IS IT WRONG FOR A CHRISTIAN TO SALUTE A NATIONAL FLAG OR NATIONAL LEADER?
IS IT WRONG FOR A CHRISTIAN TO
SALUTE A NATIONAL FLAG OR NATIONAL LEADER
OR SING THE ANTHEM?
Another great question from Robert Arthur, a pastor from Africa who distributes David Dyer’s Christian materials. If you wish to view or order David’s materials please follow the link to the right of his photo (below).
David Dyer (left photo) Free Christian Books – A Grain of Wheat Ministries
For those of you who follow my (Wayne O’Conner) posts, I often post Robert’s questions.
- Robert Arthur<thechurchoflivinggod5@gmail.com>
To:
wayne oconner
Fri, Aug 25 at 4:45 PM
Is it right for the Christian to sing the anthem or salute the national flag?
Sent from my iPhone
wayne oconner <enyawrennoco@yahoo.com>
To:Robert Arthur
Sat, Aug 26 at 10:03 AM
If God allowed this, (2nd Kings 5) He will probably allow that:
and summed up by writing,
It really depends on where the person is at with the Lord. Are they giving honor where honor is due or taking it from the Lord to give to another. Remember Jesus and the gold coin with the ruler’s inscription. Also, Paul’s admonition to honor and obey your rulers, except when a ruler wants you to defy God.
In my response to Robert I referenced the following scriptural material: 2ND KINGS 5, TITUS 3:1, MATTHEW 22 and ROMANS 13.
As I am writing this post the Holy Spirit also brought to mind that we, as Christ followers are responsible to trust him, not chariots.
“Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the LORD our God.” Psalm 20:7
Isaiah 31:1 King James Version 31 Woe to them that go down to Egypt for help; and stay on horses, and trust in chariots, because they are many; and in horsemen, because they are very strong; but they look not unto the Holy One of Israel, neither seek the Lord!
We read in 2nd Kings 5, verses 17 – 19,
17 “If you will not,” said Naaman, “please let me, your servant, be given as much earth as a pair of mules can carry, for your servant will never again make burnt offerings and sacrifices to any other god but the Lord. 18 But may the Lord forgive your servant for this one thing: When my master enters the temple of Rimmon to bow down and he is leaning on my arm and I have to bow there also—when I bow down in the temple of Rimmon, may the Lord forgive your servant for this.”
19 “Go in peace,” Elisha said.
I understand that for those suffering from hard, inflexible religious zeal, this is hard cheese to swallow. It was allowed or God would have instantly intervened or lectured his prophet about the matter later, but that did not happen. Keep in mind that Naaman had been very stubborn, concerning the method of healing, and copped an attitude, yet the Lord still had mercy, when Naaman repented and humbled his pride before God!
In Matthew 22 the religious zealots of his day tried to trick him concerning the paying taxes to Caesar.
Matthew 22: 15 – 22: Then went the Pharisees, and took counsel how they might entangle him in his talk. And they sent out unto him their disciples with the Herodians, saying, Master, we know that thou art true, and teachest the way of God in truth, neither carest thou for any man: for thou regardest not the person of men. Tell us therefore, What thinkest thou? Is it lawful to give tribute unto Caesar, or not? But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, Why tempt ye me, ye hypocrites? Shew me the tribute money. And they brought unto him a penny. And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription? They say unto him, Caesar’s. Then saith he unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s; and unto God the things that are God’s. When they had heard these words, they marvelled, and left him, and went their way.
Paul echoes this in Titus 3:1 and Romans 13.
13 Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.
2 Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation.
3 For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same:
4 For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil.
5 Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake.
6 For for this cause pay ye tribute also: for they are God’s ministers, attending continually upon this very thing.
7 Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour.
8 Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.
9 For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
10 Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.
11 And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.
12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.
13 Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying.
14 But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.
TITUS 3 VERSE 1: Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates, to be ready to every good work…
While all of the aforementioned verses are important, I highlighted the verses that are pertinent to our study question. To sum the information, it comes down to this. Followers of Christ must live their life in a way that honors those in authority, but without making Jesus play second fiddle, as the old saying goes. What really matters here is where our heart is at on the matter. We need to put Christ first, but we also have a duty to honor our leaders, spiritual and mundane, as long as the preeminent honor goes to Jesus first. Honoring your countries symbols or leading personages is not wrong in and of itself. Putting Jesus in second place or putting a prominent person above Jesus is the error we must flee from. Trusting a politician, whether they are close to God or merely give Jesus lip service to gain votes, and not trusting God himself, that is the snare for many contemporary Christians. We must not trust in chariots or in contemporary political candidates or tax funded protection service instead of Jesus. We are responsible to work with them and pray for them, but we must keep Jesus first and give him, Christ, preeminence.
Until next time, be blessed in Jesus’ Name!
Wayne
