Nero, de Tocqueville and liberty

It is true that all rulers and all ruled are fallen in Adam, and there will NEVER be a utopia here on this earth before sin and death or conquered and destroyed at Christ Second Coming (at the end of history).

America’s founders were not utopians and understood that what ever form of government they produced it would be able to allow for maximum freedom and liberty only so long as the people were a "moral and religious" (i.e. Christian) people. This is very clear in their writings and speeches.

Though we are far removed from the federal republic that the founders established many of them, if not most, would be surprised at the amount of liberty we have retained since our nation’s establishment.

In the Scriptures we learn that Civil magistrates (governors, mayors, congressmen, presidents, etc…) are ordained of God, and are ministers from God for our good (Roman 13). That may seem hard to believe at times, but you have to remember Paul wrote that statement during the reign of Nero Caesar, a man not known for his kindness in governing the empire or the city of Rome. It was the Christians of Rome to whom Paul wrote those words in Romans 13. Paul said this “Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation. For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same: For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil. Wherefore [ye] must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake.” Nero was proceeded as emperor by Tiberius, Caligula and Claudius, none of whom were known for being kind genteel rulers.

The point is civil government was established by God for our good. And as evil as Tiberius, Caligula, Claudius and Nero were their rule did produce a stability and prosperity that allowed for the spread of the Gospel in the Roman Empire. Anarchy is always worse than tyranny.
Moral and religious decline leads to a growth in civil government, because as men and women cease to govern themselves by the Word of God, law and order naturally breaks down and despotism increases to overt anarchy. Anarchy leads to absolute tyranny as it did in Imperial Rome, Napoleon’s France, Soviet Russia, Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy. Men at those times and places were more than willing to trade political liberty for stability. Anarchy and instability preceded the despotism imposed by the tyrants mentioned above.

Alexis de Tocqueville, author of Democracy in America , toured the United States in the 1830’s and he was amazed at the lack of civil government that existed here. He made this observation "there is no country in the world where the Christian religion retains a greater influence over the souls of men than in America; and there can be no greater proof of its utility and of its conformity to human nature than that its influence is powerfully felt over the most enlightened and free nation of the earth.”

Tocqueville knew that the United States had no established church or religion but he says "In the United States religion exercises but little influence upon the laws and upon the details of public opinion; but it directs the customs of the community, and, by regulating domestic life, it regulates the state." America was Christian, not because of some establishment, but because the people were morally self governing under God in their private lives.

We see this clearly in Tocqueville’s next observation. He writes "Thus, while the law permits the Americans to do what they please, religion prevents them from conceiving, and forbids them to commit, what is rash or unjust.” A Christian people, that are self governing under God, don’t need big government with millions of laws and mass bureaucracies to rule over them, because they govern themselves under God.

Early America was, I believe, a very feeble and poor example of what the Gospel will yet do in the world under the present reign of our Lord Jesus Christ. He is now reigning and ruling from the right hand of the Father in heaven with all authority and power (Matt. 28:18; Acts 2:32-36; Ps 110:1; etc…). The cultural influence of the Gospel has waxed and waned over many years and cultures. It had been in decline here long before Tocqueville arrived, but the fruits were still readily apparent.

When Christ returns (the Second Coming) He will destroy the last enemy which is death, but before then His earthly enemies will have been conquered, not by the sword, but by the preaching of the Gospel.

Soli Deo Gloria,
Kenith