How Historical Christians Took Over Cities… And How We Can Again – Part 5

Christian History “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.” Hosea 4:6

There are hundreds of verses in the Old Testament mandating specific nations and all nations of the world to honor the Lord God and His Law. There are over one hundred verses mandating this in the book of Psalm alone. They are easy to find if you read looking for them. But what about the New Testament?

This is no less true in the New Testament! In fact, Jesus Himself mandates “ALL NATIONS… to obey all that [He] commanded”, as we looked at in detail in Part 4. And in Part 3 we saw in detail where John the Baptist was an example in fulfilling God’s civil mandate, after which Jesus called him, the greatest man ever born of woman. We also saw in detail where the apostle Paul was an example in fulfilling God’s civil mandate. Now here in Part 5, we’ll see where the apostle Paul mandates the CHURCH to fulfill God’s civil mandate.

Near the end of the apostle Paul’s life, he wrote Timothy so he would know how to instruct “the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and support of the truth” (1Tim. 3:15). Paul starts out in chapter 1 charging Timothy to oppose false doctrines (v 3), reaffirming life based on “faith” (v 4) versus teachers misusing the purpose of the “Law” (v 7). However, Paul says – “But we know that the Law is good when used correctly” (v 8 NLT). Starting from this verse to about the first half of chapter 2, Paul weaves in and out civil mandate teaching. He starts here saying the correct purpose of the Law (v 9-11 NLT):

⁹ For the Law was not intended for people who do what is right. It is for people who are lawless and rebellious, who are ungodly and sinful, who consider nothing sacred and defile what is holy, who kill their father or mother or commit other murders. ¹⁰ The Law is for people who are sexually immoral, or who practice homosexuality, or are slave traders, liars, promise breakers, or who do anything else that contradicts the wholesome teaching ¹¹ that comes from the glorious gospel entrusted to me by our blessed God.

Clearly, “we know that the Law is good when used correctly”, as civil law – “for people who are lawless and rebellious… who kill their father or mother or commit other murders” etc. And notice, this is for the New Testament, this “…wholesome teaching that comes from the glorious gospel.” Then what the apostle writes next – Paul commits treason! And historically, this contributed to his death in Rome. About Christ Jesus, Paul wrote (v 17):

“Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever! Amen.”

Today when we read this we don’t tremble with emotion as Timothy and the people of God must have when they first read this. That was against Roman law! This was high treason! And Caesar needed no trail to immediately put to death anyone who did not honor him alone as the only King and God. But Paul did not write ambiguously about some theological king in some distant future. Rather Paul wrote – “NOW to the King… the ONLY God.” And when Paul said “King”, that’s not referring to Jesus as just head of the church but head of State – head of all civil authorities and all civil law. And this was civil government – “NOW.” Paul also made clear that it was for all future civil government – today and “FOREVER and ever.”

To put “icing on the cake”, Paul concluded by writing – “Amen.” That word is so commonplace to us today. But in Scripture it was not used too often as it had profound meaning, as being a transliteration and at the end of a section it meant: “So it is! So be it! Or may it be fulfilled!” Also, it was “making the substance of what was written for yourself!” At that time, the people of God also knew using this word “amen”, meant expressing their assent to God’s LAW and their willingness to submit to the penalty attached to the breach of it (Deut. 27:15; Neh. 5:13). If 1Timothy 1:17 was the only verse on God’s civil mandate in the New Testament, that would be enough to know God gave His civil mandate for His CHURCH. However, we have looked at other verses here, verses previously, and will see more below.

Paul knew what he was saying, he knew he was setting up the church to wage war against the most powerful nation in the world! God ordained that time so no Christians in the world in any age could ever believe their nation is too strong for God and His people not to be able to overcome it as they did – “These men who have turned the world upside down have come here also” (Acts 17:6). And that is exactly what Paul next charged Timothy (v 18): “This charge I commit unto you, Timothy… war a good warfare.” This is the church’s warfare … and here are the church’s power weapons, as Paul describes (2Cor. 10:3-6 NIV):

³ For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. ⁴ The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. ⁵ We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. ⁶ And we will be ready to punish every act of disobedience, once your obedience is complete.

And what does Paul tell Timothy next, to fulfill the civil mandate for the “amen” of Jesus being King (1Tim. 2:1-4):

“FIRST OF ALL, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions, and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men, ² for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life in all godliness and dignity. ³ This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, ⁴ who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.”

This is the only place in Paul’s letters to Timothy where he tells what should be “first” priority for the church. In fact, it’s so important there’s no “second” mentioned. It is to pray for all men but specifically “for kings and all who are in authority.”  Paul even tells Timothy what to specifically pray – that authorities would rule in such a way that Christians can live in quiet/peace versus be persecuted and be viewed in all godly/dignity versus be viewed untrustworthy.

God then says, “This is good and acceptable.” Why? Because this accomplishes God’s desire – “Who desires ALL men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” This is the ONLY way in any nation where ALL men could hear the truth to be saved!

If authorities rule for Christians to be able to live in peace and be viewed with all dignity – that would mean no persecution or opposition in spreading the gospel everywhere in the city. And if Christians are viewed with all dignity – that would mean their gospel message would be viewed with all dignity and acceptance. This was the case at one time in America. Preachers were viewed with the highest of dignity, as was the gospel, and honored to speak in every institution and place. However, the result of growing abdication of Christians civil leadership in America – God, the Bible, and prayer etc., has been removed from schools, universities, and all institutions. At the same time, the percentage of Christians in America has decreased, while crime, lawlessness, and Christian persecution has increased.

Look at Korea: The North – almost no Christians. The South – millions of Christians. The ONLY difference – civil law and civil authorities! Korea is overwhelming evidence why God puts His civil mandate for the church being “first” priority. The further away a nation’s civil leaders turn away from God and His Law – less people will be saved! The closer a nation’s civil leaders turn towards God and His Law – more people will be saved! This is a Biblical absolute with every nation… that’s why Paul made civil mandate a “first” priority for church. 

But one theological absolute: God never answered any prayer in the Bible for people who ONLY prayed – IF there was anything they could possibly do to help accomplish for what they were praying – “Even so faith [as in prayer], if it has no works, is DEAD, being by itself” (James 2:17). All Bible miracles confirm this. Here’s only one example (Matthew 14): Jesus fed 5,000, plus wives and children, probably over 30,000 totally. But first Jesus told Peter, “You feed them”! Then Peter brought to Jesus all they had – five loaves and two fish. The disciples had to organize the multitude into small groups. Then they had to distribute all the food to the multitude, probably taking all day. Finally, at the end of the day they had to go back out and pick up everything from the multitude that was left over!

It takes a miracle to fulfill God’s civil mandate, to transform even one city from godless civil leaders to righteous civil leaders – who will openly honor the Lord Jesus Christ and establish God’s Law for the city. But according to Scripture, there’s no need for you to pray for any civil transformation until you do all you can do to help make it happen. Then God will answer your prayer. And we know this is what Jesus wants us to pray for – “His will to be done on EARTH as it is in heaven.”  

Paul concludes his letter to Timothy – again with God’s civil mandate declaration for the CHURCH (1Tim. 6:12-16):

“Fight the good fight of the faith…. He who is the blessed and ONLY Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords… To Him be honor and eternal dominion! Amen.”

Edmund Burke, the renowned English Christian political reformer, said: “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.” But Burke also said, “Nobody made a greater mistake than he who did nothing because he could do only a little.”