Okay, so you are basically saying "of the Abraham Isaac Jacob linage AND having the proper 'inward' disposition toward God" or something very similar - correct?
That is well and good - thank you for the clarification; however, it was the thrust of mine.
My main point was to drive home the fact that the 'instructions' of God in this matter have a 'common law'/'common sense' limitation.
If the government were to make a decree tomorrow that all 'citizens' are now "commanded" to follow Islam under sharia law - are you going to "fall in line" as a completely cooperative 'citizen' (who thinks God told them to do whatever the government says they should do) and follow it?
If God does not sanction it - should we sanction it? No - absolutely not. Have I made my point?
As recorded in the U.S. Constitution, our government was originally set up to be a servant of the people - not the other way around.
The government should be such that the "allegiance" of the citizenry is to God while the "allegiance" of the government is to the citizenry - i.e. citizens should serve God and government should serve citizens.
What God created was the idea that a people of like mind could/should create a government "of the people, by the people, for the people" - to/under which the people would agreeably be obligated to for the sake of having a stable society. While dictatorial governments have been used by God in His infinite wisdom for His own purposes - I really do not believe that it is what God had in mind when He gave His "instructions" for us to follow.
Yes - there is an extent to which we are to follow [whatever the 'law' happens to be at the time] for the glory of God - and, this is included in those "instructions" that He gave to us.
Nonetheless, beyond that - in the "big picture" of things - we have "other [overriding] instructions" in the Bible that we must [also] follow with priority intact.
God created 'government' in general - not each and every specific [man-made] government that has ever existed. And, there is a vast difference between the two - especially, where the biblical "instructions" of God are concerned.
What you say is true; however, individuals should use whatever lawful means is available to them to prevent the wrongs before they happen inasmuch as they are able to do so. This includes preventing wrongs that have already happened from happening again.
