A Nation ruled by Law
Christians believe with the high sincerity that God, rules by Law. After all that word is scattered throughout the OT and NT, and on the lips of Moses to Jesus. We are sure that God is a God of Law-- and we employ words like Justice and Judge when talking about God, just to underscore that God is truly behind all Law and Justice.
America, derived it’s system of Government by in large from Europe-- Britain and France. And we can track the ‘representative forms’ back to the Roman Republic. The Romans started out as a Republic, run by the people and for the people. It was also a government based upon ‘law’.
If one wishes we can easily posit a claim that all government is to be run by Law, for the good of all. And then make the case that God is behind all good lawful governments. After all, God gave Moses the Laws with which to govern the new nation of Israel, upon the Exodus.
However, after over 1000 years of Mosaic law, Jesus was born. Interestingly, he talked about God’s Kingdom not in terms of being run by Law but by Spirit. The Spirit which exudes compassion, grace and serves the least. It was to be a vast New way of living with people. Barriers of nationality, religious sects, races, classes, and lifestyles were broken down and replaced with a vision of God’s love for all. It was not based upon Law or Justice as we in the Western world are oriented and focused. It was based upon the full acceptance of all people thru the Divine declaration (judgment) of forgiveness and inclusion. Jesus seemed very free with ‘forgiveness’, he hardly asked individuals to repent or make promises to live better in the future-- (woman at the well, Zachheus, thief on the cross, etc.) The only person he said a peep to about making a change was the woman caught in adultery who was about to be stoned to death-- Jesus, out of concern for a future stoning... advised her to knock off the bed sharing).
When Jesus judged-- it was always a judgment of ‘favor’ and not ‘condemnation’. It was always a judgment of ‘forgiveness’. Those who did not want either ‘favor’ (grace) or ‘forgiveness’, were allowed to stay in their own soup of disfavor and unforgiveness.
Justice, according to the Hebrew mind, is not ‘distributive’ but it’s relational. When God acts in justice/righteousness, it is always on behalf of the oppressed and needy. God is the Judge who is unjust-- He cares about the broken and the sinners. God is not fair and square--but He is Merciful and Kind.
Jesus, the Son of the Living God, went about doing ‘righteousness/justice’-- when He forgave sins, healed the sick, cast out evil spirits, fed the crowds and raised the dead. When Jesus was raised from the dead on the 3rd day, that was an act of God’s judgment-- declaring let my people go free. Free them from deaths tyranny. Free them from fear. Free them to live New in Spirit.
Christianity began as a great movement of living in the Spirit of the living God.
But soon-- it was pulled back and reigned in to be a bland pale system run by ‘law and written books and codes’. Note how many Christians say, “My Bible says... The Bible says.” And they pick a passage to justify their stand, and miss the Spirit completely.
Christianity has been used by the framers of the American experiment-- to bolster the claim to be a country under God and Law. We are indeed a country ruled by Law. We send lawyers to represent us in government. They in turn make up more laws just to be doing something while getting paid. They squabble over how to interpret laws and find loopholes when needed to advance the cause of certain interest groups or corporations. The United States is a country sunk deep in the muck of law, and has lost the Spirit to really love and serve others as Jesus did.
We have Immigration laws to keep people out of the country-- contrary to Christ’s Spirit, which seeks and finds ways to help and serve those in need.
We have laws to justify wars-- contrary to the Spirit of Jesus, who called all to be ‘peacemakers’ and named those who are as ‘children of God’.
All the cries for more laws and more regulations-- is because we have no desire to live by the Spirit of Jesus.
The Oil Spill in the Gulf would most likely not have occurred if folks had been allowing the Spirit of Jesus to guide the decision making. First, considerations for the environment would have been highly ranked. Then thoughtfulness for those who make a living on the Gulf would have been of primary value. Finally, all who worked on the drill would have not cut corners but done all they could to ensure safety as they would serving out of Spirit, and doing all the labor out of God’s love for all creatures. It would have been a drill with all precautions and all good care-- not to gain more money for stockholders as driving force, but to honor people and environment and thereby show respect to all God’s creatures. If done in the Spirit-- love for others would be preeminent.
The war in Iraq, would not have been entered had we been living by the Spirit. Jesus made it clear that ‘eye for an eye’ was not God’s way, rather to love the enemy is.
It’s much harder to find ways to serve and help those who seek to harm us. But, war never improves a thing. Serving others in the long run is the best and reflects living in the Spirit.
The Banking crisis too could have easily been averted had we been living by the Spirit.
Instead, we are a country run by Law. Laws are crafted to avert future abuses but again there are always loopholes for the greedy and self serving.
Law may sound like a great way to run the world but God runs the world by Spirit, and the Spirit bears the fruit of: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, and self control.
No law can produce that kind of fruit!
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