Government

The Delegating Character of God

The Lord God is above his creation. He is wholly separate from it, although still actively involved in it. The fancy theological term attached to this truth is transcendence.

“To transcend means “to exist above and independent from; to rise above, surpass, succeed.” By this definition, God is the only truly transcendent Being. The “LORD God Almighty” (in Hebrew, El Shaddai) created all things on the earth, beneath the earth and in the heavens above, yet He exists above and independent from them. All things are upheld by His mighty power (Hebrews 1:3), yet He is upheld by Himself alone. The whole universe exists in Him and for Him that He may receive glory, honor and praise.” www.gotquestions.org “What does it mean that God is transcendent?”

“Our Creator’s transcendence is affirmed throughout Scripture and is reflected in today’s passage. When we say God is transcendent, we mean that He is separate from His creation and not dependent on the created order in any way. The Almighty made the universe and He is therefore its sovereign ruler (Gen. 1:1). A biblical view of transcendence does not mean that God is unable to enter into His creation or communicate with it. He is also immanent, present within the universe that He has made (Ps. 139:7). Nevertheless, creation is not God (pantheism), nor does God depend upon it. Creation, instead, depends upon our Creator for its continual existence (Eph. 4:4–6).” RC Sproule Denying God’s Transcendence Ligonier Ministries Blog

In his transcendence, God has designed to delegate responsibility and authority to mankind for the oversight of the created order.

Delegation was part of the first creative act of God

The very first thing that God said about man included the giving of authority and responsibility to him.

Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” Genesis 1:26

The Source of All Authority

by mholden

Secular humanism screams against authority. The culture in which we live rejects the existence of any authority at all. Everything coming from nothing, with no source or purpose for anything, leaves the entire system without direction, without foundation, without right or wrong, without justice, without authority.

Authority, like life itself, however, cannot spring from nothing. Authority must be delegated from a higher source. The individual or entity that stands on its own and claims to have authority has no basis. The police officer who pulls you over for speeding gets his authority to do from the civil authority that enacted the law governing speed limits. The law makers that passed the speeding law gained their authority to do so from the documents that constitute the state that they govern. Those documents gain their authority from the Constitutional law under which our nation is established. The Constitution gains its authority from the Founder who established all law. Ultimately, all authority comes down from God himself. The is no authority, except that which comes from him.

Even Jesus Christ, the Son of God, had authority only because it was given to him. He said, “And [the Father] has given him authority to execute judgment, because he is the Son of Man.” John 5:27

A Roman centurion understood Jesus’ authority by saying, “For I too am a man set under authority, with soldiers under me: and I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it” Luke 7:8. Because the centurion had such understanding of authority, Jesus “marveled at him, and turning to the crowd that followed him, said, “I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith.” It’s amazing to consider that of all actions or statements that Jesus observed as he walked on earth, the one that receives his highest commendation is a man who understands authority.

All authority and power originate in the person of our God.

At the end of the days I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my reason returned to me, and I blessed the Most High, and praised and honored him who lives forever, for his dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom endures from generation to generation; all the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing,
and he does according to his will among the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand
or say to him, “What have you done?” Daniel 4:34, 35

The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything.… Acts 17:24, 25

For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen. Romans 11:36

For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. Colossians 1:16

A Land of Law or a Land of Men

by mholden

Tommy came running through the back door and into the kitchen, excited to show his mother the giant snail that he had discovered near a backyard downspout. Mother acknowledged the wonderful catch and then gently reminded him of the house rule that shoes are to be removed at the door. As Tommy nodded in repentance and agreement, he noticed his Dad grabbing a snack of milk and cookies at the kitchen island. “Daddy, you forgot to take off your shoes,” he noted. “Daddy doesn’t have to take off his shoes because he’s Daddy,” came the reply.
In America, we believe in “house rules”. Our country was established on them. It really rubs us the wrong way when individuals excuse themselves from following the rules by claiming preferred treatment or status. We hold strongly to the statement that “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal…” All are equal under the law. There is a standard of “house rules” that governs equally over everyone. For you and me as Americans, that rule of the house is the Constitution.
The Constitution was designed to limit the power of those who govern and to provide equal protection for all citizens, no matter what their station in life. Our governing officials, our judicial leaders, our Congress, and our military personnel have sworn to uphold the “house rules” over and above any personality or power. There is no one in our land that is over or above the Constitution of the United States.
When a man violates the house rules by wearing his shoes in the kitchen, it is wrong. It does not matter who the man is. If a man is preferred above the law, despotism is in the wings. When the opinions of men out-weigh the principle of law, chaos is in the wind. A lawless age brings instability, confusion, and ultimately tyranny.
You and I must defend our system of law, and require that all men be held accountable to it. If we allow individual leaders to expand their influence, control, or power beyond the scope of law, then we are allowing those individuals to become a law unto themselves and we have ceased to be a nation governed by a constitution. We have become a government of men and equality under to law has become a byword.