StormyOne said:
I disagree... the government is of this world. The ruler of this world is Satan. So in essence all human governments are proxies of Satan.... Jesus clearly stated that His kingdom is NOT of this world..... The bible is clear that this world will pass away.... so I am not going to ask the government to legislate anything..... Our position has to be like Daniel while in exile.... He lived there but he did not seek to be a part of the political workings of the government...
IMO that is the problem now... too many religious folks in bed with politicians... it is not nor has ever been a healthy marriage...
A. to Palehorse: I understand you feel this is a different topic. But it is not quite so. We have more or less exhausted the narrow portion of the topic that deals with the biblical evidence on prohibitions of drink, definitions of alcoholic etc. Now we are looking at implications. And the implications go beyond mrerely drinking. But I will try to wrap up my participation on this particular aspect.
B. Daniel held high political positions in two foreign administrations.
C. RO 13:1 Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no
authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. 2 Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what
God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. 3 For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and he will commend you. 4
For he is God's servant to do you good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword for nothing.
He is God's servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. 5 Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also because of conscience.
Please identify for me where it says that the government is a proxie of Satan. While Satan no doubt has an influence at times the world is still God's and everything in it (Psalm 24) by creation and now redemption. And the Scriptures leave no doubt that God ordained the gov. for a specific moral role.
D. One more note on the topic however....
During Jesus story about new and old wine in the story of the wineskins he makes a comment about people who have had the old not wanting the new. Of course He is using an illustration for something else...