"You are free to respect the government and authority God gives to you, honor the king."
This pastor is wrong on so many points. Romans 13 does say all that stuff about rulers, but it must be looked at IN CONTEXT. There are wicked rulers as well, in fact Hosea 8:4 tells us of this, and that sometimes it's even WITHOUT God's approval. Did He approve of Hitler, or Pol Pot? Does this 'pastor' Mark Jeske think that they were men of God? John 15:19 says the world loves it's own, but ye are not of the world, so the world hateth you. Paul and Rome were obviously at odds, and submitting to Caesar was apparently not the message Paul was trying to convey. Proof of this? Let us remember that it was Rome that had him beheaded. 1st John 5:19 tells us the whole 'world' lies in wickedness.
Also, most importantly, America is not a dictatorship, Bush is not a king, czar, or emperor, he is an ELECTED OFFICIAL. He is to SERVE us, NOT RULE OVER US. Pastors like this need to take a brief review of American history and government.
The USA is set up as a Republic, whose citizens are to elect political leaders to represent the people, at regular intervals those political leaders are to be replaced, either with someone else who shares the same interests, or if the people were dissatisfied, replaced with someone who better serves them.
Come on people, this is just politics 101!
Let's take a point by point breakdown and rebuttal of everything Jeske has said....
"The way you talk about a President whom you don't respect....that kind of talk should not be coming out of Christians mouths."
Proverbs 29:12 If a ruler hearken to lies, all his servants are wicked.
1Cor 6:3 Know ye not that we shall judge angels? How much more things that pertain to this life?
1st John 5:19 We are of God, but the whole world lieth in wickedness.
Mat 7:20 Ye shall know them by their fruits.
Eph 6:12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
It's so plain to see the rulers of that day had Jesus and all of the apostles except John put to death, why do Christians want to think that we are immune to such corruption in the 21st century? Tell me, was Nero a good leader too when he had countless Christians slaughtered?
"Even bad governments do God's work by keeping a semblance of order in the streets."
Umm....Uh....I don't think this even deserves the space on this page to answer it. If you think he has a valid point, please seek help, and don't ever have children.
"I'm free to give up my freedom...sometimes it's appropriate for you to give up some of your freedom."
Why yes, if he wants to give up his freedom, he is free to go to a country like Russia or China, or perhaps one of the Scandinavian countries, but don't tell the rest of the people they have to give up their freedoms just because he's fond of Marxism. Funny for a guy who preaches about so much authority and civil obedience, he doesn't believe in the proper lawful ways of doing things through acts of Congress and legislation. He is much more for executive power and martial law.
"The [early] Christians were refusing to pay taxes and refusing to serve in the armed forces."
Yes, the early Christians also suffered under a government called Rome. We in this day and age have a Republic called the USA, which is as different as night and day from a totalitarian dictatorship. But in speaking on serving in the armed forces...
John 18:36 Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight.
Luke 3:14 And the soldiers likewise demanded of him, saying, And what shall we do? And he said unto them, Do violence to no man, neither accuse any falsely; and be content with your wages.
2Cor 10:3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh.
Mat 26:52 All they that take the sword shall perish with it.
1Chron 28:3 Thou shalt not build a house for my name, because thou hast been a man of war, and hast shed blood.
Eph 6:15 Have your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace.
John 13:34 A NEW commandment I give unto you that ye love one another as I have loved you, by this shall all men know you are my disciples.
Mat 5:44-45/Luke 6:27 But I say unto you, Love your enemies,do good to them that hate you, so that you may be the children of God.
I believe in a strong National DEFENSE, but when you have a government that shoots first and asks questions later, whose armed forces are told to follow all orders and obey no matter what, do not think, do not question whether or not what you are doing is right or wrong, simply obey. Then you will have a terrible conflict when it comes to serving your Lord and God, or serving your commanding officer. Sometimes this is even illustrated in books, movies, and tv.
"Jesus submitted to the death sentence that came from Pontius Pilate."
Is this guy really a pastor? Has he even read the story?
John 10:18 No man taketh my life, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.
John 12:27 But for this cause came I unto this hour.
John 19:11 Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above.
Apparently the only one Jesus was submitting to was God.
"It is so easy to criticize and find fault, honor the king, do it anyway, whether the king deserves it or not."
He uses 1st Peter 2:17 as the scripture for this, it's true, it does say honor the king. The President of the USA is NOT, I repeat NOT a king. I said it before and I'll say it again, he is not a king, czar, or emperor. He is not der fuhrer, he is an elected official, who in a roundabout way, was placed there by the will of the people through the electoral college. He is there to SERVE the people, and if we don't like "our hired help" as Will Rogers put it, it is our duty to remove them and replace them with better public servants, we do it regularly. The President does not have total authrority, nor should he, America is not a monarchy or totalitarian dictatorship.
At the very end of this video....
"All authority is an extension of God's authority."
Is that a fact? Then how does he explain this?...
Hosea 8:4 They have set up kings, but not by me, they have made princes and I knew it not.
How does he also explain Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed Nego being thrown into the furnace for not bowing down to the king...hmmm? God stepped in and saved them. Or how about Daniel being thrown into the lion's den for refusing to stifle his praises of God? God saved him too. Nero had Christians slaughtered, and Hitler, along with Pol Pot are known in the 20th century for being genocidal maniacs. According to 'pastor' Mark Jeske, this authority came from God. Also, every pope was of God, as were Lenin, Stalin, Attila the Hun, and Ghengis Khan as well as King George. In fact, with this type of thinking, America never should've left England and the Catholic church should be ruling the world by now.
'Pastor' Mark Jeske should be stripped of his position and sent back to seminary, along with basic elementary American history class.