A recent article in the Adventist magazine Lake Union Herald argues that the SDA church and its official publications should be politically neutral, expressing preference for neither conservative nor liberal views. In essence, the article author is arguing for the separation called for by Jesus in His “render” statement (given in the three synoptic Gospels,…

Dilemmas between God and government occur when government forbids what God mandates, and when God forbids what government mandates. When must we resist a mandate, and when should we surrender to one? The issue is centered upon authority, as was illustrated in the stories of Daniel and the three Hebrew worthies we have studied. They…

What should believers do when God and government clash? When civil or religious edicts clash with conscience? When should we surrender? When should we resist? The Bible tells us:  Every person is to be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by…

The Greek word for “render” in the “render statement” of Jesus (or “give”, as modern versions of the Bible have it) is ἀπόδοτε (apodote), which often connotes giving up, giving back, repaying, returning, or even fulfilling—as of a debt owed. What is it that originates from Caesar and from God, that then has to be…

What does “the separation of church and state” mean? How must the believer balance God and government? As noted last week, democratic government is neither self-derived nor self-sustaining. It is deeply rooted in Biblical principles of liberty and justice, but while not uniquely Christian, Christians do have a legitimate say in its preservation, given our…

Democratic liberty and the American system of government are neither self-derived not self-sustaining. Their history is deeply rooted in Biblical principles of liberty and justice. Therefore, I would argue, Christians have a stake and should have a voice in the current cultural wars and in the outlook of today’s government. Our discussion of God and…