{"id":3514,"date":"2019-08-01T21:31:24","date_gmt":"2019-08-02T01:31:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pilgriminstitute.org\/blog\/?p=3514"},"modified":"2023-03-23T20:27:57","modified_gmt":"2023-03-24T00:27:57","slug":"christian-vs-pagan-view-of-civil-government","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pilgriminstitute.org\/blog\/christian-vs-pagan-view-of-civil-government\/","title":{"rendered":"Christian vs. Pagan View of Civil Government"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Christian\/Pagan View of  Civil Government
<\/strong>by Ruth J Smith<\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n
\n
\"The<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Historian\nVerna Hall defined Civil Government as \u201cthe flow of power and force in\nsociety.\u201d This simple statement holds many profound ideas. It also can be\nviewed from two perspectives: 1) a Christian view or 2) a Pagan (non-Christian)\nview.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For our discussion, we will look first at the definition from a Christian view.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Christian View of Civil Government<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

First,\na flow<\/em> of power implies something\nthat is not set, but constantly changing, moving. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Secondly,\nwhat is it that is flowing \u2013 power<\/em>\nand force<\/em>. What is the source of that\npower and force? The Word of God teaches that all power<\/em> comes from God. How does that power<\/em> flow? God has given His Word in which He gives His wisdom for\nthe individual. The power<\/em> of God\nflows from His Word to the individual and is extended into each area of his\nlife, including the civil sphere. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

As\nthis power <\/em>is extended into each\nsphere, it is delegated authority, or representative government. With a Christian\nview of government, civil government has no power,<\/em>\nexcept that which is delegated by the individual.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The following illustration  represents this Christian idea:<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"Christian<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

View of Man and Government<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

However, history is filled with a different view of Civil Government, which is not based upon a Biblical idea, but based upon man\u2019s view. However, in spite of man\u2019s idea, I propose that all power does flow from God through His Word<\/a>. But then the flow changes<\/em><\/strong>. Power is concentrated in one or a few individuals who control the many individuals in the nation. Throughout history these have been kings, dictators, or even a bureaucracy \u2013 non-elected governmental agencies who establish rules which must be obeyed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Anytime\nthe power is not delegated from the people, the people do not have the power to\nlimit the authority which is extended to them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The following illustration represents this idea:<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"Christian<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Ask\nyourself why one would be called a Christian Idea and the other a Pagan Idea?\nUnder which view would the individual have the greatest liberty? Under which\nview does the individual have the greatest responsibility?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As we consider our nation today, what do we see occurring in our nation?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Have you considered whose responsibility<\/strong> it is to preserve and restore the nation?  <\/h4>\n\n\n\n

How do you pass that responsibility to the next generation? Why would studying history, particularly America\u2019s Christian history<\/strong>, be so important in achieving this goal? Would it matter what approach to history<\/strong> is taught?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What influence<\/strong> does the Word of God have upon our nation? As a Christian, have you given serious consideration to the connection<\/strong> between the Word of God and the nation in which we live?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Does your heart yearn to secure the blessings of liberty for your children as they were secured for previous generations?<\/em><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

You\u2019re not alone in that yearning! Pilgrim Institute receives emails and phone calls from parents, educators, and concerned citizens alike asking what they can do to effect change in their homes, churches, community, and nation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now is the time to take action!<\/a><\/h3>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Christian\/Pagan View of  Civil Government by Ruth J Smith Historian Verna Hall defined Civil Government as \u201cthe flow of power and force in society.\u201d This simple statement holds many profound ideas. It also can be viewed from two perspectives: 1) a Christian view or 2) a Pagan (non-Christian) view. For our discussion, we will look […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[77,104],"tags":[111,112,113],"class_list":["post-3514","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-a-view-of-god","category-blog","tag-christian-government","tag-civil-government","tag-pagan-government"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/pilgriminstitute.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3514","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/pilgriminstitute.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/pilgriminstitute.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pilgriminstitute.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pilgriminstitute.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3514"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/pilgriminstitute.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3514\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/pilgriminstitute.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3514"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pilgriminstitute.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3514"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pilgriminstitute.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3514"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}