Hypocrites in Submission

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Theognome

Burrito Bill
Yes, this is a thread title that starts off with a statement that is inherently offensive. The term hypocrite is often thrown about without any real thought- used only because it inspires anger and irrational action; and it is far easier to defeat an enemy that is in anger than one who thinks rationally. However, I used that term not to accuse anyone specifically on this board, but to hope that after this paragraph, the reader will calm down and simply openly read the concepts in the following text. Being called hypocrite (and yes, I am included in this) is like being called 'racist'. Most folks simply do not react calmly to this. Therefor, assume I'm not talking about you (since I'm probably not) and calmly read on...

When it comes to government instituted upon the earth, there are three basic forms- Ecclesiastic, Familial and Civil. Any and all governments require a relationship of command and subordination; of leaders and followers. Where this lacks, there is no government. The Word of God explains thoroughly the responsibilities and duties of each of these governments, and how we are to submit to them within the context of His moral and spiritual guidance.

What is extraordinary in modern Christendom is how skewed our relationships with these governments have become. We are explicitly called to be in submission to all of these governments, however only one of them- and this being the least of the three- is given credence and loyalty in most Christian settings. Here is a brief examination:

Ecclesiastic- This is the first, greatest and most important government upon the earth. All Christians and subordinate governments are commanded to be in submission to the Church outside their spheres of influence, as well as receive instruction within. Familial governments are to submit to the judgments and correction of the Church elders while civil governments are to heed the wisdom of the elders in the gates. However, few churches exercise any kind of discipline in the modern church. No membership is required, no accountability is demanded. Congregations can expel their leaders with the tyrannic 51% vote. Most Churches make no stand on accountability, rather they plea for their coffers. Most modern Christians are greatly offended at the idea of having to be in submission to their Church leaders, so said leaders make no such requirement so that their coffer pleas will not go unheard.

Familial- This government has been under constant attack in the US for over a century- to the point that the very idea of a family being a form of government is actually offensive to most Christians- even amongst some of the reformed.The modern idea of 'familial' government is individual- that we are on a one-on-one walk with the Lord. Although there is, of course, plenty of teaching concerning how we interact with God individually, the massive amount of Biblical ink given to instructing households and how the Church is designed to interact with this government is anathema in most Christian circles. The idea that the bible teaches a husband being the head of a government is treated like a heresy... and anyone who thinks this way is simply unenlightened and brutish. Modern Christianity eliminates entirely the family, creating instead a house full of individuals and thus a house full of self-contained governments.

Civil- This is the least of the three governments created by God, but has been given the greatest latitude. Where the Word says to submit as unto (meaning within His guidance) the Lord, most Churches simply accept that whatever the Civil government does, they must submit blindly. This is nothing less than hypocritical timidity in most cases. Many Churches cast aside the greatest gifts of God - the Church and Household governments - and instead feast on the table scrap that is the civil government. And, since the Churches and Households blindly submit to the civil sphere, they do not teach, correct or rebuke it- choosing rather to follow whatever it decides to do to them.

I call this hypocrisy for the simple reason that the above governmental scenarios are the common attitude amongst modern Christendom yet at the same time are utterly unbiblical. How can someone treat the civil government as supreme and still claim to be a faithful Christian? How can a Christian in good conscience say, 'I love the Lord' while hating the authority of the family that God gave? And how can any God-fearing person let the civil sphere do what they will while they, having hands and mind, just go along and pray Christ comes soon? All of these reek of cowardice and unbelief.

Let us not forget that proper submission is a position of power when we are submitting as unto the Lord. Therefore, strive to be submissive, man and woman alike, to the governments that God has given us, and also that the men given to lead these governments strive to do so as unto the Lord.

Theognome
 
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And how can any God-fearing person let the civil sphere do what they will while they, having hands and mind, just go along and pray Christ comes soon? All of these reek of cowardice and unbelief.

Tell that to the persecuted church. I think this is American type of thinking. The rest of your article is good.
 
We can start by using the terms church government, family government, self-government and civil government.

When the word "government" is used today, people immediately assume civil government is meant. That's how off the radar the other types of government are.

Therefore the coercive civil government has to expensively pick up the pieces for neglect higher up the system.
 
Which gov't is prior, church or family? God placed mankind into a family pretty early.


Also, if one's elder tells your child to do something, and you tell your child to do something, your prioritization of church gov't would make it appear that a child ought to listen to one's elder before they listen to one's parents.
 
Which gov't is prior, church or family? God placed mankind into a family pretty early.


Also, if one's elder tells your child to do something, and you tell your child to do something, your prioritization of church gov't would make it appear that a child ought to listen to one's elder before they listen to one's parents.

I agree with you. We need families in order to have churches and civil governments. The family is the basic unit of society. Not all families are Christian families, but their familial government is still legitimate.

This is one area where my husband and I disagree - whether family or Church came first in the Garden. While we both agree that each sphere has its own duty and may not override other spheres, I see the family as primary, while he sees the Church as primary.

Other than Bill, I'm not aware of any Christian position of sphere law that does not place the family first, the Church second, and the State last.
 
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And what sort of training is there to ensure future generations do not cross the line from appropriate submission to abuse? Sadly, all three systems of government can and have been terribly abusive. :2cents:

In addition, submission to family is often a hindrance for converts to Christianity in general and The Reformed Faith in particular. The family is Jewish/Muslim/Pagan/Atheist/Buddhist/LDS/Catholic/Arminian and may view their child's conversion as disobedience. And is it hypocritical to disobey the family for ones faith? :oops:
 
And what sort of training is there to ensure future generations do not cross the line from appropriate submission to abuse? Sadly, all three systems of government can and have been terribly abusive. :2cents:

In addition, submission to family is often a hindrance for converts to Christianity in general and The Reformed Faith in particular. The family is Jewish/Muslim/Pagan/Atheist/Buddhist/LDS/Catholic/Arminian and may view their child's conversion as disobedience. And is it hypocritical to disobey the family for ones faith? :oops:

Abuses within an institution do not automatically make those institutions bad in and of themselves.

The scriptures give us standards for leadership within each sphere of God's authority, and actually the scriptures are the only standard by which abuse can be prevented. The State does not administer the sacraments/ordinances and the Church does not execute murderers. There are checks and balances between the different spheres. The doctrine of interposition - the biblical authorization to keep lower authoriites (i.e., everyone but God) in check needs to be understood and implemented in order to avoid, rebuke and stop abuses, whether they be in family, church or state.

A pagan child or wife who converts to Christianity is to obey God rather than men. No earthly authority may prevent them from serving the Lord Jesus Christ.
 
Thank you Toni! That makes sense. I ask about the pagans converting because the family "guilt hook" is often the family itself (ancestor worship in the Oriental cultures would be one example and "XXXX years of history and you are one of...THEM!" is another).
 
The family is the foundational social institution.

The Church is/should be the central social institution.

The State is the leading institution or head of the nation - or family of nations, as in Great Britain (Scots, English, Welsh, Irish). The nation is/or should be, an extended family.
 
The family is the foundational social institution.

The Church is/should be the central social institution.

The State is the leading institution or head of the nation - or family of nations, as in Great Britain (Scots, English, Welsh, Irish). The nation is/or should be, an extended family.

Well put. I agree.
 
To be honest I think it is respect and submission to civil government that is most lacking in christian circles.

Disrespect and lack of submission to the church and family is certainly a problem today, but that is typically a result of a general lack of respect for authority and when that is present, civil government is most often similarly disrespected. Most people who show lack of respect for family and church will disrespect their civil rulers as well.

The message of submission needs to be taught for all three spheres, I think.
 
To be honest I think it is respect and submission to civil government that is most lacking in christian circles.

Disrespect and lack of submission to the church and family is certainly a problem today, but that is typically a result of a general lack of respect for authority and when that is present, civil government is most often similarly disrespected. Most people who show lack of respect for family and church will disrespect their civil rulers as well.

The message of submission needs to be taught for all three spheres, I think.

I can't speak for the rest of the world...but North America and Europe seem to have very "obedient" Christians. In the U.S. most send their children to public schools and most of them voted for Barack Obama.

Many Christians in the U.S. do not formally join any church, and also church-hop when things get a bit "uncomfortable". Churches run themselves with their fingers in the air to detect the changing winds and adjust to fit that. That's a great way to avoid losing parishioners to church-hopping...make sure the church adjusts to how the congregation feels...if the congregation feels worldly...hey, we can do that!

Our children disobey their parents and the parents "fall out of love" with their spouses. Our children intermarry, or worse: live with their "partner" and abort their children...when they're in their young teens, we help them abort their unwanted children.

In my estimation, what American Christians have going for them is "submission" to government...but even if our problem was submission to government...the problem is more foundational and *still* must be addressed at the familial/church levels.
 
To be honest I think it is respect and submission to civil government that is most lacking in christian circles.

Disrespect and lack of submission to the church and family is certainly a problem today, but that is typically a result of a general lack of respect for authority and when that is present, civil government is most often similarly disrespected. Most people who show lack of respect for family and church will disrespect their civil rulers as well.

The message of submission needs to be taught for all three spheres, I think.

I can't speak for the rest of the world...but North America and Europe seem to have very "obedient" Christians. In the U.S. most send their children to public schools and most of them voted for Barack Obama.

Many Christians in the U.S. do not formally join any church, and also church-hop when things get a bit "uncomfortable". Churches run themselves with their fingers in the air to detect the changing winds and adjust to fit that. That's a great way to avoid losing parishioners to church-hopping...make sure the church adjusts to how the congregation feels...if the congregation feels worldly...hey, we can do that!

Our children disobey their parents and the parents "fall out of love" with their spouses. Our children intermarry, or worse: live with their "partner" and abort their children...when they're in their young teens, we help them abort their unwanted children.

In my estimation, what American Christians have going for them is "submission" to government...but even if our problem was submission to government...the problem is more foundational and *still* must be addressed at the familial/church levels.

:agree:
 
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