Over the past few weeks and months we have heard and read about, as well as listened to a number of men and women striving to make their case to the American people as to why they should be the next President – next Commander in Chief of the United States of America.
They did so not because they necessarily have the answers to America’s most pressing problems (truth be told they don’t), nor necessarily are they pursuing the presidency for the personal riches it yields, as many of them, like our present president, Donald Trump, are already multi- millionaires. We even had Michael Bloomberg, a multi-billionaire running in the Democratic primaries. Although riches and fame may be motivation for some, what ultimately makes the presidency such a highly desirable, highly coveted, attractive position is the power that it wields.
The President of the United States for at least the last 80-90 years has been considered not just the most powerful person in this nation, but the most powerful, the most influential person in the world, especially since WW II.
When we speak of power in this way we are speaking of the authority, freedom and ability to determine a course of action for ourselves and/or others and having the means to achieve it. It is about having control over that which affects our lives and the lives of those around us to produce a desired outcome. And the position of President of the United States provides a measure of such power.
However, because of the way our government is set up with a legislature and judiciary branch of government, the president’s power is not absolute, as much of what they may want to do must be approved by the legislature and be consistent with the tenets of our Constitution. Despite this, past presidents, particularly the past two (Obama and Trump,) have tried to extend their powers beyond what is granted to them in the Constitution and by the legislature. In some instances, they have gotten away with it – not always to the benefit of the American people.
And thus the present candidates for this position appear to be willing to do almost anything including lie, assassinate one another’s character and make promises they know they have neither the wisdom nor the power to fulfill; all that they may ascend to this most powerful of all human positions on earth.
We have listened to these candidates and their supporters make their case as to why we should entrust them with such power. They arrogantly boast in their past exploits and accomplishments, while denigrating and demeaning their opponents, labeling those who do not believe or value what they do as “deplorables” or “fools”. They pridefully express their ideas regarding solutions to our intractable social problems and make many related promises. They promise a better economy, more and better jobs and a better quality of life. They promise increased safety from threats of harm from both within our nation and from without, while removing cherished freedoms in attempts to achieve this. They promise better access to health care, safer cars, true social justice and yes, more government handouts, which are essentially political bribes, in their efforts to convince you and I that they are worthy of our trust, our allegiance, our hope for a better life, and ultimately our submission to them as the supreme authority in our nation.
Now, the Bible tells us that we are to honor and obey the civil government (Romans 13:1-7), unless those in governing authority require us to do that which God has forbid or to refrain from what God has commanded (Acts 5:29). However, nowhere does it encourage us to put our faith, hope and trust in them. In fact, the scriptures unwaveringly discourage us from putting our ultimate faith, hope and trust in them, and imply that we are fools to do so (Jeremiah 17:5) (Psalm 146:3-4) (Proverbs 28:26) (Psalm 118:8) (Psalm 40:4).
The Bible makes it clear that as Christians, our faith, hope and trust is not to be in a person sitting in an oval office in Washington DC, nor in a group of men and women who sit in seats of governing authority in our nation and its states. Our hope and faith and trust are to be in a King, King Jesus (Daniel 7:13-14), who sits on His throne in Heaven (Psalm 11:4) from where He sovereignly rules over all the nations of the Earth (Daniel 4:34-35). He does so according to the wise counsel of His will (Romans 11:33-34), exercising His power and authority for the ultimate and eternal good of all who love Him, who are living according to His purpose and not their own (Romans 8:28).
It is Jesus, the ruler and righteous judge of all mankind (2 Corinthians 5:10) who we are to submit to as the supreme authority in our life (Philippians 2:9-11), trust with all of our heart (Proverbs 3:5-6), and put our hope in for a better quality of life (John 10:10). And we are to do so because, unlike those who govern in our nation, Jesus will never rule unjustly (Psalm 89:14), never lie, and will always keep His promises (Titus 1:1-2).
More on our infinitely glorious King and His Kingdom in my next post.
Grace and Truth ×