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I JUST want to know what type of government would a Christian government be? and what would it look like/act like? and if it could succeed in a 'worldly' earth.
For example take "when your brother strikes you on one cheek turn to him the other" or "you shall not lie" or "whenever you look at a girl lustfully you have already commited adultry with her in your heart." What would a government look like that took these commands seriously? Would adultry be dealt with jail time? Should it? How about sex outside of marriage, et cetera.
I also want taken into consideration next that they wanted to make Jesus king by force and He retreated from this...does this mean that trying to make a Christian government/Christian oriented laws does not promote or increase the likely-hood that people will live godly lives?
Just wondering and thought it could make a good discussion with all the people that think that governments should base their standards on Christian principles, which I also believe to a large extant--but am just unsure what that will look like.
For me, I often think the principle to love even your enemies often leads to a secular state like we have here in the Unites States. I believe only if you hate or somehow disadvantage other people/religions, that you may get a purely religious state. Take the muslim states for example.
While secular living can spell disaster within a church, within a government it seems that secular culture promotes and allows for true Christian growth.
This ironically can also be seen in Kierkegards complaint against a state that claims to be Christian--he believes that it is almost impossible to be a Christian in a Christian state--because then the Bible seems twisted and people seem to become proud and get somewhat famous by falling the Bible instead of being persecuted as the Bible suggests. Also, many nations that claim Christianity are tending towards the secular.
I also believe that a monarchy seems to be better supported in scripture than a democracy...is this going against the Bible because it tells me to be submissive to my government?
Now its your turn. I have more thoughts but will wait a little while.
God bless
tony
ps. TS Eliot's "Religion and Culture" also has important points on what a person truly believes in and what his culture truly believes in. It may also be worthwhile to ask if you can truly be a Christian in a nation that thrives on unChristian values.
For example take "when your brother strikes you on one cheek turn to him the other" or "you shall not lie" or "whenever you look at a girl lustfully you have already commited adultry with her in your heart." What would a government look like that took these commands seriously? Would adultry be dealt with jail time? Should it? How about sex outside of marriage, et cetera.
I also want taken into consideration next that they wanted to make Jesus king by force and He retreated from this...does this mean that trying to make a Christian government/Christian oriented laws does not promote or increase the likely-hood that people will live godly lives?
Just wondering and thought it could make a good discussion with all the people that think that governments should base their standards on Christian principles, which I also believe to a large extant--but am just unsure what that will look like.
For me, I often think the principle to love even your enemies often leads to a secular state like we have here in the Unites States. I believe only if you hate or somehow disadvantage other people/religions, that you may get a purely religious state. Take the muslim states for example.
While secular living can spell disaster within a church, within a government it seems that secular culture promotes and allows for true Christian growth.
This ironically can also be seen in Kierkegards complaint against a state that claims to be Christian--he believes that it is almost impossible to be a Christian in a Christian state--because then the Bible seems twisted and people seem to become proud and get somewhat famous by falling the Bible instead of being persecuted as the Bible suggests. Also, many nations that claim Christianity are tending towards the secular.
I also believe that a monarchy seems to be better supported in scripture than a democracy...is this going against the Bible because it tells me to be submissive to my government?
Now its your turn. I have more thoughts but will wait a little while.
God bless
tony
ps. TS Eliot's "Religion and Culture" also has important points on what a person truly believes in and what his culture truly believes in. It may also be worthwhile to ask if you can truly be a Christian in a nation that thrives on unChristian values.