
Ill to his neighbor."
This Is the real good neigh
Dor policy" Even between nations,
we need more real love and less ef-
fort to impress one another by Dip
lomacy and good VIII expeditions.
Let there be less political manipula-
tion and more loving, and we shall
find our neighbor both personal
and national. responding in kind.
Love draws out love from another.
Ill. Submissive to Both the Law Of
God and Man Il Pet. 2!l3-lD.
Fear God" ". 10; that Is, be
eager that there is no failure on
your part to please Him by obeyins
His law. That we expect OF the
I'LL iSNiall Luz We ONpNNh hiOiSt LAG
= Is to be a law-abiding citizen,
obeying the laws of his country 'for
the Lords sake" w. lO.
The believer may. by his godly
faithtulness to his government, ef
fectively witness against the ig
norant criticism OF foolish men who
would have us think that being 6
Christian makes a man a weakling
or so other-worldly that he is use
less In this world.
Our freedom in Christ Is not ar
excuse for careless or wicked liv
ing. Not at adjust the opposite II
fact. We honor all men," How car
that be done7 Only by the grace o
God; but by His blessing we can d.
II. That makes for the real appreci
alton Of man. which is the very foun
haitian ~ Ot1r democracy ~