Commentary by Greg Baker
Of the unique powers of government, perhaps the most important is that of sovereign, the final authority. The sovereign is the one who at the end of the day owns the government and owns the nation in which the government serves. In the United States of America, this unique power rests with “We the People” – and if the people are to be successful as sovereign over this nation, then the Church in America is the key.
Throughout history, and for many nations even today, sovereignty has rested with the monarch. In the United Kingdom, if the monarch is not satisfied with government, he or she can dissolve it and call elections. In America, the people exercise the same sovereignty every 2 years when they have an election. If satisfied, they can choose to keep those who are in power or they can choose new personnel.
But no matter how it’s done, the success of a nation rests on the success of its sovereign. And if you want a righteous government, you need a righteous sovereign. The sovereign must be able to select leaders who will pursue righteousness and remove leaders who pursue wickedness. Yet in order for the sovereign to do this, the sovereign must be righteous – which means in a nation where the people are sovereign, you must have a righteous people in order to have a righteous government.
Presidents Adams and Washington understood this. They understood the American form of government, where the people are sovereign, was made only for a “moral and religious” people. They openly proclaimed, the American government was not adequate for any other type of people.
And how can the American people be righteous? God is the sole source of righteousness, and man can only come to God through Christ. The pathway to righteousness comes through Christ and His Church. If America is to be strong, it will only be strong when the Church is healthy. The Church holds the key to life and righteousness, serves as the extension of Christ’s body, and ministers as the teacher of God’s Word. America is dependent on a healthy church.
“If the people are to be successful as sovereign over this nation,
then the Church in America is the key.”
So if you want to serve your country, you can start by building God’s Church. Begin by ensuring you are a member of the Church yourself. To become a member you must accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. You must repent of your sins and believe in the Son. This brings you into Christ’s body. Then you must submit yourself under the headship of Christ and the leaders of His Church. Be discipled/mentored by someone who is more mature in the faith.
Then grow in your faith by reading the Word and bringing your requests to God in prayer. Seek counsel in life decisions through the leaders of your church. Pursue holiness, and love and serve the people of the church. As you grow in these things, take this message to the lost world. Share the Gospel of Christ with others, and as they come to know the Lord, raise them up as disciples. Teach them the things others taught you. Then encourage them to do the same. Grow His Church one person at a time.
And as the Church grows, the righteousness of the nation will grow. As the Church grows, the conscience of the nation will grow. The sovereign people will then reflect righteousness, and as a result, the government will reflect righteousness.
So for the sake of the American people and America itself, build the Lord’s Church. Christ always has been and always will be the nation’s only hope.
Greg Baker is vice president of church engagement for The FAMiLY LEADER.
