The following student report was submitted by Ambassador League Agent Luke W. during the 2009-2010 League.
Mission: Research on Self-Government
James Madison said, "If all men were angels there would be no need for laws much less for government." For the purpose of this discussion on self-government we will replace angels and say, "If all men were self-governed."
The reason government exists is because men do not govern themselves. Speaking of the government, Paul says to the Romans: "He is God's servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer." The implication is clear: govern yourself or the government will govern you in a painful way.
Self-government reveals itself in a people whose inward heart is clean. The inner-cleanliness works itself out into actions that do not harm other people. The self-governed spirit disciplines itself before God:
"If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life maimed than with two hands to go into hell, where the fire never goes out. And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than to have two feet and be thrown into hell. And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell, where 'their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.' Everyone will be salted with fire." (Mark 9:43-49)
Does this mean the Christian should mame himself? Certainly not. Does this say that we should die to ourselves? Of course. To be sure, sins of the eye and the hand begin in the heart. Does the blind man with no faculties have no sin? His heart is still wicked. But we discipline our bodies and we bring them into submission to the mind of Christ. Our eyes serve Him as well as our hands.
Perhaps this can be taken a step forward. Self-governed is God-governed. Do not the angels bow before the Lord in worship?
Yes, self-government does not exist in the biblical sense. Either we are flesh-governed or God-governed. What Madison and Christ would suggest is amputating the flesh from power and allowing Christ to change the heart. Isn’t it interesting that as our hearts are changed by the Christ we become called His hands and His feet?
As the hands and feet of Christ we are to pray for the kings in authority that we might live peaceable lives (1 Timothy 2:1-2). Living peaceful and quiet lives makes sense.
We are to be in the world but not of it. The King of Kings is not of this world and He is our adjudicator. We are to be governed by Him; the world calls it self-government.
