The Census

The Federal Government is demanding a census. Why do they want a census? What good will be accomplished by having another census. Will lives be changed? Will people have more income? Better jobs? Stronger families? All of these questions raced through Mary's mind as she pondered the census. She had heard just how much it cost to run this census and she was appalled. Doesn't the government take enough of our hard earned money? Aren't our taxes high enough and now we have to fill out this silly census and see our tax money go down the drain? She  had talked to her fiance about this and he felt the same way. It would be a good show against the socialist tendency of the federal government to just refuse to participate. So they decided they would take a stand. They wouldn't be pushed around any more and they wouldn't let their tax dollars go to waste. They were going to ingore the census.

Unfortunately for Mary she would never know what she had just missed. The angel Gabriel would never show up and tell her "Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women" (Lk 1:28). Mary would never know the burden of traveling to Bethlehem because the federal government was taking a census. Mary would never experience the impossible joy of a child growing inside her virgin womb. Mary would never hold the baby Jesus and look upon the Son of God. Mary would never know these things because God would have seen her heart. He would have seen the disobedient rebellion she fostered toward her governmental authorities, and therefore, her disobedience to God who had appointed those authorities. Jesus had to be born in Bethlehem and fulfill the prophecies. If Mary and Joseph weren't going to be obedient to the government's census then they couldn't be the ones to bear the Son of God. God would have to go elsewhere and use somone else who was obedient to God, and therefore, submissive to their God-given authorities.

In case you haven't figured it out this is a fictional story. This didn't happen. The reason it didn't is because both Mary and Joseph are great examples to us of how we should respond to our governmental authorities today. Both the New Testament and Old Testament are clear in the way that we should obey our authorities. Jeremiah 29:4-7 says, "Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, to all the exiles whom I have sent into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon, "Build houses and live in them; plant gardens and eat their produce. Take wives and have sons and daughters; take wives for your sons, and give your daughters in marriage, that they may bear sons and daughters; multiply there, and do not decrease. But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the LORD on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare." God was sending a message to the Israelite people who were being placed under the control of a hostile nation - Babylon. Notice that God is very clear. Even in a hostile country opposed to God and his people He commands them to live their lives and seek what is best for their city, town, or community. Later in the New Testament God is even more clear for Christians in the Church Age.

Romans 13:1-7 says, "Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. (2) Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. (3) For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, (4) for he is God's servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God's wrath on the wrongdoer. (5) Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God's wrath but also for the sake of conscience. (6) For because of this you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing. (7) Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed." I don't know about you, but this is pretty clear to me. We are to obey the government and we are to do so because those who are in authority have been placed there by God through His sovereignty. Remember that when Paul wrote this he was referring to the Roman government. A government so corrupt and evil at times that it makes the U.S. Congress look like choir boys.

Again in 1Peter 2:13-17 we read, "Be subject for the Lord's sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, (14) or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good. (15) For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people. (16) Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God. (17) Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor." Notice that we are commanded to obey them and not just to obey, but to honor. So are you honoring the "emperor" (President, Congressman, Senators, etc.)? If not, it is a sin. You may not agree with their policies or their stands on different issues, but we are always to honor them. Once again remember that this is written during a time when Emperors were preparing to burn Christians at the stake, feed them to lions, or have them slaughtered by gladiators. There was actually an emperor that was so insane he appointed his horse as his successor to the throne. Yet, Christians were commanded to honor him in spite of all this.

What about the fact that we see Peter and the Apostles disobey the government? Don't they tell the governmental authorities that they will preach Christ no matter what and that it is better to obey God rather than men? Yes, they do. This is why Mary and Joseph are such a good example for us to follow. Remember that after Jesus was born Herod came looking for him. He commanded that all the baby boys from two and younger be killed. Did Mary and Joseph stick around and wait for Jesus to be killed? No. They escaped to another country (Egypt) and raised Jesus there until it was safe to return. But notice what they (and Peter and the Apostles) did not do. They didn't start a revolution against the murdering king. They didn't rally the people in a righteous cause to overthrow their wicked ruler and stand up for what is right. So what is the principle we learn from this? We are to obey the government in everything unless their commands directly contradict God and His Word. Even when their commands do contradict God's Word we are not in the political activism business. We are in the business of simply obeying God come what may. If we are punished or imprisoned for what we do, then so be it.

I write this because I have been appalled at the things I have heard spoken by Christians concerning our government. I have heard Christians say that they were going to refuse to fill out the census and turn it back in. As if this act of disobedience to their government were some sort of sanctioned righteous attitude. Where did this come from? There is no Biblical basis for this, simply our arrogant and rebellious spirit. And now that the HealthCare Reform seems to be moving forward I am sure I will hear even more comments about how horrible the Federal Government is. We have the right to share our opinions and discuss issues in this country. It is a great privilege, but be very careful that you don't cross the line. There is a very thin line between discussing issues and complaining about our government or dishonoring our authorities. So as you get ready to complain about the horrors of filling out a census and tossing it in the mailbox, remember that if Mary can make the trek to Bethlehem without complaining then somehow, someway we can find the strength inside of us to fill out this census too.