Let There Be Democracy in Egypt!
After days of non-violent civil protest, the people of Egypt unified to bring about a change in regime, which came to realization with the resignation of Hosni Mubarak on February 11, 2011. Was social media the weapon in this revolution? Perhaps we might begin to say that the social network is mightier than the sword. Egypt has certainly inspired others living under totalitarian regimes. Whatever the case, many people wonder what would become of Egypt after the changing of the guard? Are we just witnessing one totalitarian rule being replaced by another? Pray for the best to come out of this situation, and I say, “Let there be democracy!”
Modern democracy can offer a representative form of government that is of the people, by the people, and for the people. This does not mean the majority rules, but that the common good can be upheld.1 Modern democracy can also offer a system of government with checks and balances so that civil leaders can be kept accountable to fulfill the duties of their office, and that those who fall into corruption can be removed from office. Modern democracy ultimately gives leaders all the power to do good, but no power to do evil.2 What would it take to make such a democracy?
What made democracy in the West succeed? I believe a key element was the faith of her people. Secularism wants desperately to ignore this fact, perhaps even smother it out of existence, but the reality of matter is that the soul of Western Civilization has been the Bible. For example, when Scottish Presbyterian minister Samuel Rutherford (1600-1661) penned his refutation against the divine right of kings in a book entitled Lex Rex: or the Law and the Prince, he based his arguments upon the Bible. He contended that the state has been ordained by God, and that all men including kings are under the law of God. The king is not above the law, but the law is king (Lex Rex), He also argued that governments that disobeyed the law of God were committing acts of tyranny, and ruled without God’s sanction. Since God opposed tyrannical governments, citizens had the moral obligation to obey God rather than men.
Scriptures do in fact teach God establishes governments to exercise justice and those who resist the government are resisting God (Rom. 13:1; 1 Pet. 2:13-14). God also opposes corrupt regimes. A cursory read through the Old Testament prophets from Isaiah to Malachi reveals God sent wrath upon corrupt nation, and did not even spare His own nation of Israel. The Lord also honored Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego when they defied Nebuchadnezzar’s decree to worship the golden statue (Dan. 3), and Daniel when he resisted a law prohibiting prayers to any other deity except for King Darius (Dan. 6). Peter taught, “Make sure that none of you suffers as a murderer, or thief, or evildoer, or a troublesome meddler; but if anyone suffers as a Christian, he is not to be ashamed, but is to glorify God in this name” (1 Pet. 4:14).
Another example are the signers of the Declaration of Independence, who declared, “we hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness,” they were drawing from the biblical concept of God creating man in His own image both male and female. (Granted a few of them had already exchanged their theism for deism; however, they still developed their ideas, at least in this instance, from the very biblical worldview they abandoned.)
It is the Bible that formed the theological and spiritual foundations for democracy to happen in the West. If representative democracy is to a serious consideration in Egypt, then one cannot ignore the divine source that brought forth the seeds of modern democracies. Egypt will do well in reexamining how they view Christianity and what Christianity can offer in the development of nations.
Modern democracy can offer a representative form of government that is of the people, by the people, and for the people. This does not mean the majority rules, but that the common good can be upheld.1 Modern democracy can also offer a system of government with checks and balances so that civil leaders can be kept accountable to fulfill the duties of their office, and that those who fall into corruption can be removed from office. Modern democracy ultimately gives leaders all the power to do good, but no power to do evil.2 What would it take to make such a democracy?
What made democracy in the West succeed? I believe a key element was the faith of her people. Secularism wants desperately to ignore this fact, perhaps even smother it out of existence, but the reality of matter is that the soul of Western Civilization has been the Bible. For example, when Scottish Presbyterian minister Samuel Rutherford (1600-1661) penned his refutation against the divine right of kings in a book entitled Lex Rex: or the Law and the Prince, he based his arguments upon the Bible. He contended that the state has been ordained by God, and that all men including kings are under the law of God. The king is not above the law, but the law is king (Lex Rex), He also argued that governments that disobeyed the law of God were committing acts of tyranny, and ruled without God’s sanction. Since God opposed tyrannical governments, citizens had the moral obligation to obey God rather than men.
Scriptures do in fact teach God establishes governments to exercise justice and those who resist the government are resisting God (Rom. 13:1; 1 Pet. 2:13-14). God also opposes corrupt regimes. A cursory read through the Old Testament prophets from Isaiah to Malachi reveals God sent wrath upon corrupt nation, and did not even spare His own nation of Israel. The Lord also honored Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego when they defied Nebuchadnezzar’s decree to worship the golden statue (Dan. 3), and Daniel when he resisted a law prohibiting prayers to any other deity except for King Darius (Dan. 6). Peter taught, “Make sure that none of you suffers as a murderer, or thief, or evildoer, or a troublesome meddler; but if anyone suffers as a Christian, he is not to be ashamed, but is to glorify God in this name” (1 Pet. 4:14).
Another example are the signers of the Declaration of Independence, who declared, “we hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness,” they were drawing from the biblical concept of God creating man in His own image both male and female. (Granted a few of them had already exchanged their theism for deism; however, they still developed their ideas, at least in this instance, from the very biblical worldview they abandoned.)
It is the Bible that formed the theological and spiritual foundations for democracy to happen in the West. If representative democracy is to a serious consideration in Egypt, then one cannot ignore the divine source that brought forth the seeds of modern democracies. Egypt will do well in reexamining how they view Christianity and what Christianity can offer in the development of nations.
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