“A free republic requires citizens who can restrain themselves, tolerate disagreement, act with integrity, and recognize right from wrong. Without that, laws become hollow and institutions brittle.” — https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/americas-real-crisis-collapse-citizen
This quote was taken from an article cautioning us to not put our full trust in AI as a means of solving our problems. It is good as far as it goes, but I am going to rip it entirely out of context and address the deeper philosophical meaning buried in these two sentences. A free republic allows this and no one can complain that I did not recognize the author because you can click on the link and read it for yourself. If you want to.
Consider.
Isn’t the first part of this question a paraphrase of the Great Commandment and the one which is its equal?
“Then one of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, and saying, ‘Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?’ Jesus said to him, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second one is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.'” — Matthew 22:35-40 (NKJV)
If citizens restrain themselves, tolerate disagreement, act with integrity, and recognize right from wrong, then what need is there for laws, especially laws which are intended to control and regulate behavior according to what someone else thinks? Literally, every single law that has ever been promulgated has been enacted for one purpose–to control someone’s behavior in some way, yet Jesus says that the structure and foundation of these laws throughout history, myriads of myriads, is encapsulated in two short sentences: Love God with everything you have. Love your neighbor as if he were you.
So, I ask again, if citizens restrain themselves, tolerate disagreement, act with integrity, and recognize right from wrong, what need is there for laws? What need is there for governments which do not make people free by their rules, but seek to enslave them by constantly passing more laws which restrict human liberty?
Of course, some will say that this is only a theoretical exercise and people will push back declaring that I am trying to create an unworkable Utopian future, yet the fact remains that I, personally, do not need laws to tell me how to restrain myself, to tolerate disagreement, to act with integrity, to recognize right and wrong. I do not personally need government to order my life, to keep me under control, to keep my neighbor “safe” from my depredations and aggressions against him. Further, I do not need government nor laws to protect me from my neighbor who also keeps himself under control and recognizes right from wrong. Neither do you.
Let me ask you a question. Do you have need to be told how to live, how to restrain yourself, how to discern what is right, how to be known as a person of integrity, how to disagree with others? Well, do you? The point I am trying to make is that if you and I can live according to the Two Great Commands, then so can anyone. Everyone has the potential for doing so.
But, but, but…I can hear the sputtering now. We might be able to live that way with God’s help, but others won’t and they are the ones who need to be controlled and ordered. Imagine what the world would look like if criminals and wrongdoers were allowed to run amok without any fear of punishment or retribution, to which I would respond, like the world we live in today? And, of course, we could go back and forth in this argument forever without ever coming to some agreement, so I will just leave it there and move on.
What would be the condition of the world in 100 years (or 1000, the length of time doesn’t matter) if those who understand what the first sentence of this article really means AND spent their time, effort, and resources developing those traits and characteristics in themselves instead of working to pass laws to control someone else? Instead of trying to keep others down, what would happen if we actually lived the life as described in Jesus’ answer to the lawyer? Didn’t Jesus also say that, “You shall know the truth and the truth will make you free.”? And, isn’t it true that one of the things we are set free from is fear–fear of the unknown, the future, our fellow man, our own sinful nature, inclinations, and actions? If we truly wanted to be free, wouldn’t we work harder on ourselves to conform to His Image and less on a political party or ideology that we support and believe in? Isn’t it likely that the more we become like Jesus, the less we will conform to the world system, perhaps eventually abandoning it altogether?
Theory. All theory, you say. Pie in the sky by and by and completely impossible in this world. Yet, that is the way I am living now and, as time goes on and my life becomes more in tune with His Spirit, I fully expect to become more and more consistent with what I am promoting. Whether anyone joins me or not is irrelevant. I know my path and I will travel it unafraid, alone if necessary, and without any need or desire to exercise power and control over anyone else. But, then, I do not have to walk alone because the Spirit of God walks with me.
This is not to say I have arrived at sinless perfection because I haven’t. I won’t as long as I am alive. There will always be corrections to make, sins to overcome, hard places to smooth out, transgressions to be repented of and forgiven. However, I have put my trust and faith in the Word, which rules supreme over all law and I refuse to believe in the actions and institutions of Man.
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such, there is no law.” — Galatians 5:22-23 (NKJV)
I repeat, against such, there is no law.
Final answer.
Poor Roger's Almanac 
WHAT NEED IS THEIRE FOR (biblical} LAWS?
For those who WON’T restrain themselves, tolerate disagreement, act with integrity, and recognize right from wrong! In other words, for the bulk of mankind who, according to Christ in Matthew 7:13-14, are in the broad way leading to destruction.
Thus, the Apostle Paul’s Holy Spirit-inspired commission for biblical dominion over government and society in Roman 13:1-7 – the same as Christ’s commission in Matthew 6:10 & 33 for advancing His Kingdom here on earth *as it is in heaven.*
There are a plethora of passages (Exodus 1, Judges 6, Acts 4 & 5, 17:6-7, etc.) that dictate Christians reject any government mandate requiring them to disobey their Lord and King. Romans 13 is not one of them.
Romans 13:1-7 has absolutely nothing to do with secular civil government. Rather everything therein depicts a biblical civil government, making it our commission for dominion over government and society.
The one word “continually” or “devoted” (depending upon your Bible version) in Verse 6 (amplifying Verses 3 & 4) alone proves the point. And it’s just one of ten contextual reasons proving the same thing.
Unless someone’s prepared to claim the Roman Empire (one of the most notorious for murdering Christians) was a government that *continually* blessed Christians and terrorized/punished the wicked, they best rethink their theology regarding this extremely important passage of Scripture.
See free online book “The Romans 13 Template for Biblical Dominion: Ten Reasons Why Romans 13 is Not About Secular Government” at https://www.bibleversusconstitution.org/Romans13/Romans13-contents.html
Also listen to two-part audio series “Biblical Dominion vs. Christian Anarchy,” beginning at https://www.bibleversusconstitution.org/tapelist.html#T1357
Ted,
“WHAT NEED IS THEIRE FOR (biblical} LAWS?”
“For those who WON’T restrain themselves, tolerate disagreement, act with integrity, and recognize right from wrong! In other words, for the bulk of mankind who, according to Christ in Matthew 7:13-14, are in the broad way leading to destruction.”
“But, but, but…I can hear the sputtering now. We might be able to live that way with God’s help, but others won’t and they are the ones who need to be controlled and ordered. Imagine what the world would look like if criminals and wrongdoers were allowed to run amok without any fear of punishment or retribution…”
It seems that you have made my case. I’m going to respond to this and stop there. I consider the rest of your comment to be an off target rabbit trail which, while it may be accurate, is irrelevant to my argument.
You quote Matthew 7:13-14 as proof that the vast majority of humanity cannot be trusted to control themselves, act with integrity, disagree with each other peaceably, and know right from wrong, yet completely ignore the instruction in v. 12, which reads,
“Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.”
Therefore, whenever you see the word ‘therefore’, check to see what it is there for. In other words, study the passages which come immediately before to see what it is referring to. In this case, it is all about avoiding the making of judgments about other persons because the one who judges has enough shit of his own to deal with before he can adequately deal with that of someone else. — Matthew 7:1-12.
Physician, heal thyself!
“Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them…”
I read this as saying that if, if, if, I want men to treat me kindly, gently, graciously, and with love in a Christlike way, then I must also treat them in the same manner. However, the way this advice is phrased, my treatment of them MUST occur BEFORE they return the favor. I have got to act unilaterally regardless of the cost or return. “As you give, you will receive…”, etc., etc.
There is a negative side to this, however, I can twist it around to say that because I want to use law, the power of law, and all manner of law to force others to conform to my own understanding of what human action OUGHT to be, then I should expect that others will also do the same to me. The kicker is that there are far more of “them” than there is of “me” and, due to that numerical fact, I can expect that “their” laws will be imposed and I will have to submit and obey, whether I want to or not. Just because “my” laws are biblically based does not matter because, as you say, “they” are travelling on the broad way leading to destruction and most of them will not hear anything I am saying and will never change. To believe that the inclusion of “biblical” law (as interpreted by you) into the pantheon of modern legislation which will make any difference is, in my opinion, a delusion and a mirage.
Funny, isn’t it, that Jesus would tie both Matthew 7:12 and 22:40 together in virtually the same wording. Treat someone the way you want to be treated. Love your neighbor as yourself. These are the Law and the Prophets. Yet, I can find nowhere in Scripture where Jesus advocated for any other type of law, which instructed others to behave according to what He thought under threat of duress or force. Jesus never worked to impose any governmental decree on those who were sinners, in fact, He constantly warned His disciples not to put their trust in earthly governments, even those who were based explicitly on The Law, as seen in the Old Testament.
Do you want to have laws imposed on you? Then work to impose them on others. Do you want to have others ordering you about? Then try to order them. Do you want others dictating how your life must be lived? Then make an effort to tell them how they must live. And, in the process, set up sanctions and penalties for the transgression of your laws. In doing so, it is certain (biblically speaking) that you will be repaid, in spades, for your efforts.
On the other hand, if this is not your desire, then remove the plank from your own eye.
Hi Roger!
The point of my referencing Romans 13:1-7 is that for those who claim to be subjects of the King of kings, seeking to establish biblical government based upon the Bible’s triune moral law (the Ten Commandments and their respective statutes* and civil judgments) is not optional.
Anymore than Christ’s equivalent charge in Matthew 6:10 & 33 to advance His Kingdom/government here on earth *as it is in heaven.* There’s no where in heaven where God is not Sovereign and no where in heaven where His morality (as reflected and codified in His tgriune moral law here on earth) isn’t supreme.
That’s the non-optional commission of those who recognize that anything else is to abdicate society to the wicked.
Like it or not, there are no vacuums when it comes to government – regardless whether we’re talking about personal, family, church, or societal government. Someone’s going to take the helm and rule – either by man’s criminal laws or by the Bible’s perfect law of liberty (per Psalm 19:7-11, etc.).
I have no problem submitting to the latter and I will not slumber in doing everything I can to overcome the former!
Great! Thanks for the clarification. I have no problem with this as stated.
Praise God!
[…] think it is important to clarify one thing about my previous post here, Utopia? Or the Truth Working its Power?, as it can easily be misconstrued to read that I am advocating doing away with all laws and simply […]
[…] change direction. In the first post of this series, my argument was conditional, an if-then statement and I think it is worth repeating. If, and I put […]