So where do we draw the line when the govt is doing things way out of line with what God wants. What about when the nazi's drafted people to work at concentration camps, I understand thats an extreme but we cant just say well nero was bad so therefore everything the govt says goes.
Also the law of the land scripture is in relation to fearing the sword, I dont fear anything if I dont sign a marriage licence. It just seems that once that ONE scripture is put aside for a moment there is NOTHING else in the ENTIRE bible justifying the marriage licence. I mean if it was as important as modern churches make it out you would think it would be all over the old and new testimates.
Even bringing that scripture back in it is in relation to breaking the law and fearing law enforcement response. There is NO law stating you have to have to file a marriage licence.
The only nation-state God ever declared His was the ancient monarchy of Israel. God specifically determined both the people and the physical boundaries of the nation-state He claimed for Himself, and He never claimed any other.
Christians are citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven (Philippians 3:20). We are dispersed as temporary residents (1 Peter 1:1) to be ambassadors of Christ (2 Corinthians 5:20) into the world. We are not natives of these various nation-states, but are living here as aliens and strangers (1 Peter 2:11).
In this arrangement as diplomats of Heaven assigned to missions in various worldly nations under various worldly kings, God has a Status of Forces Agreement with these kings.
On our part, we are required to obey their laws, honor their officials, and pay their taxes. (Romans 13)
On their part, the worldly kings are supposed to allow Christians to live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity (1 Timothy 2:2).
This is not an unusual deal--it's precisely the arrangement the US makes with foriegn nations when American soldiers are stationed overseas. American soldiers must obey their laws, honor their officials, and pay their taxes (if living off the military base). In return, that country allows the military to pursue it's military mission for the US.
In that, however, the American soldier never forgets where his real home is, nor does the American soldier adopt the ways of the natives or go native himself. He can salute the host nation president and flag as required, but only because it's his own commander who requires it.
This is the same thing scripture describes for the Christian in this world.
Christians in the West--in the US particularly--need to pay attention to 1 Timothy 2:2. What God requires of the host nation is very simple: Let us fulfill our mission: Preach the gospel and take care of one another peacefully and quietly. No more than that. Demanding any more than that from the king will involve more entanglement in his affairs than God intends.
We can look at the lives of Daniel and Mordecai as examples, noting particularly how Daniel was an exemplary government official, yet kept himself detached enough not to "go down with the ship" when another king took over.
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