Presuppositions must always be considered when engaging in debate. The things we consider “self-evident” may or may not actually be true. Our founding fathers considered that it is self-evident that our freedoms originate in God, but increasingly modern people do not believe this fundamental truth, largely because they do not believe in God. Instead, perhaps without thinking it through, many accept that freedoms issue from the state.
The state, by nature, always tries to assume that everything derives from it, belongs to it, and must serve it. In other words, it tries to be God.
Take, for example, private property. If you “own” any, you might assume that it belongs to you, but actually it does not. If you want to find out who actually owns it, try not paying your property taxes. Regarding children, you might think that they belong to the parents, but in reality the state maintains the “right” to take children away from their parents whenever it believes it is in a child’s (the state’s) best interest. In many cases, it is right to do this, but sometimes the system becomes corrupt and serves political interests instead of insuring the welfare of children. The state’s overreach also has played out on many fronts when it comes to Covid.
Our forefathers did not trust government. That is why they built numerous safeguards into our Constitution. Sadly, however, every system eventually gets “played” by conniving people, and that has happened to us as a nation. Our freedoms have been used against us, and currently we are in a situation where our constitutional and God-given freedoms are being routinely stripped by people in government who dare us to do anything about it.
Here is a passage that addresses the fundamental issue of ownership.
Then the Pharisees went and plotted together how they might trap Him in what He said. 16 And they *sent their disciples to Him, along with the Herodians, saying, "Teacher, we know that You are truthful and teach the way of God in truth, and defer to no one; for You are not partial to any. 17 "Tell us then, what do You think? Is it lawful to give a poll-tax to Caesar, or not?" 18 But Jesus perceived their malice, and said, "Why are you testing Me, you hypocrites? 19 "Show Me the coin used for the poll-tax." And they brought Him a denarius. 20 And He *said to them, "Whose likeness and inscription is this?" 21 They *said to Him, "Caesar's." Then He *said to them, "Then render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's; and to God the things that are God's." 22 And hearing this, they were amazed, and leaving Him, they went away. Matthew 22:15-22 (NASB)
The presupposition behind taxation is that the government has authority over us. No one “under” us will ever be able to tax us. In Jesus’ day, the Romans imposed heavy taxes upon subjugated people groups, which were often exacerbated by greedy middle men who acted as tax collectors. These taxes were punitive in nature and served to drive home the second class nature of the citizenry under Roman rule. The Jewish leaders attempted to catch Jesus in a trap. Either he would acknowledge the Romans’ right to impose such taxes, incurring the resentment of the common people, or he would get himself in trouble with the Roman authorities. Jesus, however, managed to answer their question in a way that surprised everyone. Instead of focusing on the issue of taxation, Jesus addressed the underlying presuppositions: whose identity do we bear and who owns us?
Caesar’s likeness had been stamped on Roman coinage, which made it clear that he basically owned the money, giving Rome the authority to collect taxes. People, however, bear the stamp of God’s image, meaning that they belong to him, not to the state. Whenever the state acts as if it owns people, it transgresses the limitations put upon it by God.
Today we have a clear cut example of such tyranny. Mandates requiring people to be injected with an experimental gene therapy against their will, which may permanently alter our God-given immune systems, assume that we belong to the state rather than to God. The “good” of the many is said to nullify our basic freedom of choice under God. For people such as I, refusing the jab is an issue of conscience as well as good sense. In this case, we cannot submit to a tyrannical state without violating our conscience by tampering with what God has committed into our care. (I acknowledge that many god-fearing people consider receiving the jab a good thing. I am not addressing such people in this article.)
When the state tries to overrule our conscience, it has overstepped its authority and should not be obeyed in that area.
In every other area, where it operates within its God-given boundaries, it should be obeyed, however. (Romans 13:1 and Acts 5:29) Jesus died to set us free to serve God. To voluntarily surrender to an overstepping government is to come into bondage.
It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery. Galatians 5:1 (NASB)
Jesus gave up his life to deliver us from satanic tyranny. It is sadly and dangerously irresponsible to willingly submit to it again.
Never doubt for a moment that the state ultimately wants to own and control you. It is the beast rising out of the waters in the Book of Revelation (Revelation 13:1), whose antagonism against God will not be stopped until Christ ultimately destroys it at his Second Coming.
And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who sat on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and wages war... 14 And the armies which are in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, were following Him on white horses. 15 From His mouth comes a sharp sword, so that with it He may strike down the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron; and He treads the wine press of the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty. 16 And on His robe and on His thigh He has a name written, "KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS...." 19 And I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies assembled to make war against Him who sat on the horse and against His army. 20 And the beast was seized, and with him the false prophet who performed the signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image; these two were thrown alive into the lake of fire which burns with brimstone. Revelation 19:11-20 (NASB)
Stand firm.
