This will be almost the end of the doctrinal series. We have two more after that. Tonight, the topic is the 51st article of the Confession of Faith entitled, Civil Government Taking Arms Against Established Government. We might dismiss these kinds of things. We might forget that even this is a part of our conflict, our spiritual battle. We aren't contesting against flesh and blood, but against unseen, the beings in an unseen realm. This is not excluded from it. It's very, very important. I hope I've got this ordered as I need to have it. We had a series some time ago, a couple years ago, based on this topic, three different parts. It's posted online. The notes are there as well. But I tried to take a kind of a fresh approach to it. And as usual, you learn even more helpful things. We don't want to repeat all of that. And we don't want to cover some of the things that Brother King has brought on the other four articles that touch on civil government. There are five points on civil government in our confession of faith. This is the one right smack dab in the middle of it all. And I think just by that, we know something very important about it. Again, that article is entitled, Civil Government, Taking Arms Against Established Government. It reads like this, the taking of arms against an established government is a very serious matter because they are the God-appointed ministers over men. Scripture commands every soul to be subject to those in authority. Saints are commanded of the Lord to be obedient to every ordinance of man, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake. To resist the power is to be condemned by that same authority. Let us pray for our leaders that we might live quiet and peaceful lives in all godliness, in honesty, if the Lord will. And there are a string of texts that differ a little bit from those under the other four articles under the topic civil government. Let me begin by saying that, as I said already, this is one of five articles which touches on this topic. The term civil government refers to that which directs or controls the conditions of a citizenry. Civil refers to the state of the citizens. Government refers to a directing or controlling act or process. So together, the term civil government means to govern the conditions of its citizens. And everyone knows well that the state of citizens under a government can be either good or bad. But does that state or condition of a citizenry negate the imperative of God for all men to be subject unto the higher powers? Some say it does. Some say it doesn't. And undoubtedly, there are others that fall somewhere in between. You're gonna have a mix of all different opinions on this, but what does the word of God say? to be clear as to what this article says in light of the Word of God. The article is understood to say that no soul should ever take arms against established government. That is because the Bible teaches, commands, as a matter of fact, every soul to be subject to the higher powers, for there is no power but of God. The powers that be are ordained of God. This is not just a Christian commandment. God commands every soul to be subject to the powers that he has ordained. And at this time, I want to particularly focus on the Christian by asking the question like this. Should Christians ever take up an armed resistance against established government? The question is not whether men or Christians of one government may take up armed resistance against another government. That's not what we're asking. There are many examples in the scriptures, even in human history, where Christians with others have joined with governments, a government, and fought against another government. That's war. That does take place. But for example, in Deuteronomy chapter 4, verse 34, it took place. While you're turning there, I want to refer to Matthew 24, 7. The Lord himself said, for nation shall rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom. And those are the battles of flesh and blood, if you will, that men take up authoritatively, God directing in it. And here we have this instance, or has God assayed to go and take him a nation from the midst of another nation by temptations, by signs, and by wonders, and by war, and by a mighty hand, and by a stretched out arm, and by great terrors according to all that the Lord your God did for you in Egypt before your eyes." But our question concerns the individual soul taking arms against authorities. Is that right or not? The Bible tells us that there is no power, no authority, but that which comes from God. God raises up every authority that comes into power. I have a string of scriptures, but I'd really like to touch on just a couple of them. I would just note this, you don't have the term there, in 2 Chronicles 36 verse 23, a pagan king, a king of the Gentile nation of Persia said this, that all the kingdoms of the earth hath the Lord God of heaven given me. He said that, he acknowledged it, and he's right. I think he knows more than some Christians do anymore about this subject. In Job chapter 12, beginning at verse 16, reading through verse 19. Job chapter 12, verse 16, he says, The deceived and the deceiver are his. He leads counselors away spoiled and makes the judges fools. He loses the bond of kings and girds their loins with a girdle. In other words, he strengthens them as well. He leads princes away spoiled and overthrows the mighty. In Proverbs the great wise man Solomon, King Solomon said in chapter 8 verses 15 and 16, you can't deny it, by me kings reign and princes decree justice. By me princes rule and nobles even all the judges of the earth. And he speaks of wisdom personified our Lord Jesus. In Daniel 221, I want to just give you this, he sets up kings. we can refer to others. God directs them, kings, princes, and rulers to do as he would have done among men. In Proverbs 21 1, the king's heart is in the hand of the Lord as the rivers of water. He turns it whithersoever he will. You wonder why our leaders are doing what they're doing. They're doing the will of God. When authorities have served the purpose for which the Lord has raised them up, when He's finished with them, He removes them. That simply. Again, Daniel 2.21, He removes kings. In 1 Kings 22.20, there we read the Lord asking of though that heavenly host that had gathered around him, some of which is a demonic crowd, who shall persuade Ahab that he may go up and fall at Ramoth Gilead?" That was his appointed means of removing him from his role as king in Israel. Daniel chapter 4 verse 31. Nebuchadnezzar, like Cyrus, here Nebuchadnezzar heard this voice from heaven saying, O King Nebuchadnezzar, to thee it is spoken. And this happened for a time. The kingdom is departed from thee. And we could go on and talk about Belshazzar as well, and how that he had been found wanting, he was weighed in the balances, and that the kingdom is divided and given, taken, in other words, taken from him. He had served his purpose, he had done wickedly before the Lord, and the kingdom was given to the Medes and Persians, divided up to them. Well, we believe God is sovereign, that he's the great determiner of mankind, not men. We believe that. Look at Daniel chapter 4, begin at verse 17, and then I want to drop down to verse 35. God's the great determiner. in the matters of kings and rulers, all the princes of the earth. In Daniel chapter four, verse 17, this matter, this issue is by the decree of the watchers and the demand by the word of the holy ones to the intent that the living may know that the most high rules in the kingdom of men and gives it to whomsoever he will and sets up over it the basis of men. Verse 35, and all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing. And he doeth, the Lord does, according to his will in the army of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth, and none can stay his hand or say unto him, what doest thou? The greatest king over men upon the earth, this side of the coming of Jesus Christ, referring to his second coming, was King Nebuchadnezzar. If we believe the word of God, every kingdom since then, and those in authority since then, have been inferior to this king and the kingdom of Babylon. Look at Daniel chapter two, and let's begin reading at verse 37. And what we need to do is understand By this, the Lord lays out the scope of human history and its leaders. And what we have to do is believe what's written. And so many need to stop resisting, if I can say it like that, stop fighting against the will of God and become subject to what is the truth. In verse 37 of chapter 2, of Daniel, thou, O king, art a king of kings, for the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory. And wheresoever the children of men dwell, the beasts of the field, and the fowls of the heaven hath he given into thine hand, and hath made thee ruler over them all, thou art this head of gold. After thee shall arise another kingdom, notice, inferior to thee. And that's what takes place in all this. And another third kingdom of brass, which shall bear rule over all the earth. And the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron, for as much as iron breaks in pieces and subdues all things, and as iron that breaketh all these shall it break in pieces and bruise. And whereas thou sawest the feet and toes, Part of potter's clay and part of iron, the kingdom shall be divided. But there shall be in it of the strength of the iron for as much as thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay. And as the toes of the feet were part of iron and part of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong and partly broken. And whereas thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men, but they shall not cleave one to another, even as iron is not mixed with clay. And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom which will never be destroyed, and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever. For as much as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it break in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold, The great God has made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter. And the dream is certain and the interpretation thereof sure. You have before you the very scope of the entire history of mankind and the way that the kingdoms are from that. It doesn't get better, it gets worse. Now, this is an inerrant preview of the kingdoms of this world from Babylon even to this very present time. We're living at the end of this thing, the statue that Nebuchadnezzar saw and the interpretation of which we just read. Instead of things becoming better, they become worse. Many Christians are either ignorant or have forgotten or they simply reject the truth that God sets up and removes authorities. What is particularly disturbing to me is not so much what men and Christendom does, but what the true churches of Jesus Christ are beginning to do. The notion of a Christian armed resistance has been making inroads among the brethren of the churches. I have family members in some of these churches that are of this mindset. I know others that are like this, and they're in some of the churches of Christ. And I want to consider the origins of this doctrine. The ecclesiology of the Catholic, Protestant, religious systems manifests most clearly in their eschatology, and some of us have swallowed their eschatology, not knowing where it comes from and what's behind it. I'm gonna say this, you read this, it was something I posted not too many days ago. In the main, most of Christendom holds to the doctrine of the post-millennial view. That is, Christ will come at the end of a millennium because the church will have finally won the world to Christ. Post-millennialists call those that subscribe to pre-tribulation rapture, which I don't, I believe in the first resurrection period, and so do you, But post-millennialists, those of this sort, of which Christendom is made of, of which the most part are Catholic and Protestant, they call those that subscribe to pre-tribulation rapture and pre-millennial coming of Jesus Christ, defeatist doctrines. So post-millennialists consider themselves optimillennialists, and they consider premillennialists Pessimists, I can hardly say it, but you get the point. Now why are premillennialists thought to be defeatists and pessimists? It's key. It has to do with this doctrine. Two reasons. First, because they believe that the world will not become better, but worse and worse, those that believe in the premillennial coming of Christ. They believe that the world will become worse and worse, so therefore we're pessimilinealists. And second, and this is the most significant point in my estimation, because they refuse to raise the sword against God-ordained authorities. And that marks the difference between the Protestants and the Catholics and the true churches of Jesus Christ, at least it used to. While post-millennialists strive to have a state church. The premillennialists used to wholly reject such an unholy marriage of state and church, and now we get to the root of the matter. The state church doctrine is a most dreadful beast. This state church beast has been opposed to the true churches of Jesus Christ, since the inception of this thing in about the year AD 313 when Constantine established the Roman State Church or Holy Roman Empire. Since then, there has been no other system that has created more confusion in Christendom and more human misery in the world than this system. Mind you, all of this is done in the name of God as they wage so-called just holy wars. After all, if the church wages war, it must be holy, right? That's their thinking. Today, for lack of diligence, the churches of Christ have taken to themselves various errors of this system. And now even some of the churches of Christ seem to be inclined to the notion that we may raise a sword against God-ordained authorities. But brethren, the Lord's churches aren't suited for ruling at this present time. Did you hear me? Reigning as kings and priests of God cannot precede the coming of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Then and only then shall they rule and reign with Christ. Call me a defeatist and a pessimist if you want, but one day the whole world will know the truth about this matter. It will be settled. Turn to the 13th chapter of Matthew. I don't say it. Most Baptists today are only Baptists in name. For the most part, they are essentially practicing Protestants. They don't care about the baptism anymore. They don't see the Lord's Supper right anymore. So many of them don't. They don't care, they don't practice it right, they don't see the church right, their eschatology is like them, the Protestant system, the Catholic system, where all this came from, that's where they are. Few churches are faithful to the truths of Christ anymore. In the 13th chapter of the Gospel of Matthew, our Lord Jesus put before the disciples the kingdom parables. In these chapters, we're gonna read this part, In these parables, Christ prophesies of the corruption of the kingdom of God as it is understood among mankind. And that kingdom, by the way, is what I always refer to as Christendom. The corruption of the kingdom is represented by three figures in these parables, beginning at verse 24 and running through, I want to go through verse 33. There are three figures represented here in these parables, first of all, by tares, which represents a false citizenry in the kingdom. Two, the mustard seed, that represents the kingdom's aberrant growth. And the third type here is represented by leaven, which represents the false doctrine with which it has become pervaded. So the kingdom of God, as it is represented by these parables, becomes thoroughly corrupted with error. Begin reading at verse 24 in Matthew 13, and we get the sum of it. Another parable, and I'm doing this because it really goes hand in hand with the things that we just read about with Nebuchadnezzar and the other kingdoms that follow after. being inferior. In verse 24 of Matthew 13, another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field. But while men slept, notice this, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way. But when the blade was sprung up and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also. Obviously, they're talking in types about people, wheat and tares. So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst thou not sow good seed in thy field? From whence then hath it tears? He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servant said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up? But he said, Nay, lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them, let both grow together until the harvest. And in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn. Another parable he put forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field, which indeed is the least of all seeds. But when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and become a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof. Birds are a type of evil workers. Verse 33. You can prove that by scripture, by the way. It's not just an opinion. Verse 33, another parable spake he unto them. The kingdom of heaven is likened to leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal till the whole was leavened, referring to doctrinal error. Now, the confusion of the state and church has brought into Christendom, into what is perceived to be the kingdom of God among men, a citizenry that is either nothing more than a clan of unregenerate patriots or Christians that are patriots first and Christians last. And that, I'm starting to see. These believe that it is their duty to oppose all authorities that are not as they think they ought to be. And yet we just read the scriptures that say it's going to become worse. So what are we expecting, I guess? The doctrine of a state church has put Christians at odds with the immutable counsel of God. Should Christians oppose what God has ordained in the kingdom of men? It is one thing for us to preach the kingdom of God is coming. It is one thing to pray for the coming of the kingdom. But it is quite heretical for Christians to hope to bring in the kingdom of Christ by a militant act of defiance against civil government. The true doctrine of God says rather that the only hope for the saints stands in Christ's second coming. Not before then can His servants legitimately and successfully, by the way, there has never been a successful war of this sort. There's not a nation won for Christ. There's not so much as a city won for Christ. Not to this day. So what's going on? Not before then can His servants legitimately and successfully wage war against the authorities of this world. Revelation chapter 17 verse 12. This actually picks up at the end of what we read concerning the toes, partly iron, partly clay. This is actually picking up right there, because that's where we are now. We're almost at the end of all this. Just hang on, trust God. The 10 horns which thou sawest, beginning at verse 12, are 10 kings, which have received no kingdom as yet, but received power, authority, as kings one hour with the beast. These have one mind and shall give their power and strength unto the beast. These shall make war with the lamb, and the lamb shall overcome them. For he's Lord of lords and King of kings, and notice this, and they that are with him are called and chosen and faithful. I do wanna read this in Daniel chapter two, verses 44 and 45, because it'll fill in something right here before we get to Revelation 19. basically the same things we're reading. And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed and the kingdom shall not be left to other people. But it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms and it shall stand forever. This is just what we've read about and especially so in Revelation 19. For as much as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it break in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold, the great God has made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter. And the dream is certain in interpretation thereof, sure. So in Revelation 19, beginning at verse 11, this is what you see. And this doesn't happen as a result of our militant action. This happens because Christ is coming and we are with him. I saw heaven opened and behold the white horse. And he that sat upon him was called faithful and true. And in righteousness he does judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire and on his head were many crowns. And he had a name written that no man knew but he himself. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood and his name is called the word of God. That's our Lord. Notice, and the armies which were in heaven followed him, upon white horses clothed in fine linen, white and clean. This is the time when we wage war, because we're with Christ. And out of his mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations, and he shall rule them with a rod of iron. And he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And he has on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords. Then all the rulers of this world come to nothing. And that's what Paul said in 1 Corinthians 2, 6. The princes of this world, that come to naught. They have an end. But Christ's kingdom shall never end. It's said that way in Luke chapter one, verse 33. His kingdom, of his kingdom, there shall be no end. It's called an everlasting kingdom. Peter refers to the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. In Daniel 7, 27, the kingdom and dominion and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him. But until that time, what are Christians to do? It's hard to put into practice, but here it is. We're to render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's. We are to be subject to the higher powers. We are to obey the magistrates and submit ourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake. That's the right thing for us to do. Who doesn't know that the governments of this world are corrupt? That in the places of authority, the Lord has put the basest of men. That's not some new or strange phenomenon. It's true that there are examples in scripture of the godly resisting authority, but that resistance was only by continuing faithfully in dedicated service to God. That's the resistance they offered. Some of our brethren in time past and some in this very day are under some very corrupt governments. Some were delivered. Some suffered and died. But none that were accounted faithful took matters into their own hands. I want to mention Daniel and his three friends under a foreign power. They were taken captive to Babylon. They had an issue with food. What did they do? They prayed. And they asked the one who had to charge over them to try something so that they would not be defiled by the king's meat. They got an answer to their prayer. They were delivered. It proved out. They were also tested to worship another god. We remember that. And for their resistance, by refusing to bow down to the gods, raised up in the plains of Dura, they were cast into a burning, fiery furnace, and God delivered them. Daniel was condemned because he refused to pray to any but the Lord God, and was cast into a lion's den. The Lord miraculously delivered him. But that doesn't always happen. But they did right. They set the example. That's the kind of resistance that every soul ought to offer before the authorities in obedience to God. The apostles resisted by submitting to the punishment of the authorities when it became necessary in Acts chapter 4 and Acts chapter 5. The second time that they were arrested, they were treated worse. And before they were released, threatened and beaten. Paul, as a Roman citizen, made appeal to Caesar in a resistance to what was going on where he was. He had rights as a Roman citizen. It's okay if we appeal to the rights. If we have rights as Christians, let us appeal to those. But if we don't have the rights, what else can we do? What else can we do? In Acts 25 11, Paul said, if I be an offender, or have committed anything worthy of death, I refuse not to die. But if there be none of these things whereof these accuse me, no man may deliver me unto them." It's not legal. It's not legal under the Roman government to do that. So he appeals. He says, I appeal the seizure. But in the end, what happened? He suffered martyrdom. And he suffered it wrongly. and the Lord will avenge his death. Finally, this is what really sums up everything. It can't be gainsaid. There was no greater example than that which our Lord Jesus showed by suffering wrongfully under Roman rule. I want you to notice first of all in John 19, verse 11, that he acknowledged that the power The authority of Pilate, he said, it came from God the Father. Jesus answered, understanding to Pilate, thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above. Christ subjected himself to this power because it was the will of his Father. And then, last of all, I want you to turn to John 18, verse 36. And here, Christ tells us, he states why he did not resist Pilate, and why his disciples weren't fighting for him. Now, they wanted to, trust me, but this marks the reason why his disciples aren't fighting, even to this day. Jesus answered in verse 36, my kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom, let these words sink into our hearts. If my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight? That's profound. That I should not be delivered to the Jews. But now is my kingdom not from hence. Christ confess here that if his kingdom were come, then his servants, that's me and you, that was them, those disciples, then his servants could fight. There will be a time when the saints of God shall fight against the authorities of this world. But that won't be until Christ's second coming. Until then, glorify Christ according to the will of God as it is revealed in the Word of God. It's that simple. No soul should rise up against God-ordained authority, period. It's settled by the Word of God. Can we do that? We can by the grace of God. But my flesh wants to rebel against it. It wants to fight. It wants to. But it's wrong to do that. And we will not be a proper witness of Christ if we do that. Let's surrender our lives into his care. That's the message.