UNDERSTANDING GOVERNMENTS 101
UNDERSTANDING GOVERNMENTS 101
Charles Weller
Types Of Secular Governments
There are different types of government. Until we understand what types there are, we will not understand what type of government is going to come forth in the kingdom of God.
There is the Republican from of government. By definition, it is a state in which the sovereignty resides in the people or a certain portion of the people elected by the people to represent them. The United States is a republic. It is not a democracy. We elect officials to represent us.
What then is a democracy? It is another form of government, which in its purest sense holds that ALL the people should hold the state in control. Each person has an equal share of prosperity and responsibility. It is obvious that the idea of a democracy is good but untenable.
Absolutism is another form of government. It masquerades under many names so that it doesn't always sound bad to the listener. Offshoots of the form of absolutism are: dictatorship, despot, autocracy. This form of government is the doctrine of unlimited authority and control. Generally, it is found in one individual.
Totalitarian government is where one party suppresses all the other opposition. Some examples of that are found in World War I & II under the Nazis, the Fascists, and today the Communists.
In the time of Robin Hood (900-1300 A.D.) we find the feudal form of government. It was a political and social combination. The land was given to the people for their military service, and the people were called serfs of the Lord or Master.
Of course, we cannot forget to mention the monarchy. An absolute monarchy is where the ruler has total authority. England had that for a while but now it is a constitutional monarchy where the leader has limited authority by the law.
Types of Church Governments
We have talked about the major forms of government found in the world. Now, it is time to talk about church government. Basically, there are three forms of church government that are found: Episcopal, Republican, and Democratic.
The Episcopal form of government is where the power comes from the top down. The bishops have the power (remember we are dealing with generalities) and they appoint the ministers who then rule the local church. You will find this in the Episcopal and Methodist churches as a rule.
The Republican form of government is found in other churches. Since I came from Presbyterian stock, I can clearly state that this church system abides by the Republican form of government. The people (church members) elect elders (Greek New Testament word is Presbyters). These run the church and also pick the pastor or minister. The elders rule the church for the benefit of the people.
Then we have the Democratic method of running a church and this is where everyone has an equal say in the direction of the church. The church as a whole votes on a minister coming, and the congregation is fairly autonomous. We generally find this structure in the Baptist organizations.
A Theocracy
None of these forms of government are God's form of government. God's form of government is a theocracy. The word "theocracy" means a God-run government. Some may say that God runs their church and sanctions their form of church government. That statement would be true, but whatever form of government it is, it will not be allowed in the kingdom. In the kingdom it is TOTALLY run by God, man has no say at all.
If you remember your Old Testament, the people cried out to Samuel for a king. Until they had a man-king they were being ruled directly by God. When the Israelites decided to be like other nations rather than being a separate people as the Lord required, they sought to have a monarchy. God clearly states that the people didn't reject Samuel but rejected Him as their head.
One of the fallacies of the evangelical movement today is the fact that they are trying to establish God's laws and God's ways through the use of a form of government that man has established. In the United States, we have many Christian men trying to put God's laws into a Republican form of government that is not sanctioned by God, although the best form of government in the world. They are trying to do something in their carnal, fleshly way that will never be established.
They will never change man's government by using God's way within it. There has to be a totally new structure. Before a government can be established there has to be a people that not only see it with their inner eye, but also understand how to use it.
What we are looking for then, is a government of the Kingdom of God. It is coming and first must be allowed full reign within the hearts of the Christians in order that they might set it up on this earth. We cannot have a kingdom manifested in the natural until there are leaders prepared to set it up.
What does the word "kingdom" mean? I think the definition is very important. The word "kingdom" means: a territory, a people, a state, a realm, ruled by a king. That is Webster's definition, not mine. But it if is a kingdom, you say, "How can it be a theocracy?" God's kingdom has NO relationship with kingdoms of men.
He is the king ruling over a territory, which is what a kingdom means - a realm or area. The saints, that are called the elect, will be the ones SERVING him in positions of authority, but Jesus Christ will be the authority ruling through them. They, themselves, will not be ruling.
I do not care how much or how little preaching is done on the kingdom. It will not be established until the kingdom of God is established 100% in a people. There is no sense in looking for an outward manifestation of the kingdom of God (I do not mean healings or things of that sort), rather we should be looking for the King to manifest himself totally within us. He must increase and we must decrease in order to learn true divine government.
It is only when a people are set apart, as Israel was as a nation that we can hope to see on earth a change of government. The Kingdom is first spiritual and must first be allowed to rise within the people of God. All during the history of the world, there has been a remnant conformed to the image of God. There will be enough of this remnant in this age that is closing to be the leaven that will change the whole structure of the world. - Excerpts from KINGDOM PRINCIPLES