Page:Studies in the Scriptures - Series I - The Plan of the Ages (1909).djvu/272

 266 The Plan of the Ages,

blood. And the prophets declare that because of the increase of knowledge a still more general and wide-spread dissatis- faction will finally express itself in a world-wide revolution, in the overthrow of all law and order ; that anarchy and dis- tress upon all classes will be the result ; but that in the midst of this confusion the God of heaven will SET UP his King- dom, which will satisfy the desires of all nations. Wearied and disheartened with their own failures, and finding their last and greatest eiforts resulting in anarchy, men will gladly welcome and bow before the heavenly authority, and recog- nize its strong and just government. Thus man's extrem- ity will become God's opportunity, and "the desire of all nations shall come" the Kingdom of God, in power and great glory. Hag. 2 : 7.

Knowing this to be the purpose of God, neither Jesus nor the apostles interfered with earthly rulers in any way. On the contrary, they taught the Church to submit to these powers, even though they often suffered under their abuse of power. They taught the Church to obey the laws, and to respecSl those in authority because of their office, even if they were not personally worthy of esteem ; to pay their appointed taxes, and, except where they con- flicted with God's laws (A6ls 4:19;$: 29), to offer no re- sistance to any established law. (Rom. 13:1-7; Matt. 22: 21.) The Lord Jesus and the apostles and the early Church were all law-abiding, though they were separate from, and took no share in, the governments of this world.

Though the powers that be, the governments of this world, were ordained or arranged for by God, that mankind might gain a needed experience under them, yet the Church, the consecrated ones who aspire to office in the coming Kingdom of God, should neither covet the honors and the emoluments of office in the kingdoms of this world, nor should they oppose these powers. They are fellow citizens and heirs

�� �