This article by Chuck Baldwin recalls that during the rise of Hitler (y’sh) in Germany, a mere 17.5% of Christian Pastors actively opposed Nazi policies. Put another way, 82.5% of the Christian clergy actually supported Hitler and were deluded enough to believe that they were “serving God” by submitting themselves to his perversions of power.
Baldwin makes the case that blindly following civil leaders (based on spurious reasoning from Romans 13) is not only fatuous, but morally reprehensible. In the United States, especially, an obsequious respect given to public leaders as “appointed by God” is entirely out of place. The USA was founded on the principle that the people (“we the people…”) are the authorities, and civil leaders are entrusted with a derived authority that has validity only insofar it is exercised to serve the public good. Those who breach the trust of the people are to be removed from power — by force, if necessary.
Look, if you believe that government is always right (i.e., right by default), and that you must obey whatever it commands, then you must also believe that the Nazis were right. You must believe it was indeed a biblical imperative to obey Hitler.
The Christian can’t blandly say, “I was only following orders” as he collaborates with the purposes of Satan in this world. No, if you dare call yourself a follower of Jesus, you are to walk as He walked: in absolute submission to righteousness and truth. A true Christian can’t absolve himself of personal accountability by hiding within some herd.
Nor can he profess faith in the doctrine of predestination, assessing de facto political realities as de jure. That mixes up “is” with “ought” and gives the lie to the mandate to participate in the promotion of justice on this earth. Such thinking also mocks God’s commandments to walk as tzaddikim during the days of our pilgrimage.
The Kingdom of God is coming soon and will be established upon the earth. The purpled princes of this age are on notice.