Editorial December 25, 1948 Issue

EMPHASIS ON GOD'S GOVERNMENT

Robert Ellis Key

Slavery in any form is abhorrent to a freedom-loving people. Where there is no liberty there is no love, and there is no true law without love. Liberty without law becomes license; therefore a liberty-loving people must be a law-abiding people, obedient to law because they love liberty. Thus they revere their laws because they respect their liberties.

In considering the question of obedience to human laws we might ask ourselves, "Do we obey law to avoid punishment, or because we love to be obedient?" When a motorist is confronted with the traffic lights on a highway, for instance, does he obey because he wants to obey, or merely to avoid accident or punishment? An answer to this question will indicate one's outlook on law.

Obedience to properly constituted law is natural to a God-loving people. If, however, one mortal is held in the grip of another, the bond of fellowship becomes the shackle of slavery. Human government, when not based upon the laws of God, degenerates into tyranny. In such a case one group of mortals may seek to impose its will upon another group weaker or more ignorant than themselves. In order to do this a suppositional god, or authority, is set up named the state. Every person is compelled to submit to this god on the ground that the interest of the state is absolute. This fallacy breaks the laws of God and ruptures the brotherhood of man. To those ignorant of God's laws this control of one group of mortals by another group may seem reasonable and even desirable, but this misconception arises from ignorance of God's laws and reliance on material methods.

Send a comment to the editors

We'd love to hear from you!

Easily submit your testimonies, articles, and poems online.

Submit

EMPHASIS ON GOD'S GOVERNMENT

We'd love to hear from you!

Sign up for unlimited access