1. How did God's faithful servant Job regard classes of men before the Lord?
"If I did despise the cause of my man servant or of my maid servant, when they contended with me; what then shall I do when God riseth up? and when He visiteth, what shall I answer Him? Did not He that MADE ME . . . MAKE HIM?" Job 31: 13-15.
2. How does the apostle Paul express the same truth?
"GOD THAT MADE THE WORLD and all things therein, . . . hath MADE OF ONE BLOOD ALL NATIONS OF MEN for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation." Acts 17: 24-26.
3. What does our Lord say regarding equality in His own church?
"For ONE IS YOUR MASTER, even Christ; and ALL YE ARE BRETHREN." Matt. 23: 8.
4. What does His apostle teach regarding lordship in His church?
"The elders which are among you I exhort, who are also an elder, . . . Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; NEITHER AS BEING LORDS OVER GOD'S HERITAGE, but being ensamples to the flock." 1 Peter 5: 1-3.
5. Why should they not use lordship or compulsion?
"Not for that we have DOMINION OVER YOUR FAITH, but are helpers of your joy: for BY FAITH YE STAND." 2 Cor. 1: 24.
6. Can the kingdom of Christ be enforced by civil rule?
"Jesus answered, MY KINGDOM IS NOT OF THIS WORLD: if My kingdom were of this world, then would My servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is My kingdom not from hence." John 18: 36.
7. What is the Lord's demand upon all His subjects?
"Thou shalt LOVE THE LORD THY GOD with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbor as thyself." See Luke 10: 27; Matt. 22: 37-40.
8. By what power only can the ambassador of Christ win the sinful and rebellious?
"Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, WE PERSUADE MEN." "For the LOVE OF CHRIST constraineth us." 2 Cor. 5: 11, 14.
9. By what words does our Lord define our duty toward God and earthly powers?
"Render therefore unto CAESAR the THINGS which be CAESAR'S, and unto GOD the THINGS which be GOD'S." Luke 20: 25.
10. To whom then should we render custom, taxes, tribute, etc.?
"Render therefore to ALL THEIR DUES: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honor to whom honor. Owe no man anything, but to love one another." Rom. 13: 7, 8.
"Submit yourselves to EVERY ORDINANCE of MAN for the LORD'S SAKE." 1 Peter 2: 13.
11. What should be our course when the ordinances of men conflict with the ordinances of God?
"WE OUGHT TO OBEY GOD RATHER THAN MEN." Acts 5: 29.
"Whether it be right in the sight of God to harken unto you more than unto God, judge ye." Acts 4: 19.
12. To whom does the Sabbath belong, and therefore to whom should it be rendered?
"Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work: but the SEVENTH DAY IS THE SABBATH OF THE LORD THY GOD: in it thou shalt not do any work."
13. Does not God advise compulsion upon those who reject His truth?
"And if ANY MAN hear My words, and believe NOT, I judge him NOT: for I came not to JUDGE the world, but to SAVE the world. He that rejecteth Me, and receiveth not My words, hath one that judgeth him: THE WORD THAT I HAVE SPOKEN, the same shall judge him IN THE LAST DAY."
NOTE.—We do not know how any Bible believer can read the above scriptures and then permit himself to be used inferentially, directly, or otherwise to obtain, approve, or enforce Sunday laws or any other religious legislation. The only true service which can be rendered to God, the only service acceptable to Him, is the service of love; is the service of simple faith and truth. But faith can not be compelled; neither can love. These are begotten within the heart of the child of God by a power from above which does not lie in the purview of human legislation. The only power which God has given to His servants is the power of persuasion through love by His Spirit.
It is a striking and awful contrast between those who profess to be the followers of St. Peter, those who profess to believe that Peter stands at their very head, and that his successors have been with them ever since, and the simple words which Peter has given us as quoted above. Among his professed followers are "lord popes" and "lord bishops," and other great prelates. Peter simply counted himself an elder among the other elders, and declared that there should be neither lord bishops nor prelates, "not as being lords over God's heritage." It is the duty for conscience' sake, for the Lord's sake, for the child of God to submit himself to every ordinance of men, unless mistaken men take that ordinance from the place assigned it of God, and exalt it to the throne of Deity, where it presumes to command conscience. Then the child of God can say as did the apostles of old, "We ought to obey God rather than men." Christ has given us the rule by which we may judge as to our duty. Whose image and superscription has that which presents itself to us? If it is the money of this world, the tribute is to be paid to the government. If it bears the stamp of heaven, as does the Sabbath, it is our duty to render it to God alone; but if we do not, how should mortal man assume to put himself above the Lord Jesus Christ, who leaves all these things to the last day, and declares that "if any man hear My words, and believe not, I judge him not"?
