Ang CRISTIANO at ang PAMAHALAAN

Itinatag ng Diyos ang pamahalaan upang maging katuwang ng Iglesyang Cristiano sa pagpapatupad ng katuwiran at katarungan sa lipunan. The Church is mandated by God to accomplish three things: 1) fulfill the Great Commission 2) minister to and nurture believers and 3) reach out the society as a fulfillment of the Great Commandment.

Ang unang misyon ng lahat ng Cristiano ay ang ipahayag ang Mabuting Balita ng Kaligtasan sa lahat ng tao--ang kahalagahan ng kamatayan ni Cristo sa krus upang tubusin ang sangkatauhan mula sa kasalanan. This is the proclamation aspect of the Church's mission.

Secondly, the Church serves as the spiritual family of all believers. Christians are considered children of God because of faith in Jesus Christ. All believers are being discipled, nurtured for God’s service and bonded with one Spirit within the context of the Church.

Thirdly, Christians are members of the kingdom of God as well as the social order of this world. This is the demonstration aspect of the Church's calling. They are the representatives or ambassadors of Christ on earth. As Christians, we are commanded to act as responsible citizens of our country, abide by the civil laws, respect and pray for our leaders (1 Timothy 2:1-2), pay our taxes, and participate in community and governmental activities.

ROMANS 13 PRINCIPLES
May malinaw na pamantayan ang Salita ng Diyos kung paano dapat makitungo ang mga Cristiano sa pamahalaan. Sinabi ni Pablo sa Romans 13:1-5 (GNB)

Everyone must obey state authorities, because no authority exists without God's permission, and the existing authorities have been put there by God. Whoever opposes the existing authority opposes what God has ordered; and anyone who does so will bring judgment on himself. For rulers are not to be feared by those who do good, but by those who do evil. Would you like to be unafraid of those in authority? Then do what is good, and they will praise you, because they are God's servants working for your own good. But if you do evil, then be afraid of them, because their power to punish is real. They are God's servants and carry out God's punishment on those who do evil. For this reason you must obey the authorities---not just because of God's punishment, but also as a matter of conscience.

Una, ang Diyos ang lumikha at nagbibigay kapangyarihan sa lahat ng pamahalaan. Siya ang nagtatatag ng lahat ng pamahalaan at tumawag sa lahat ng namumuno rito (Daniel 2:21, Colossians 1:16). Ito ang dahilan kung bakit ang lahat ng batas at panuntunan na ipinatutupad ng pamahalaan ay kailangang salain at suruin ng katotohanan ng Salita ng Diyos. The government was instituted by God to represent His will.

Pangalawa, ang sinumang sumusuway sa pamahalaan ay sumusuway sa Diyos, KUNG ang pamahalaan ay lumalakad sa katwiran ng Diyos. This is the premise of Paul’s statement when he said that “rulers are not to be feared by those who do good, but by those who do evil.” Governments are ordained to promote good and restrain evil. Bakit natin susuwayin ang gobyernong sumusunod sa utos ng Diyos at nagnanais ng kapayapaan? Rebellion against a righteous government is rebellion against God.

Binigyan ng karapatan ang Diyos ang anumang pamahalaan na parusahan ang mga taong sumusuway sa mga batas (1 Peter 2:14). We must submit to authorities for three main reasons: 1) for the Lord’s sake; 2) for our conscience sake; and; 3) to avoid wrath. Kailangang tayong sumunod sa pamahalaan dahil sa ito ang kalooban ng Diyos. Kung hindi naman tayo susunod, kakalabanin naman natin ang ating konsensiya dahil sa kinakalaban natin ang pamahalaang ang nais lamang ay mapabuti ang ating pamumuhay. Ganundin, hindi tayo dapat sumuway sa mga batas at pamantayan ng pamahalaan kung ayaw nating makaranas ng parusa.

Sa kabilang banda, may karapatan ang mamamayan na suwayin ang pamahalaan kung kinakalaban nito ang lkalooban ng Diyos. When rulers reverse the divine design for the government--by promoting evil and restraining good--they lose their moral authority to rule. Hindi dapat tangkilikin ang batas na magbibigay-karapatan sa mga ina na ipalaglag ang kanilang mga sanggol sa sinapupunan (abortion) dahil kinakalaban nito ang utos ng Diyos na huwag tayong papatay ng ating kapwa (Exodus 20)

Submission to government does not necessarily mean obedience. Ito ang pamantayan na sinunod nila Daniel at ang kaniyang mga kaibigan nang suwayin nila ang utos ni Haring Nabucodonosor na sambahin ang diyus-diyusan (Daniel 1). Ito ang ipinakita ng mga komadrona sa Ehipto (Exodus 1:15-19) nang hayaan nilang mabuhay ang mga lalaking sanggol ng mga Israelita bagaman inutusan silang patayin ang mga bata. Ganito rin ang naging prinsipyo ni Pedro (Gawa 5:29) nang pilit silang pinagababawalan ibahagi ang Salita ng Diyos sa mga Hudyo at Hentil.