Opus 2014-288: Cornerstone Considerations: CUSA, The Highest Authority

On my other blog I made some comments on Proverbs in regard to the government.

(Proverbs 25:5 KJV)  Take away the wicked from before the king, and his throne shall be established in righteousness.

Since that is a devotional blog I don’t want to get into political philosophy and personal opinion as much as I do here.  So I want to dig a little deeper into the struggle of Christians living in an anti-God culture and being led by politicians who mock the standards of God.

I also quoted Paul.

(Romans 13:1 KJV)  Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.

How are we as Christians to be faithful to the call of God to be righteous and support leaders who reject righteousness? 

As Americans we are in a unique position.  You see, we do not have a king.  We have a president.  We have an elected official who takes an oath of office that reminds us what the “higher powers” that Paul talks about really are.  Here it is as a direct quote from the Constitution, Article II, Section 1:

"I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the office of president of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the constitution of the United States."

I submit that the highest power that we obey in the United States of America is the Constitution.  It is not the president, congress or the Supreme Court.

We see this in the oath I took when I was drafted into the army years ago.

I”, _____, do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me God." (Title 10, US Code; Act of 5 May 1960 replacing the wording first adopted in 1789, with amendment effective 5 October 1962).”

This oath, with slight variations, is also taken by all officers.  Notice it gives supremacy to the Constitution and limits obedience to orders that are legal. 

Is this sophistry?  You be the judge. 

I also have the words of Peter before the Sanhedrin:

(Acts 4:19 KJV)  But Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye.

Of course there is a difference between political opinion and speaking the truth of God.  We sometimes forget that, but we as Christians need to remember that we have a higher allegiance.  One of the struggles we have in a country and a religion that believes in liberty and individual responsibility is that we have to engage our minds and make hard choices.

Welcome to liberty.

homo unius libri