PROF. BEN ONYEUKWU (REV.)
NCE (English); Dip (Computer Studies); ND/HD
(Journalism); Dip, BA (Theology) MA, PhD.
PLEASING GOD IN GOVERNMENT
MAIN
TEXT:
---“One who rules over men must be just
ruling in the fear of God” (II Samuel 23:3)
WRITERS
QUOTE:
Government exists for the good of the
people, and God can only be pleased, when this is the hearty objective of any
government.
INTRODUCTION:
In
about A.D 57, the Apostle Paul, in a revelative insight highlights on the
sovereignty of God over every government of the world (Romans 13:1) This
Christian treatise enforces the fact that, it does not matter who occupies a
given government, or runs its affairs, nor does it matter the time and reign of
such a government, one absolute truth is that God has been (past) and is
(present) and will remain (future) the King over every government of the world
(Psalm 22:28). This implies that every human occupant of any government
regardless of time and type is, and remains a delegate of the King of Heaven,
and of course, must without fail, render account to God, (Roman 14:12)
Therefore, for any government functionary of any age, to escape God’s
condemnable indictment, such a functionary must as a matter of commitment
perform government duties in the fear of God.
DEVELOPING
A GOVERNMENT OF STABILITY IN A COUNTRY
“By justice a king
gives country stability, but one who is greedy for bribes tears it down
(Proverb 29:4)
Uchegbu (1995),
renders that the word government refers to a group of people who are in power
and actually ruling a country. In a broader sense, he stresses that the word
also refers to the whole machinery or system through which a country is ruled. Obviously,
government involves a number of people that function as a whole. Three organs
are designated, the Executive, the Legislature and the Judiciary. By function, the
Executive enforces the laws, while the legislature makes the laws, as the Judiciary
interprets the laws and recommended punishment to offenders. These functions
make for the stability and smooth administration of a given state or country.
Nevertheless the absence of justice in any government breeds instability. By a
way of definition justice means fairness to all. By this, nepotism, tribalism
and despotism are out of place. Equally bribery, greed and avarice are never allowed
to survive. Only a government that possesses such qualities can really please
God, and in turn brings stability in a country.
BECOMING
AN EXECUTIVE THAT PLEASES GOD IN GOVERNMENT
“Kings take pleasure
in honest lips, they value a man who speaks the truth”, (Proverbs 16:13)
Structurally,
the Chief Executive (president, governor, chairman, etc) heads the executive
arm of government. Empowered by the law, he chooses members of his cabinet
(ministers, commissioners, special
assistants/advisers etc) who head the various government ministries
linked-up with the already established civil service, which harbor government
officials referred to as “civil servants” These carry out the day-to-day work
of the government. In the set-up also are the law enforcement agencies, the
Police and Armed Forces, which maintain law and order and the defense of a
country against external aggression. All these are under the supervision and
control of the Chief Executive and make the executive function of a government effective
for the services it renders to the people of a given state or country. With foregoing
in mind, it becomes important to note from the cited Scripture that good
leaders delight in honesty and desire to appoint or recruit people of like
manner into the government they lead. John Chacha (1988) well observed that “a
good leader lives up to his reputation” and demonstrates a life of honesty and
integrity. This affirms that, for any head of a government or law enforcement
agent(s) to please God while in office, such an individual(s) must refrain from
extortion, bribery, cheating, false accusation, embezzlement, deceit etc., as
these vices are against the principle of honesty which a good leader should
possess and take pleasure in (Proverb 16:13), (Luke 3:7-14)
MAKING
LAWS IN THE LIGHT OF GOD’S WORD
“Woe to those who
make unjust laws, and those who issue oppressive decrees to deprive the poor of
their rights and withhold justice from the oppressed of my people”, (Isaiah
10:1)
Well noted, the
legislature is that arm of government that makes laws for a given state or
country. Bills through which laws are enacted are sometimes sponsored by the
executive and at times by members of the Legislature or by well-meaning citizens
of a state or country and law making aims at promoting the welfare of the
citizens. The exercise ensures that law which promote living standards are put
in place, whereas, obnoxious ones are legislatively put out of constitution.
Not only that a good legislature makes laws, it ensures the control of public
expenditure, approval of appointments, control of the executive among other
things, as a way of making sure that everything is done constitutionally.
However, the fact that some law makers make unjust laws cannot be denied. God’s
word as cited, shows that unjust laws attract woes to those who make them.
Oppressive decrees that deprive the poor of their rights are never treated with
levity in the sight of God. In fact, common knowledge shows that most law
makers succumb to gratification against good laws. Most sponsors of bills lobby
to see obnoxious bills passed into law. On the account of the aforestated, it
becomes imperative to note that law makers who swindle or exhibit
double-dealing, falsehood, fraud and other forms of unrighteous behaviour in
the law making process can never please God in the legislative arm of
government, and finally will not find a place in the Kingdom of God, (see 1Cornthians
6:9-10)
ADMINISTERING
JUSTICE IN THE MANNER THAT PLEASES GOD
Do not pervert
justice or show partiality, and do not accept a bribe for a bribe blinds the
eyes of the wise (Deuteronomy 16:19)
Uchegbu (1995),
states that the judiciary is the courts and all processes of administration of
justice in a country by all instrument(s) are the concern of this institution. This
is the place, where every mis-treated, mis-applied, mis-handled, mis-represented
or mis-managed person seeks redress. It is equally the last resort of the
common man who seeks redress of injustices meted out against him. All law
courts, all judges and other presiding personnel, the judicial tribunals, as
well as, the judicial process, make up the institutions involved. Biblically
speaking and based on the Scripture cited, it becomes manifest that God watches
with great displeasure as people are denied justice. He sees with contempt as
judges and other judicial personnel pervert justice and show partiality in the
administration of justice. Bribery and corruption have become the common
characteristics of the judicial personnel of today. The exhibition of these
negative tendencies invokes the wrath of God on culprits, and cannot please God
anywhere they are found in the judiciary system. Therefore, let it be noted that
those who pervert justice, show partiality, take or give bribes or get involved
in any other forms of judicial malpractices in the process of administering
justice, will one day give account to God (see Romans 14:11-12)
In conclusion, Aguda (1992), well noted that in our native
culture, our cooking is done on a tripod support of stones or other
non-combustible materials of about equal height and weight. In like manner, our
modern political democratic arrangements are hinged upon a tripod consisting of
the Executive, the Legislature, and the Judiciary. Any weakness in or
malfunctioning of any one of these pillars invariably leads to a malfunctioning
of the whole system and this can bring about a complete collapse of the whole
system”. This highlights the basic reason why the gospel project touches on
every arm of government. It considers that any spiritual or moral decay in any
of the arms of government would adversely affect the other. By this, therefore,
it becomes advisable that those in government and those intending to get
involved should genuinely repent (Acts 3:19), receive Jesus (John 1:12) and
serve in the fear of God (Proverb 8:13). This is the only way to escape the
damnation of the Throne of Judgment (see Revelation 20:11:15)
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