The Judgment Of Corrupt Leaders
The Judgment of Corrupt Leaders
Psalm 58
Main Idea: The gospel compels believers to oppose injustice from evil leaders in anticipation of Christs future judgment and reign.
I.The Rejection of Justice
A.Reflect Gods heart for the oppressed.
B.Remember Gods grace for ourselves.
II.The Request for Justice
A.Pray for God to restrain corrupt leaders .
B.Pray for God to remove corrupt leaders .
III.The Response to Justice
A.The righteous will rejoice .
B.The corrupt will be convinced .
In 1384 John Wycliffe wrote, The Bible is for the Government of the People, by the People, and for the People in the prologue to his translation of the Bible. But it was Abraham Lincoln who made the threefold phrase famous during his address at Gettysburg. The great president actually borrowed the phrase thirdhand. A preacher named Theodore Parker had used it in a sermon in Bostons Music Hall on July 4, 1858. Lincolns law partner, William H. Herndon, had visited Boston and heard the sermon. He returned to Springfield, Illinois, with his notes from the sermon. Herndon recalled that Lincoln marked with pencil the portion of the Music Hall address, Democracy is direct self-government, over all the people, by all the people, for all the people .
Paul declared that Gods reign over evil rulersboth seen and unseenis rooted in the deity of Jesus Christ and secured by his work on the cross:
The Rejection of Justice
Psalm 58:1-5
Consider two applications of Davids direct and indirect rebuke.
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What The Bible Says About Corruption
The Bible openly condemns corrupt goverments, and emphatically rejects any act of corruption.
The word of God emphasizes that we must refrain from, and fight against, all practices of bribery, fraud, and any type of theft.
Corruption in the eyes of God is a serious sin, since it harms others.
It is directly or indirectly affecting the poor, perpetuating their misery and depriving them of opportunities to improve their quality of life.
The ten commandments say that we should not covet what belongs to others, and that we should not take possession of what is not ours by right. That is, we should not steal.
The Bible broadly and explicitly condemns corrupt practices very similar to those that our countries, cities, and municipalities suffer from today.
It also tells us what our behavior should be regarding these issues.
Lets go further in trying to answer the question: what does the Bible teach about Corruption.
Lets look at some examples:
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What Bible Says About Government Leaders
As a Christian, I believe it is important to understand what the Bible says about government leaders. In the Old Testament, rulers were clearly designated by God, and all of the leaders that were appointed by God to rule over Israel were granted a special status.
However, in the New Testament, there are no specific references to any of Gods chosen leaders. Therefore, it is often difficult for Christians to know how they should relate to government leaders today. I want to share some thoughts on this topic in this article.
In the Old Testament, rulers were clearly designated by God, and all of the leaders that were appointed by God to rule over Israel were granted a special status.
However, in the New Testament, there are no specific references to any of Gods chosen leaders. Therefore, it is often difficult for Christians to know how they should relate to government leaders today. I want to share some thoughts on this topic in this article.
The first thing we must understand about government leaders is that they are not appointed by God. In other words, if someone has been chosen as an official or elected official by their fellow people, then he/she is not considered a leader in the eyes of God . This means
Corruption Is Unviable In The Long Run
Our lovers of corruption thought to do what was best for them but their own criminal acts came upon them, and their end was tragic.
Corrupt politicians may enjoy impunity and privileges, but this does not last forever. What easily comes, easyly goes. And although justice is lame, you can never escape it. Be it in this life or in the future.
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A Christians Relationship With A Godless Government
Why should I “submit” to a government that I believe is moving in the wrong direction? I love my country and want to cooperate with the political system, but I’m struggling to understand what the Bible says on this subject. How in the world can the apostle Paul tell Christians to submit to the authorities when we know for a fact that many human governments are corrupt and unjust? What should a believer do when he feels that his own government is “ungodly”?
The Bible does in fact command Christians to submit to the governing authorities and to pray for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence . These words even more striking when we realize that Paul penned them during the reigns of the Roman emperors Nero and Caligula, two of the worst tyrants known to history.
The point is clear. As long as we can do so without denying Christ or compromising our faith, we must always strive to cooperate with the ruling powers. That doesnt necessarily mean that we will endorse all of their policies or approve of every specific action they take. This is especially true in a democratic society, where it is the duty of responsible citizens to examine public servants with a discerning and critical eye. Nevertheless, Christians are responsible to uphold biblical righteousness in a hostile culture while also expressing respect for its leadership.
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When The Government Is Unjust
Sometimes God will send a wicked ruler to a land as judgement upon the people. As long as what the ruler commands of the people is not a violation of Gods commands, the people must submit to his authority. Even if it seems extra strict or unfair. We are to patiently wait on the Lord and to live as humbly and quietly as possible. Stand boldly for the truth and honor those God has placed in authority. We are all tempted by sin, even our leaders. So we as inhabitants of the land should take on the responsibility of researching those in government and to vote based on how well they align with the Word of God not based on their party.
23) Genesis 50:20 As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good
24)Romans 8:28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.
25) Philippians 3:20 But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.
26)Psalm 75:7 But it is God who executes judgment, putting down one and lifting up another.
27) Proverbs 29:2 When the righteous increase, the people rejoice, but when the wicked rule, the people groan.
28) 2 Timothy 2:24 And the Lords servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil.
29) Hosea 13:11 I gave thee a king in mine anger, and took him away in my wrath.
31) Job 42:2 I know that You can do all things, And that no purpose of Yours can be thwarted.
Are We Supposed To Submit To Evil Governments
CLAIM: Ethicists note that submission to government is not always ethical. Sometimes, governments are evil, and it is our civic duty to disobey them. How does this harmonize with Romans 13, which is the most extensive passage on government in the New Testament?
RESPONSE: A number of observations can be made:
First, Paul was writing to the Romans, who were not ignorant of evil government. The context of Romans 13 is the persecution of Christians . Moreover, about a decade after he wrote this chapter, Paul was executed at the hands of this particular government under Emperor Nero . Therefore, this letter should be interpreted in light of an evil governmentnot a peaceful one .
Third, the purpose of government is to restrain anarchy. Pauls purpose of writing Romans 13 is to explain the purpose of government. If human government did not exist, we would be in a state of total anarchy. Even bad government is better than no government. Anarchy results in abject terror for people. Therefore, God is not approving of human government instead, he is delegating human government for the purpose of restraining complete evil and anarchy.
Fifth, the rest of the Bible teaches cases where it is right to disobey human government. Consider just a few below :
Peter and John answered and said to them, Whether it is right in the sight of God to give heed to you rather than to God, you be the judge 20 for we cannot stop speaking about what we have seen and heard.
An Exegesis of Romans 13:1-7
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For The Corrupt: Misfortune Ruin The Wrath Of God And Hell
He will not enjoy his unjust riches, but all of them he will have to pay back, because he left the poor destitute, and he took possession of houses that he never built.
For this reason, he will never be able to live in peace, because in his ambition he let nothing escape.
Nothing ever escaped his voracity therefore his prosperity will not last.
His extreme abundance will cause him pain, and all the power of evil will fall on him.
When he sits at the table, ready to eat, God will unleash all the heat of his wrath on him and on everything he eats.
Though he flees from iron weapons, he will fall victim to a bronze bow, an arrow will pierce his body, the steel point will pierce his liver, and terrible fears will come upon him.
A terrible darkness is reserved for him an unstoked fire will consume him, and He will destroy what is left of his house.
The heavens will show its injustice, and the earth will rise up to accuse him.
On the day that God has appointed for his wrath, his sons will be carried into exile and scattered.
This is how God punishes wicked people that is the inheritance that God has assigned to them.
| Job 20:18-29
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Bible Verses About Corrupt Government
The Bible is very clear about the dangers of being involved with corrupt government officials. And yet I fear we, as Christians, can be pretty blasé about it. We read these scriptures and think they were written thousands of years ago, or that these verses are not really to do with us. But how wrong is that? When you look around the world and see countless examples of corruption at all levels of government, from petty thieves to presidents, it should be clear to you that we need to take warnings against the sin of bribery very seriously indeed. What does God say about bribery?
Right here on Churchgists, you are privy to a litany of relevant information on biblical response to corruption, what does the church say about corruption, what is spiritual corruption, and so much more. Take out time to visit our Website for more information on similar topics.
Not All Politicians Are Corrupt
The first lesson I would like to draw from this story is that the Bible gives us hope, because it reminds us that not all politicians are corrupt.
In our Bible story, we have a good politician who did his job well and did not steal a penny.
Being a politician is not always a synonym for theft or corruption. God in his love will always have good people who participate in government to look after the interests of His children. Our duty is to vote wisely to elect them.
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