Be a Good Citizen

Be a good citizen. All governments are under God. Insofar as there is peace and order, it’s God’s order. So, live responsibly as a citizen. If you’re irresponsible to the state, then you’re irresponsible with God, and God will hold you responsible. Duly constituted authorities are only a threat if you’re trying to get by with something. Decent citizens should have nothing to fear.

Do you want to be on good terms with the government? Be a responsible citizen and you’ll get on just fine, the government working to your advantage. But if you’re breaking the rules right and left, watch out. The police aren’t there just to be admired in their uniforms. God also has an interest in keeping order, and he uses them to do it. That’s why you must live responsibly—not just to avoid punishment but also because it’s the right way to live.

That’s also why you pay taxes—so that an orderly way of life can be maintained. Fulfill your obligations as a citizen. Pay your taxes, pay your bills, respect your leaders. (Romans 13:1-7, The Message)

Deportment Is Expected

Good citizenship, historically in America, was a normal part of conversation. It received a great deal of attention.

Back in the day, when I was in elementary school, every student received a grade on their report card for “citizenship.”  Way back in the day, my Dad’s report cards had grades for “deportment.”

Both “citizenship” and “deportment” were words used by the public-school system to gauge how well individual students behaved in the classroom. The grade was based upon the following:

• The student’s attitude toward the teacher’s authority
• The behavior of pupils with their fellow students
• How students handled the responsibilities of their studies

It was a grade given for the overall obedience and submission of students with their duties and obligations, or the lack thereof.

Since we no longer give grades on citizenship and deportment, Bob insists a careful consideration of good citizenship is in order.

Good Citizenship Is Responsible and Fair

Advocating a favored political philosophy is part of the American democratic system. What’s not part of good citizenship is:

• Ignoring or avoiding a rival party
• Having constant bad attitudes about government
• Being uncivil and disrespectful
• Digging in with disobedience

That’s all poor deportment and will earn an “F” from God on the report card of life.

Picking-and-choosing which laws I will obey and which ones I will not is very far from biblical teaching. Rebellion against laws I do not like only results in punishment from the principal for being shortsighted and stupid.

On the other hand, blind and unthinking adherence to a government is irresponsible and can be unethical.

Unjust leaders and immoral laws champion certain people and not the common good of all. Such leadership needs to be dislodged and dismantled. When one simply says, “I’m just doing my job,” or “I don’t want to get in trouble,” in the face of unjust laws and leadership, then we are complicit in the perpetuating of the evil person or system.

Blind obedience keeps abusive people in the classroom.

Vigilante-ism is a form of “recess justice.” It’s a refusal to accept what is taking place. It takes matters into one’s own hands.

“Do not take revenge but leave room for God’s wrath…. Do not be overcome by evil but overcome evil with good.” (Romans 12:19, 21)

There is no place for vigilante justice in the kingdom of God. At its basest form, vigilantes are resisting God’s justice and being extremely impatient with the divine plan.

The Good Citizen Is Just and Obedient

Submission is a choice.

The word “submit” in the New Testament means “to place oneself under authority.” In other words, to submit to another person, group, system, or government is a human volitional choice.

Obedience through coercion, as in totalitarian regimes, is not submission – it is oppression.

Good citizenship begins with humble submission to governing authorities. There are good public servants who are trying to do their best and have everyone’s best interests at mind. They enact responsible laws which benefit the common good of all. Most parents and school boards would do well to remember that.

Justice is primarily about provision, not about being punitive.

Many people, if not most, use the term “justice” in the penal sense – wanting convictions and incarcerations when someone has committed a crime against the state and/or humanity. Although this is an important work of government, the biblical sense of justice is about provision – giving people their rights to life and liberty.

Justice ensures that we all exist in an equitable form of union together as one people. It ensures that people don’t fall through the cracks of bureaucracy. Justice provides what they need to survive and thrive.

Only paying attention to constituents who agree with me is an injustice. Many people need a remedy sooner than later – without unjust leaders putting it off to another election cycle.

So, put the spanking paddles of shame away (yes, kids at school got the paddle in my day) and instead find ways to uplift and support one another.

Submits to Authority Characterizes Good Citizenship

Responsible citizens exhibit proper deportment. They submit of their own volition. Good citizens conscientiously give proper payment of taxes for the benefit of all. They provide due respect to public servants.

Keep in mind that the Apostle Paul originally wrote about how to conduct ourselves with government smack in the middle of the Roman Empire. The Romans were often fickle and careless about the rights of Christians, Jews, and others.

We submit not because we must, but because it’s the right thing to do. To do otherwise is to not only violate the law, but also our consciences.

Our conscience needs to be clear about the need for justice in this old fallen world of ours.

A Good Citizen Seeks to Love All

Christians have a continuing and outstanding debt to love one another. Having justice for some and injustice for others is not going to cut it with a Just God.

Our Creator and Sustainer desires that every single individual on planet earth – regardless of race, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, class, or any other human contrived social construct – have their needs met without prejudice, favoritism, or cronyism.

God’s original plan for the world includes an egalitarian society. So, we must be careful to remember and work toward the ideal. At the same, we need to deal graciously and resolutely with the realities of injustice all around us.

Bob, always the tongue-in-cheek sidekick dog, says we all need to attend a human obedience training school.

I wonder what grade Jesus would give America on this Independence Day for our citizenship…?