CHRIST'S TEACHING AND EXAMPLE.
By J. H. D.
CHRIST, the Son of God, was sent to this world to live in the flesh, that fallen humanity might know the power of God in the flesh to meet sin in its various forms. He took upon him sinful flesh and human weaknesses, to show man that sin could be overcome in this world. He took all the liabilities of man to sin, that he might reveal to sinful man the power of the divine nature. See Gal. 2:20; Eph. 3:17; Col. 1:27. In every true conversion, therefore, Christ is enthroned within to direct and control his own. As he directed the human nature, which he took when he came to the earth nearly two thousand years ago, so will he direct every human nature that will fully surrender all to his keeping and directing power. When Jesus was incarnate, the Father bore testimony concerning him, saying, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” Matt. 17:5. He is the believer’s Instructor, and we are admonished to hear him when he speaks. Again the word of truth says, “He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.” These principles apply as much to the Christian’s relations to civil powers as they do to individual and private duties. Jesus dwells in the heart by his representative, the Holy Spirit. By his Spirit and the word we may know our relationship to everything in this world. By a close study of the life of Christ we may be able to know just how we should relate ourselves to civil governments. We will first notice the Saviour’s teaching in regard to the relation the Gospel sustains to civil government. We can do this in no better way than to note his saying in regard to Gospel freedom: “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” John 8:32. But by reading Eph. 1:13 we find that the “word of truth” is the Gospel; therefore it is the Gospel of Jesus Christ that makes man free. Again he says, “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.” John 8:36. Here he speaks of himself as being the source and means of freedom, which would make himself the power of the Gospel. He had this freedom, and is willing, yea, anxious, to give it to all who will come to him. With this freedom he taught all to recognize earthly governments as having authority; and, as far as consistent with the principles of freedom in Christ, to be obedient to the civil authorities. When the civil authorities came to arrest him, his companions were disposed to resist. “When they which were about him saw what would follow, they said unto him, Lord, shall we smite with the sword?” Luke 22:49. But Jesus bade them to suffer it without resistance, although there was no real cause of the arrest. A word in favor of this resistance of the law would have been all that was needed for his friends to have used the sword and have fought for their Master until they released him, or they themselves were cut down in death. But Jesus taught them to recognize civil government, and to obey its officers, even when they were in the wrong. Not that they should obey the laws of the civil power when contrary to God’s law, but they should be subject to the civil authorities when apprehended for violating the civil statute for conscience’ sake. When he was asked, “Is it lawful to give tribute unto Cæsar, or not?” he replied, “Render therefore unto Cæsar the things which are Cæsar’s; and unto God the things that are God’s.” Matt. 22:17, 21. In all his teachings he advocated this truth, of recognizing the power of governments, and rendering to them their just dues. The example of Jesus was in perfect harmony with his teachings. He not only taught his disciples to pay tribute, but told Peter to take the money he received from the mouth of the fish and “give unto them for me and thee.” See Matt. 17:27. He paid his own taxes, and thus upheld the authority of the civil power. When he was in the garden pleading for strength to bear the trial just before him, when every disciple had forsaken him, he had to meet the officers of the civil power. “And they that had laid hold on Jesus led him away to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were assembled.” “Then did they spit in his face, and buffeted him; and others smote him with the palms of their hands, saying, Prophesy unto us, thou Christ, Who is he that smote thee?” Matt. 26:57, 67, 68. He was submissive to the authority, and “opened not his mouth.” He knew he was innocent of all the charges, and might have called to his assistance a legion of angels, yet4he did not. He went to the courts, to the prison, and to the cross, yet he sinned not, neither was guile found in his mouth. He was true to his Father and to his mission, and at the same time he was true to the civil power, as far as that power was true to the principles which God had given it to uphold. When it asked him to deny his mission in the plan of salvation, he refused. When it asked him to die because he refused the other, he refused not, but went forward to the cross. These principles and example of Christ should guide us to-day in all our relationship with the civil government. Let us study carefully his life, that we may know what we should do in every particular.