Weekly Message
RESPECT OUR PRESIDENT!
Let every person be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God. Therefore he who resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God; and they who have opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves. (Romans 13:1,2)
Believers know that God expects for there to be order in His creation. The Bible speaks of such order in all aspects of society. In the case of civil government, the President of the United States is our country's chief authoritative leader. In the passage above, we find that failure to submit to authority is tantamount to opposing the ordinance of God. In essence, President Obama exercises his authority because God has allowed Him to do so.
During my lifetime, 12 presidents have occupied the Oval Office. Granted, I was very young during the administrations of Presidents Truman and Eisenhower. By the time President Kennedy took office, I had begun to study our government's structure in more detail. It appears to me that the disrespect for the current President is unprecedented in the annals of American history.
In the passage above, Paul says that "every person" is in subjection to the governing authorities. That certainly means Christians, and non-Christians alike, have an obligation to respect our President. Certainly we are not required to agree with everything that President Obama, or any other leader believes. But we have an obligation to respect our leaders and the positions that they serve in. Even if we don't believe that the President is doing a good job, we should not disrespect him in resisting his authority.
Of course the Bible tells us to choose the will of God when His will, and man's will, are in conflict with one another. There are some situations where civil disobedience may be appropriate. But we must remember that breaking a law will have consequences. And even in such cases, the goal is not to disrespect the leader, but to express disagreement with the law involved. Our attitudes should always be in accord with God's will. And as shown above, God's will says that we should respect governmental leadership.
Those who resist the ordinance of God will receive condemnation on themselves. No one should want that to happen. Accordingly, let us all, RESPECT OUR PRESIDENT!
