To whom does the scepter belong? Who among us shall be delegated authority and power over his fellow?
This debate has raged throughout human history. It is a human tendency, especially in modern democracies, to seek out political leadership that will implement our own policy conceptions. We have a checklist of our own personal priorities and select the candidate that agrees with our own views. We seek to do what is right in our own eyes, but instead we ought to look to do what is right in the eyes of God.
True religion is not simply a guide to morality or a way to bring structure to our personal lives. It is the true standard by which to judge all of human law.
Modern religion seems to focus on being a therapy session. But if the purpose of religion is simply to guide our personal behavior, then it is not sufficiently fulfilling its purpose according to Scripture. Nor is it rightly worshipping the Creator and Preserver of the universe.
The idea of personal religion is an invention of secular philosophers that have stumbled into the folly of substituting the easily manipulated desires of men for the enduring wisdom of God. The affairs of religion and the affairs of the state have always been intimately intertwined, even ‘- and especially ‘- in America and even under the First Amendment.
All laws enacted by our legislature ought to be in accord with God’s law. All politicians ought to be elected in a way that reflects the leadership that God intends. ‘-
At first glance, this might appear as a prescription for tyranny, with religious clerics defining what we can and cannot do. But this misses what Scripture actually teaches us. Among such teachings is that there is a messianic king that rightfully ought to be granted leadership over humanity. And, by our recognition of his right, he will rule with judgment and truth.
There are two principle properties upon which God governs the universe: justice and compassion.
When a ruler governs with justice, he exacts harmony among men. When people stumble into disputes, they both claim competing rights over the same entity. The law must be defined, and the judge must render his decision in such a way that it resolves the conflict.
There can be nothing less than complete impartiality under the law as well as by the judge between the two parties. The judge must be entirely diligent to decide meticulously between the claims of both parties. Anything less transgresses the perfect justice of God.
When a ruler governs with compassion, he repairs the bonds of affection that have been severed among his people. The truest form of compassion is not mercy, Mercy implies that the ruler is charitably forgiving the debt owed by the wrongdoer. It is, however, grace, as grace is when the victim simply chooses not to see the guilt of the wrongdoer at all. It is grace that marks the highest form of love.
This compassion needs to be unlimited for all people, so that no one will be left behind. A true leader must subjugate himself completely to his citizens, so that their needs are his immediate concern. He must work behind the scenes, in humility, to incur trouble himself if it shall serve to repair the relationship between two opposing parties. Anything less transgresses the perfect compassion of God.
There is a drawback to compassion. A king who rules his kingdom with grace, but with no law, will eventually bring rampant disorder among his people. Misguided compassion can end up forgiving a murder and thereby placing many innocent people at risk, and doing so will transgress justice.
Justice also has a drawback. Rendering strict justice destroys the hope and faith of those who regret their past mistakes and seek to return in repentance, and rendering justice in such a manner will transgress compassion.
It is difficult for judges to render justice without error. But there may be some human beings that will place enough time and thought into decisions to prevent these mistakes. Likewise, it is difficult for people to show unlimited compassion towards one another.
But perhaps we can find such people whose only limitation is the number of hours in each day. We must turn to heaven for the knowledge and wisdom to exact justice and compassion simultaneously.
Such a person would render judgment in such a way that the losing party in a court case will still maintain complete and perfect faith in this judge. It would seem that such a judge would actually have to have a perfect love for both sides, even the one he must rule against. This is something that appears impossible with any human being, but it is certainly possible with God.
It is here where true religion must turn its attention: towards understanding God’s righteous laws and ordinances, by enacting these statutes today and in this world and where true faith must turn its hope towards God’s righteous Messiah, who will teach us God’s law with love.
