Good Citizens

“Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God” 
                                                                                                                                 Romans 13:1.
As Christians we must remember that we are as it were, “landed emigrants”. We are citizens of Heaven yet live here on earth.
As such we must obey the law of the land in which we live except where it violates our beliefs.
We here in the west have all the rights of any citizen in a democracy. We can vote for whom we choose and express our opinion.
That freedom however does not extend to us screaming and making angry statements at the government simply because they pass a law we don’t like.
While we have freedom of speech. That freedom does not mean we can try and restrict the rights others have under the law. It doesn’t mean we have the rights to have a law repealed that benefits others simply because it offends our morals.
Like it or not secular civil governments are allowed to govern by God and they have the fee will to pass the laws they feel right for society.
We as Christians have no right to impose our morals on others through the law or other means any more than other groups have the right to do it to us.
The apostle Paul recognized that in order for the gospel to truly be spread around the world we had to obey the laws of the land.
He understood that we cannot legislate laws that would force people to come to know Christ.
Becoming a Christian is a personal choice and it is our job as Christians to present that choice to those around us in love.
Jesus when giving the great commission said, “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."Matthew 28:19-20
We are told as Christians to go and make disciple of all nations. We are not told to force them. We are simply to present people with the gospel of Christ. From there it is their decision.
Reaching out to a dying world with the love of God is one of the important parts of being a Christian.
We are to continue with Christ’s mission, the mission statement being stated in John 3:16,17,
"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.”
Everything a Christian does should be done in love. It should be done with the intentions of pointing people to a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
This is the essence of being a Christian.
Think about it.