WE had best begin by defining our terms. DEMOCRACY is government of the people, by the people, for the people. Such was the famous dictum of Abraham Lincoln.
THEOCRACY is government by the immediate direction of God.
A few preliminary remarks may be necessary to introduce the subject. Does it matter what a Christian believes in the way of politics? First of all a Christian should not be a politician. Twice over the Lord affirmed of His own, “They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world” (John 17:1414I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. (John 17:14) and 16). If it were right for a Christian to be a politician, the Lord, our great Exemplar, would have been a politician. On the contrary, when requested to give a judgment, He replied, “Man, who made Me a Judge or a Divider over you?” (Luke 12:1414And he said unto him, Man, who made me a judge or a divider over you? (Luke 12:14)). If it were right for a Christian to be a politician, we should have seen the apostles giving us an example in that line. Neither by example nor precept is there a word in Scripture to encourage the believer to be a politician.
In the Old Testament, where the dispensation was different, there were instructions for the office of a king, but in the New Testament, whilst there are instructions how the Christian is to obey, there is not a single line as to how he is to rule. The Christian is to “Honor the king,” but there are no instructions how to behave as a king. We are told “to obey magistrates,” but there are no instructions how to fulfill the office of a magistrate. We have the exhortation, “Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers” (Rom. 13:11Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. (Romans 13:1)), and that at a Time when the Roman Emperor was that monster of iniquity, Nero. Yet there is not one line of instruction to the Christians as to ruling. The silence of Scripture is as powerful as its speech. The Christian is not exhorted to remedy abuses in this world. “Let the dead bury their dead” (Luke 9:6060Jesus said unto him, Let the dead bury their dead: but go thou and preach the kingdom of God. (Luke 9:60)), was the sharp comment of the Lord to one, who declared that he would be a disciple, but who wished to put the burying of his father before discipleship. The Christian has to do with the Kingdom of God. But his reigning time has not come yet. Till Christ gets His rightful place, there is no place for us as rulers of this world, but on the contrary we are exhorted as “strangers and pilgrims” (1 Peter 2:1111Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul; (1 Peter 2:11)).
The children of Israel were specially chosen to be God’s people, and their government was theocratic, in other words they were governed by the immediate direction of God. This is the ideal government. The last verse of the Book of Judges says, “In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes” (Judg. 21:2525In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes. (Judges 21:25)). The government should have been theocratic, but when democracy ran wild, it is aptly described by the words, “Every man did that which was right in his own eyes.”
When the people asked for a king to be like the surrounding nations, the Lord said to Samuel, “They have not rejected thee, but they have rejected ME, that I should not reign over them” (1 Sam. 8:77And the Lord said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them. (1 Samuel 8:7)). They rejected theocracy. Witness the plight of the nation from that day to this as to the sorrow of their course. With God as their Ruler and themselves obedient to Him they were invincible, secure and happy. No enemy could bring them into subjection. See them today, scattered, peeled, persecuted, despised, a nation of sad hearts and weary feet.
It has often been said by misguided people that Christian Socialism is the highest policy for the Christian. We have shown that to engage in any kind of politics, reactionary or otherwise, is not Christian. But it has been urged that Christ was a Socialist. Never was there a bigger mistake, showing complete ignorance of His character as Man. He was a Theocrat, that is, every word and action of His were governed by God Himself. He could say, “I do nothing of Myself; but as My Father hath taught Me, I speak these things... I do always those things that please Him” (John 8:28, 2928Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things. 29And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him. (John 8:28‑29)). What a happy world it would be if all its inhabitants could truthfully say that. It would make life less complicated. We should not need safes in which to secure our treasures, nor keys to lock our front doors, nor lawyers to a very large extent, nor policemen, save to regulate traffic, nor prisons, reformatories and the like, nor armies and navies. Staggering taxes would be a thing of the past.
Let us look at the difference between democracy and theocracy.
Democracy has for its roots, the Greek words, demos (the people), and Krateo (rule).
Theocracy has for its roots, the Greek words, theos (God), and Krateo (rule).
Democracy is government of the people, by the people, for the people. Note not a word about God in this. Can a fallen man govern himself? Is there any evidence of his capacity to do this? Scripture puts things in sharp contrast, “And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness” (1 John 5:1919And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness. (1 John 5:19)). If democracy is government by the people then there is nothing higher in it than its source. If the source of sovereignty is the people nothing can be higher than the people. That much is evident. As a matter of fact there are infernal influences of work. Democracy in the long run will lead to the deification of man, and his complete apostasy as far as God is concerned. If man is worshipped as God, and Scripture prophesies this clearly, and there are signs that things are working in this direction, then God Himself is dethroned.
Democracy is horizontal; theocracy is perpendicular. The former stretches out on the low level of poor fallen man, all unconscious that infernal forces are subtly at work to lead the movement into utter revolt from God; in the latter all rule and authority comes from God, comes down from above.
Now the believer, who would be consistent with Christianity, can only be a theocrat. Let the Christian, who dabbles in politics, whether it be monarchy, aristocracy, plutocracy, bureaucracy, or democracy, weigh this over. To grasp it will be a great deliverance.
Doubtless the Christian views the great happenings in the world with interest in the light of Scripture, but if he is wise and instructed he keeps to the service to which he is called and does not interfere with matters outside his province.
Suppose, on the other hand, a Christian leans in his sympathies to Conservatism, he remembers the exhortations, — “Honor the King” — “Let every soul be subject to the higher powers” —he feels there is more respect for God in that line of things, and he deplores the spirit of democracy. He sees its disintegrating results, the unrest, and instability of everything. He sees all this, and feels inclined to put his weight into the opposite scale. But here is the serious question. How can he know whether the rise of democracy is not allowed of God in order to carry things to the point when Christ shall return to this earth, and set up His kingdom? How does he know that he is not acting against God’s will in the matter, if he seeks to stem the tide of democracy?
Suffice it for him to be a theocrat in his own life, to let the will of God dominate him, and to use his influence to get others to do the same, to pray to God about these things.
Democracy degrades a man. Theocracy elevates him. When a Christian refuses to honor the King, according to Scripture he degrades himself. Wisdom is justified in all her children.
May the reader be one of wisdom’s children in his spirit in a day of moral degradation, of disintegration and decay of all that speaks of God in this world.
Even Voltaire, the infidel and cynic, writ-of monarchy and democracy, declared that he would rather be governed by one lion than by one hundred asses. There is much shrewd wisdom in this.
How much better off is the Christian who is governed by God — a God of wisdom, love and power.
A. J. Pollock.
History recounts that Louis XI. of France executed a solemn deed of gift in favor of the Virgin Mary, making her the owner of Boulogne and surroundings but reserving for himself all the rents of the same! It is to be feared that the conversion and consecration of many is after this pattern. We dedicate ourselves to the Lord, yet reserving for ourselves all the benefits that result from it. So let us take care!