“We hold these truths to be self-evident…..”
Written primarily by Thomas Jefferson, the Declaration of Independence was a logical defense for the rebellion of the American colonies against England. The founding fathers knew that if they were to survive as a new country, they needed legitimacy and recognition from the major European powers…especially France. The Declaration of Independence provided that legitimacy.
Jefferson’s argument was based on the 18th century Enlightenment philosophy which emphasized reason and logic. It changed the role of government (especially monarchs) by authorizing the people to determine a government’s right to rule. Government is by consent of the governed. The thesis was that these rights were self-evident from the Laws of Nature and Nature’s God. The divine right of kings was under attack. Reason and observation made these ideas valid.
Initially this new source of truth was added to the existing sources: biblical revelation (Scripture) and the church. Eventually reason changed from being a complement to a trump card. Thus the Enlightenment philosophy justified putting people back in charge replacing subordination to God, Scripture, or the church. Man was justifiably his own authority and nature and human reason were all that were needed to attain “life, liberty and, the pursuit of happiness”. Therefore, when rulers no longer served the best interest of the people, abusing their power by tyrannical oppression, the people had the right (even responsibility) to rebel: remove that leadership and establish another.
So what does all this have to do with discipleship? The common ground is the issue of authority. From the beginning of Genesis, man has resisted any authority beyond himself making the storyline as old as history itself. The desire for self-governance combined with the history of corrupt leadership at every level, has created a general distrust for anyone in authority. This is playing out in every level of our social structure: government, police, church, schools, and families.
The current media relishes any story that suggests authority can’t be trusted. Political leaders are corrupt, church leaders are immoral, and fathers are either abusive, absent or irrelevant. Even the celebrated sports world is racked by scandal.
Into our history and current culture of distrusting authority comes Jesus, the cross, and the crown. A cursory reading of the Gospels reveals that the earthly ministry of Jesus was to declare that His kingdom had now come and He was the doorway and the authority for it…the Lord. As the people observed what He taught as well as what He did, they marveled and wondered from where He got his authority (Matt 7:28-29).
Our aversion to outside authority, the lifelong habit of self-governance, and the lack of positive models has created a giant hurdle when we embrace the gospel. With our propensity to distrust authority it is easy to understand why many Christians accept Jesus as their Shepherd and Savior, but His Lordship is downgraded to a constitutional monarchy. Although we sing the right words, in practice, we retain the right to accept or dismiss His authority based on what we believe is in our best interest.
The New Testament view of God’s people being His bond-servant (a willing and obedient servant) is as foreign to us today as the Latin language. The Lordship of Christ taught and modeled in the New Testament is today an elective…maybe necessary for missionaries and pastors but not for us. We will accept Him as King much like England accepts their king or queen. He is “Lord” for convenient ceremonial purposes such as church, weddings, and funerals, but the real authority is in us as our own “Prime Minister”. The call of Jesus to take up our cross daily and follow Him is interpreted to mean “as long as it makes sense and adds to my goal of life, liberty and pursuit of happiness”.
Discipleship not only challenges our view of authority, but also our narcissistic view of self. We can accept our role as His prime minister but not His servant. Discipleship on the resurrection side of the cross declares that we have not only been ransomed from slavery in the kingdom of darkness, but we have been transferred to the kingdom of light where He reigns as the benevolent and just Monarch.
Question for reflection:
- How would you describe your journey with Christ in light of His authority/Lordship?
Ron, this is very insightful and stimulating . I agree with your analysis and your flow of logic is convincing. Hope many others benefit.
You have a beautiful gift. Thanks for sharing.
🧔🏼👍
Roy