Pettrix,
Politics is nothing more than applied religion and the law (i.e. the law of the land) is perhaps the greatest tool in existence for doing just that. If our government was godly and our laws just, far more people would get saved than do now.
Clete,
Well, this is where I don't see it that way.
It is a very hypothetical scenario and premise. For the only example we have is OT government, which was Israel and God, hand-in-hand. The most important point here is that GOD
was working with Israel
DIRECTLY, dealing with them through prophets and DIRECT intervention. He has
NOT done that with any governmental system since Israel was set aside.
There is no example of this being applied and working. NONE!
So, what is a "Godly" government?
One could
NOT use Israel as an example, because God is NOT operating through them today or any nation today. Plus, God had one-on-one communication & interaction with them. So everything today would pale in comparison.
Just Laws -
I would agree that "just laws" are better, no doubt.
far more people would get saved than do now.-
I would have to disagree.
Morality breeds self-righteousness. When one feels "moral" then they further themselves from the necessity of needing a Savior. The Bible is riddled with examples of that. Israel, when they become "moral" and lived for God as A NATION, they always rebelled and fell back into sin, only then, did they repent and draw closer to God. Once the 2nd generation was living under this prosperous and MORAL time, they became wicked.
Look at the gospels, who came to Christ? Was it the MORAL Scribes & Pharisees, NOPE. It was the prostitutes, thieves and the wicked.
The hardest people to witness to are the "MORAL" people. Mormons are tough, as they follow God's Laws, and therefore feel more righteous. The easier people to witness to are the down-trodden, skid-row, broken down, as they know they are NOT moral.
As a Grace Believer we know that MORALITY breeds self-righteousness. So in the end, there is no example of this theory being applied and working. NONE!
Here is my challenge:
Show me ONE nation/government that has used a monarchy and God's laws & is/was a saved and moral nation? (Israel doesn't count)
Here is another challenge:
Show me ONE verse (not taken out of context of course) that Paul tells Christians to get involved in politics in an attempt to change their current government?