Serving, Not Ruling
44August 13, 2012 by Cole Ryan
“The Revolution was in the minds and hearts of the people; a change in their religious sentiments, their duties, and their obligations. The radical change in the principles, opinions, and affections of the people, was the real American Revolution.” John Adams
A government isn’t capable of doing that. I don’t think there will ever be a president that will be able to change the principles, opinions, or religious views of anyone. We need to stop talking about the president and the political parties and start talking about right and wrong. Political parties don’t matter anymore. Our nation wasn’t founded to be the way it is today, that’s pretty clear, but that can’t be fixed by anything a regulation or a law can do. A revolution needs to take place, and it starts in the hearts and minds of the American people, not in Washington DC. Somewhere down the line we got the warped misconception that the government owes us something, like we are entitled, or that we are meant to rely and depend on the government. I think sometimes we assume we need to wait for the government in order to make a change, or we think that they are the only ones capable of making a change. We must begin to look at Washington DC as the source of our problems, not the solution to them.
This world will not be made better through political force. Forcing people to live according to your beliefs won’t change their heart, it will only change their actions. It is about serving, not ruling. It is written that we are called to be a servant to all (Mark 9:35). It is also said that when we are welcomed into Heaven, God will say “well done, my good and faithful servant!” (Matthew 25:21). Above all else we are meant to be servants. So rather than using political force to see God’s word come to pass may we serve others, and be an example of Jesus’ love – that is what truly brings people to salvation. Christians are called to be servants, even Christian politicians.
Relevant post: Serving, Not Leading
Amen.
Great post.
Cole, I do agree with what you are saying and if we had 15 or 20 yrs or even 5 years left maybe it would make a difference. but I think we are on a collision course. the Bible is so specific about what to watch for and then to really “run for the hills”. I am not a warmonger, a trouble maker, nor a gossip. But I am a student of the Bible for many, many years and I have been watching, now I am waiting as well-because all that prophecy is literally happening before our eyes. Every day I open the newspaper I see more evidence. What it spurs me to do is to share more of Jesus to everyone I can everyday. Because, like Jesus, I certainly don’t know the day. But I do pay close attention to his words and he was very specific about what to watch for–and if you are a student yourself, you know these things.
should we continue to try and make a difference? of course! I will be working and sharing right up until the time they come to get me-unless I get “a word” and leave a little early.
But for sure Jesus is coming to get us soon. We may experience some of the tribulation-maybe even half of it which is not what I have counted on all my life, but if everybody else in history has suffered for Jesus’ sake, why would we think that we are the privileged few to escape?
Candy, which is it, are you waiting or doing the works God prepared for you? Paul likens our life to a race. I think it’s clear it is a relay race, from generation to generation. What if you were indeed running the last leg and you just started jogging or sat down…?
The Jesus movement in the 70s resulted in abdication of this type. Now, the church seems to so sure the Second Coming is imminent that they’re waitin and hiding. I think Paul said to finish well the race set before us. And Jesus said it is not for us to know the time!
Amen! We are warned in scripture so much about obsessing over things like ‘vain janglings and endless genealogies’ and we see examples over history of people so convinced they were in the last days (even centuries ago) that they gave up all they had and went and sat on a hill waiting for Jesus appearing in the sky. We are exhorted more, so much more, in God’s word, to live our lives every day for Him, and for others, showing them He is real by our love and actions.
I like the way you think.
So true! This gets straight to the root! Much wisdom here!!
I like the way you are able to express so clearly what is on a lot of our minds.
Great post. I think there’s something very liberating in not having to worry about getting social change passed into a law; we can do it just by loving others in our everyday lives.
“A revolution needs to take place, and it starts in the hearts and minds of the American people, not in Washington DC.”
This one should get bipartisan support :) And there’s absolutely nothing wrong with Christians serving in politics, ditto politicians serving the public while remaining devoted to their faiths. As you yourself said: Christians are called to be servants of their faiths, politicians included.
I think much can be accomplished when more Americans abandon the narrative that the country can’t lead the world as a Christian community. Christianity was part of that flowering of liberty in America, I see no reason why Christian Americans should all of a sudden think-twice of their religion’s role in promoting liberty even to themselves and their neighbors.
Please read my post Devotion in Faith is Just What Adam Smith Ordered http://onetenthblog.wordpress.com/tag/adam-smith/
Thanks for the post and grats with your blog!
Agree! We’re also called to be lovers. And to heal the sick, set captives free, etc, but the power of the Holy Spirit (Jesus said that).
A Revolution is needed… sometimes I wonder how long the settlers of this country talked of revolution before they finally enacted… unfortunately our enemy is not across an ocean anymore, and the public, in spite of being in the ‘information age’ is uneducated to the repeating process leading the populace of America into Socialist enslavement.
In fact, the media will look at the Tea-party… a non-violent group out to limit and reduce the government back to it’s roots… and persecute them as hate-mongering, gun-toting, anarchist. While they praise and defend the Occupy movements who don’t really have a clear agenda and if one was to guess it would be to receive a free hand-out from the government.
Our generation has come to expect the government to provide us with food, homes, educate our children, and ensure that we have jobs… and if at any point we feel that we have been shorted in anyway… we are taught to take to our politicians so they can write a new law and protect us from having our feelings hurt… or, God-forbid, our hands dirty from that work thing…
As a reservist in the army I am constantly watching for any order to disarm America and sometimes look forward to seeing that order… just so I can clear my conscious and rebel from the tyranny that share the flag on my shoulder.
But I pray and ask others to pray for much much less violent revolution… one that starts in the homes with good parenting where the real, and effective education has always taken place… We should consider the curriculum our children are learning from their parents.
I have never understood the stance of Christians on government, particularly in the US, where a caring government that undertakes its responsibilities to act fairly for all its citizens, its taxpayers, to protect them from the interests of big corporations and banks, is seen as interfering, controlling, dictating or nannying. If they are elected by us, from our own citizens, for our own governance, and that by democratic consent, what is wrong with regulating for the balance of power to be spread more evenly for the hard-working 99% of us who are NOT super-rich? The sort of government advocated by the tea-party in the US and the Thatcherite No Turning Back group here in the UK, is one that deregulates to the point that nobody has any real recourse to government protection at all, and the most powerful individuals and companies wipe the floor with us. And we will work harder and harder, for less and less pay, and more and more misery. Socialism isn’t ALL evil, you know, despite what millionaire preachers might tell you, and capitalism? Well, is it not ‘the love of money’?
Going to have to disagree with you on that one.
Capitalism could be called ‘the love of money’ which is why it’s good for business… because it takes someone that loves to make money to work hard for that money. And that is what capitalism will produce: a nation of people who are self-sufficient and willing to work hard for what they have.
Capitalism is what gave our founding fathers the will to defend their land and get out from under the micro-managing British monarchy.
Capitalism is what breeds business competition. Do not misunderstand our government ‘keeping things fair’ for our government keeping things fair. Because what that actually means is the government is going to take from the haves and give it to the have nots (that’s the idea of our income tax system but the ‘have nots’ rarely see much help) but there’s nothing fair about it.
and why would I want to be a rich business owner if the government is going to take my earnings?
also; when the government starts giving people assistance with their bills, food, and house payments then the people no longer have the necessity to work… so they don’t.
and the more the people don’t work the more and more strained the system becomes until it reaches the point the United States is at now… social security is broke, medicare is broke, welfare is leeching off funds intended for another purpose and so on… and where does the government get the money to fund these programs? the successful business owners… except now they aren’t as successful because they had to raise their prices to offset the heavy taxes placed on them… if they don’t raise their prices then they downsize their overhead (fire people) the people they fire get on welfare and adds to the problem that led to their being fired.
the simplest explanation came in a cute narrative that I received as one of those chain e-mails:
A young child was with his parents visiting their local representative and he was asking the child what he wanted to do when he is grown.
“I want to be president of the United States!” he replied
the parents smiled with pride.
“What would you do as president?”
“I would makes sure that all the homeless people have a place to stay, and the people with no food always have something to eat”
the parents beamed with pride…
the rep. said, “well you don’t need to be president to do that, tell you what… I can hire you to mow my lawn and pay you 50 dollars… then you can take that 50 dollars and buy a meal and hotel room for that man on the corner down the street”
the little boy sat for a minute and then asked, “why doesn’t that man just mow the lawn and you can pay him the 50 dollars?”
and that’s the difference between a nanny, socialist government, and capitalism.
This is why evangelism is so important. Our battle is not against flesh and blood. The Spirit is at work within us, and the Spirit will work within others as we live for the Lord and tell them about His love and mercy.
You’re nominated for the One Lovely blog award by
http://counselforliving.wordpress.com/#!/cover
Well said. Time is short, act now. And even if time weren’t short, act now.
Amen and God Bless you brother Cole! I would like to recommend a Book to you that I believe you may enjoy, it is called ‘For the Supremacy of God and not the Supremacy of the People’ and can be found here: http://www.scribd.com/doc/73073666/For-the-Supremacy-of-God-and-Not-the-Supremacy-of-People
If you get a chance to read it I would love to hear your thoughts regarding it :)
May God shower you with His Strength, Mercy and Love,
Peace be upon you,
Thank you for this. Simple and honest truth. Amen.
beautifully stated!
Agreed and Amen.
really enjoy your thoughts. I’ll be back. God Bless.
Right on! Thank you!!
Good stuff my brother! My sentiments exactly.
Great Post I believe we are heading into terrible times with our government. The Bible says in Rev. 17:3 These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast. It is very important to know what Daniel and Rev says about the United States and our freedoms.
Please check out these study guides God bless
Who is the Antichrist http://www.amazingfacts.org/free-stuff/bible-studies/study-guides/ctl/viewmedia/mid/453/iid/2-15/lng/en/sc/r.aspx?7=who-is-the-antichrist?
Who is the Mark of the Beast http://www.amazingfacts.org/free-stuff/bible-studies/study-guides/ctl/viewmedia/mid/453/iid/2-20/lng/en/sc/r.aspx?7=the-mark-of-the-beast.
The-USA-in-Bible-Prophecy http://www.amazingfacts.org/free-stuff/bible-studies/study-guides/ctl/viewmedia/mid/453/iid/2-21/lng/en/sc/r.aspx?7=the-usa-in-bible-prophecy.
The-Other-Woman http://www.amazingfacts.org/free-stuff/bible-studies/study-guides/ctl/viewmedia/mid/453/iid/2-22/lng/en/7/the-other-woman/sc/r.aspx
The-Bride-of-Christ http://www.amazingfacts.org/free-stuff/bible-studies/study-guides/ctl/viewmedia/mid/453/iid/2-23/lng/en/7/the-bride-of-christ/sc/r.aspx
A very good word here! I have always held the opinion that for culture, laws and society to change, God must first change people’s hearts.
Love the post! Agree with everything except: Washington DC as a problem. Washington DC is not a problem it is a mission field but no one thinks they can apsire to the level of reaching out to politicians on a heart-felt, genuine human level.
One thought to maybe append to your statements… “God the Father, servant of all.” Just a thought.
Well said. why can’t politicians be witnessed to like any others? Here in Northern Ireland, in our church, as we pray for requests for families and friends in need of salvation and healing, we also pray for all those in power in our country, by name, like Martin McGuinness of Sinn Fein, for example. We pray that God will save them and change them. And you know what? Our new Chief Constable of the Police is born again! And now his deputies are too. The police haven’t all changed yet though, lol. But there is hope.
I think you’re right about not giving up and having hope. I’m not qualified to judge the hearts of others, whether it’s a politician in the distance, or my closest family member.
I love that this post says to look into our own hearts first. For that’s where we can affect the greatest change. And also the best example towards others.
How can we ask others to change when we refuse to do so ourselves?
Good point! I agree.
I completely agree with you. Change is only truly borne within hearts before it can be enacted on legal papers or statutes. What you seek, we often talk about in Ireland as ‘revival’, just like it happened in 1859. Though many pray for it, they see it as others getting saved. They do not realise (as I experienced many years ago in a church that managed to recreate it briefly) that true revival causes believers to be convicted of their own sin and impure hearts, and the desire to follow God more closely will rip them apart emotionally. But this IS the change you write about. Desire it, for it is worth the heartache to “create in [us] a clean heart”.
would that I could be where your are today when my today was yesterday. You and yours are the future. Praise Him, and you for your youthful commitment
jlj
Once upon a time people were elected to serve, it was considered an honor and at the end of your term it was time for someone else to serve. It would be nice to return to those precepts of government. As far as changing the world only people surrendered can change, I am afraid there aren’t to many people left willing to lay it down… just saying
I started looking at politics a lot different too, since I’ve been a disciple of Jesus Christ; I too agree that change is definitely not coming from Washington. Jesus says that “He is the way the truth and the life” and the sooner people realize that, the sooner change will come; first in their hearts, than in their actions. Praise God bro, keep up the great work. God Bless
good post.
The motif of the Servant King is easily confused with the notion of the King Servant. As Christians we are aligned with the Servant King, and our modus operandi should reflect the one in whose steps we would tread. The part of the world I can change is me, if my change motivates anyone else to change, then the harvest is plentiful.
Those who live by faith, have a principle (or set of principles) to follow and a rule by which they measure their progress. Those who aspire to power outside of this context, ultimately need t be self authenticating and therein lies the problem.
A good post Cole.
Nicely said! Couldn’t agree more. ^_^
Reblogged this on Kimberlene's Blog.
Revolution is definitely psychological. The power of the mind and changing of perspective is what will change our world.
Yup!!
You have some very good points in this article. We should indeed be servants. What a great reminder!
As I was reading your article, I had a million questions going through my head about the bible times, when Jesus and the Apostles were still living. There was very much a political environment in those times (Rome). How did Jesus, the Apostles, and the many Christians that follow handled this environment? How much were they relying on these political forces. How much did they influence it? How much were they involved in it? Not that I have the answers to all, but these verses came to mind:
1 Timothy 2:1-3:
1 I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men;
2 For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.
3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour;
In times where there is much frustration with what Politic has come to signify, I reallt wonder to what extent us Christians actually follow 1 Timothy 2:1-3.
When discussing politics, I like to quote the founding fathers, men like Washington, Jefferson and Franklin. They all warned about the excesses and dangers of government. In reality though, we are the government and, therefore, we need to take personal responsibility for what is happening in DC. As a country, we have a unique charter in that it states that we are endowed by the Creator with certain unalienable rights; that is, the principles of liberty arise from man’s God-given rights. Perhaps it’s time then to exercise our rights.
I like what you are saying here, we need to make sure we continue to serve and keep our focus on who’s really in Charge! :)