Posted on 03/23/2015 2:34:33 PM PDT by walkinginthedesert
ohe = one (sorry I am not a good typist)
Thank you for posting an interesting article.
The fundamental principle that must be understood is this, regardless of the form of government or the process of selecting who will govern; he who takes upon himself the care of the common good receives authority from God. It is that simple. The election can be by lottery, by vote, by contest, by birth. The governing body can be one man or a plurality acting as one.
The British had too strong a notion of the divine right of kings. To go against the King was to go against God’s authority. So when they found a Catholic attending mass, which was considered an act of defiance against the Crown, they had no problem drawing and quartering him on those grounds alone. But the Catholics were right, it was better for them to obey God rather than men. Henry and Elizabeth were dreadfully wrong. And insofar as they did not keep up the care of the common good they had NO authority. It did not matter that they were born to it. And they did not escape the fearsome judgment seat of Christ.
True, but if that filter is applied consistently, you get monarchy because the national infrastructure -- the "commons" -- requires an owner.
allowed?
I think, overall, it is true that the purest forms of monarchy are those that have strong property rights for everyone, and they are typical for the early Feudalism. It is unfortunate that when one thinks of monarchy today, the examples are of royal absolutism, that is, of aberrations of the monarchic principle.
I agree that the Church never approved of any particular form of government, but neither did Protestantism as a whole. The Church did, however, bestow the title of Catholic King, and it was a formal title or style, on some monarchs. Kind Ferdinand II of Aragon and Queen Isabella of Castile, I believe, are one example.
Excellent observations.
Not sure what point is attempting to be made by this folly, but the Founding Fathers soundly rejected monarchy, both the political and religious types, having known the disaster of both throughout European history. The Founders, many students of the Bible, realized that Liberty ultimately comes from God. The moment you place a leader between God and man, you have problems. They opted for the next best option, a Constitutional Republic. They rejected a religious state, as well as a pure Democracy for the obvious problems of both. Tyranny comes from the first, and anarchy comes from the latter.
A Constitutional Republic requires an educated and moral citizenry. As Noah Webster observed - “If a republican government fails to secure public prosperity and happiness, it must be because the citizens neglect the Divine commands and elect bad men to make and administer the laws.”
He further observed:
“The Christian religion, in its purity, is the basis, or rather the source of all genuine freedom in government…and I am persuaded that no civil government of a republican form can exist and be durable in which the principles of that religion have not a controlling influence.”
And...
“The ecclesiastical establishments of Europe which serve to support tyrannical governments are not the Christian religion but abuses and corruptions of it.”
There is only one HEAD of the CHURCH, Jesus. The moment you place a man in place of Jesus, you quickly end up in the religious ditch. Believers are children of God, joint heirs of Jesus, made alive in Christ, seated in Heavenly places, Ambassadors for Christ in the world and Spiritual Brethren.
As Jesus said.
Luke 22:25-26 (AMP)
25 But Jesus said to them, The kings of the Gentiles are deified by them and exercise lordship [ruling as emperor-gods] over them; and those in authority over them are called benefactors and well-doers.
26 But this is not to be so with you; on the contrary, let him who is the greatest among you become like the youngest, and him who is the chief and leader like one who serves.
And Paul added a key to those called to minister to the Body: (See also Romans 12 and 1 Corinthians 12)
2 Timothy 4:1-4 (KJV)
1 I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom;
2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.
3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;
And Peter added...
1 Peter 5:1-3 (KJV)
1 The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed:
2 Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind;
3 Neither as being lords over God’s heritage, but being ensamples to the flock.
4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
God made it clear that when the children of Israel demanded a king, they were rejecting Him. He even told them what would happen with a king over them.
1 Samuel 8:7 (KJV)
7 And the LORD said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them.
1 Samuel 8:11-20 (KJV)
11 And he said, This will be the manner of the king that shall reign over you: He will take your sons, and appoint them for himself, for his chariots, and to be his horsemen; and some shall run before his chariots.
12 And he will appoint him captains over thousands, and captains over fifties; and will set them to ear his ground, and to reap his harvest, and to make his instruments of war, and instruments of his chariots.
13 And he will take your daughters to be confectionaries, and to be cooks, and to be bakers.
14 And he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your oliveyards, even the best of them, and give them to his servants.
15 And he will take the tenth of your seed, and of your vineyards, and give to his officers, and to his servants.
16 And he will take your menservants, and your maidservants, and your goodliest young men, and your asses, and put them to his work.
17 He will take the tenth of your sheep: and ye shall be his servants.
18 And ye shall cry out in that day because of your king which ye shall have chosen you; and the LORD will not hear you in that day.
19 Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel; and they said, Nay; but we will have a king over us;
20 That we also may be like all the nations; and that our king may judge us, and go out before us, and fight our battles.
There is only one person qualified to be King, and his time is coming.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.