Foundations for Application of the Lesser Magistrate Principle The lesser magistrate doctrine declares that the superior higher civil authority has both a right and a duty to refuse obedience to that superior authority. If necessary, the lesser authorities even have the right and obligation to actively resist the superior authority. Roman Emperor Trajan, while appointing a subordinate authority, handed him a sword and instructed him, saying, “ Use this sword against my enemies, if I give righteous commands; but if I give unrighteous commands, use it against me.” Historically, the practice of the church has been that when the State commands that which God forbids or forbids that which God commands; men have a duty to obey God rather than man. The most frequently referenced event in scripture is perhaps Peter answer to the Sadducee who were filled with jealously of all the people coming to the Apostles in Solomon’s Portico and the miracles Elohim was manifesting so they were put in public jail. Acts 5:17,18 but in verse 19 “An angel of the LORD at night opened the gates of the prison, and taking them out said, v.20 Go your way, stand and speak to the people in the temple the whole message of this Life.” When they were arrested again and brought before the Council, And the high priest questioned they saying, “We gave you strict orders not to continue teaching in this name, and behold, you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and intend to bring this man’s blood upon us.” v. 29 But Peter and the apostles answered we must obey God rather than men.” The government licensed churches in America seemed to have forgotten this in the past two years by denying the warning of Hebrews 10:25 “not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another–and all the more as you see the Day approaching “ There are several examples of “lesser Magistrates” intervening in opposition to unrighteousness by those in authority in the old testament. Exodus 1:15-21 the mid-wives defying Pharaoh’s orders to drown the male new born slaves yet they risked their own lives by disobeying his order when it came to the birth of Moses. The Hebrew teens of Shadrack, Meshack, and Abed-nego refused to bow to Nebuchadnezzar’s idol, and in the New Testament in Mt.1 the Wise-men being warned by an angel not to report back to Herod but go another way back to Babylon. These obedient servants of God’s risked death to one degree of another. Defied unrighteous authority like believers must do to avoid taking the “Mark of the Beast” and loose their “peace and safety” in the world. Now I know that may pinch someone’s Eschatological toes but Christ said no one knows the hour so be ready Mt. 25:44 and gave us two chapters in John’s Revelation to warn us to be “Over-comers”. Rev. 2:7 “to him who overcomes, I will grant to eat of the tree of life”; v.11″He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death.”; v.17 “to him who overcomes, I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, and a new name written on the stone which no one knows but he who receives it.” v.26 “And to he who overcomes, he who keeps my deeds until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations;” Rev. 3:5 “He who overcomes shall thus be clothed in white garmets, and I will not erase his name from the book of life, and I will confess his name before My Father and before HIS angels.” v. 12 “He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God, and he will not go out from it anymore; and I will write upon him the name of My God and the name of the city of My God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from my God, and My new name. v. 21 He who overcomes, I will grant him to sit down with Me on my throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne. v. 22 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” The same kind of overcoming faith we “lesser magistrates” need to live out in the marketplace of ideas today and be the Salt and Light against the oppression of evil dominating our culture like the “False Prophet Media” preparing to appoint it’s “Anti-Christ”. Being desciples of Christ we want to not appear as New Age Pharisees by wearing a mask pretending to be holy devoted to doing God’s will but practicing the Savior’s unconditional love by inviting sinners to comprehend Christ’s victory and gracious offering of forgiveness for those who choose His Covenant of Everlasting Life. To be successful Ambassadors we need to be successful followers of Christ’s example of serving, others needs before our own. There are those in our family of believers who need to see Christ’s sermon on the mount being lilved out in our relationships with our family of believers so as to not appear as actors of righteousness but fruitful branches, pruned and ready for the harvest. That pruning process is no doubt painful but necessary and for those unwilling that want to hold on to their dead wood then they are risking being cut off and thrown in the pile to be burned. How can we expect to be fruitful without pruning so let us examine ourselves according to Christ’s teachings. If we are calling our Supreme Court Justices to defend the unborn what have we done in their defense ourselves. Have we made it plain to those we lead that Elohim told Jeremiah that HE knew him before he was formed in his Mother’s womb? Have we confessed our sin’s of failing to teach such truths to all those who have become followers of Christ in our flocks so they to are defenders of the innocent? If the product of Covenant Marriage is under attack by abortion should we not identify the other points of attack upon the family now that statistically groups like Barna Research are reporting that the divorce rate in the “Church Community” is higher that those outside? How are we going to keep our covenant for eternal life in tact if we cannot keep our marriage covenant? Christ warned us that even looking upon someone with lust is the same a committing adultery. When was the last time you taught on avoiding pornography, or managing you buying habits. Are adultery and financial problems the leading causes for divorce? How can we expect our culture to respect what we have to say about Abortion, Pronography or Financial management when we are not offering such answers to our family of believers to avoid such pitfalls? I would suggest our Faith and Family Coalition consider announcing such classes and counceling services in response to it also asking those running for offices of leadership in our local schools and government taxing authorities to give the voting public their views on such issues as the following. When so you believe Life begins and does it deserve to be protected? Are families under attack? What in your capacity in the office you seek can be done to help keep the Covenant of Marriage from failing? Do you know the the number of Overdose deaths from Fentynal made in China and illegally imported over our southern border went from 32 in 2020 to 67 in 2021 in Blount County? Do you believe Blount County should send some of it’s $24.8 million Covid-19 Infrastructure Grant money to a County on the border who wants help defending itself from invasion? In Christ’s Sermon on the Mount in Matt.5:23,4 “if therefore you are presenting your offering at the alter, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your offering there before the alter, and go your way; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and present your offering. Later HE re-enforced the need for self-examination by suggesting one remove the beam from our own eye so we can see clearly, how we need to be pruned for fruitfulness. Is the Faith and Family Coalition ready to host a Community discussion? Does Blount County need such a discussion? Listen to the Overcomer’s Class Sundays 11:07 AM on WBCR AM 1470 or on your phone at 641-741-1023.
