DOCTRINE OF REVOLUTION

Doctrine of Revolution
(1).- The Word of God does not justify revolution under any circumstances. The
French and Russian Revolutions were not justified, and God did not condone them.
Rom 13:1-7 sums up best the attitude of God."Everyone must submit himself to the
governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has
established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.
Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God
has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers
hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want
to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and he will
commend you. For he is God's servant to do you good. But if you do wrong, be
afraid, for he does not bear the sword for nothing. He is God's servant, an agent
of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. Therefore, it is necessary to
submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also
because of conscience. This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are
God's servants, who give their full time to governing. Give everyone what you
owe him: if you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then
respect; if honor, then honor."
I Pet 2:13-17,"Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every authority instituted
among men: whether to the king, as the supreme authority, or to governors, who
are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do
right. For it is God's will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk
of foolish men. Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for
evil; live as servants of God. Show proper respect to everyone: love the
brotherhood of believers, fear God, honor the king."
Dan 2:21,"He changes times and seasons; he sets up kings and deposes them..."
(2). - If revolution is wrong, the most common question that comes up is "What about
the American Revolution?" Technically the American Revolution was not a
revolution. It was a war for independence. It was a fight for freedom, not an
overthrow of establishment. The American Civil War, or the War Between the States
was not a rebellion, or a revolt. The Confederacy was fighting against northern
aggression, and fighting for its independence. It did not attempt nor did it desire to
overthrow the government in Washington. Revolution, on the other hand, has as its
objective the destruction of an organized government. That is why the French and
Russian Revolutions were evil and wrong. Their entire purpose was the destruction of
existing governments. But a war for independence, or a fight for freedom, is
honorable and just, and is not against God's standards.
(3). - Revolution involves both apostasy and a lack of Bible doctrine. Is 1:3-5,"The
ox knows his master, the donkey his owner's manager, but Israel does not know,
my people do not understand. Ah, sinful nation, a people loaded with guilt, a
brood of evildoers, children given to corruption. They have forsaken the Lord;
they have spurned the Holy One of Israel and turned their backs on him."
Is 59:13,"Rebellion and treachery against the Lord, turning your backs on your
God, formenting oppression and revolt, uttering lies your hearts have
conceived."
(4).- Revolution is anti-God. Is 31:6,"Return to him(Literally, 'Return to the
One')you have so greatly revolted against, O Israelites."
(5).- Revolution is caused by failure in the thought patterns of those involved. Jer
5:23,"But these people have stubborn and rebellious hearts;(thinking) they have
turned aside and gone away. "Therefore, the revolutionist always suffers from
mental attitude sins and/or emotional revolt of the soul. These conditions make one
mentally ill and very sinful.
(6). - Jealousy and power lust are primary motivators in revolution. Is 11:13 compared
to I Kings 12:19. Is 11:13 says, "Ephraim's jealousy will vanish, and Judah's
enemies will be cut off; Ephraim will not be be jealous of Judah, nor Judah
hostile toward Ephraim."
I Kings 12:19,"So Israel has been in rebellion against the house of David to this
day." See also II Chron 10:19.
(7).- Mental attitude sins on the part of leaders have a tendency to cause mental
attitude sins among the citizens. Read Daniel chapters 3 & 4.
(8).- The communication of Bible doctrine is designed to stop revolution. Ezek 2:3-
10,"He said to me, 'Son of man, stand up on your feet and I will speak to you.' As
he spoke, the Spirit came into me and raised me to my feet, and I heard him
speaking to me. He said: 'Son of man, I am sending you to the Israelites, to a
rebellious nation that has rebelled against me; they and their fathers have been
in revolt against me to this very day. The people to whom I am sending you are
obstinate and stubborn. Say to them, This is what the Sovereign Lords says, And
whether they listen or fail to listen, for they are a rebellious house, they will know
that a prophet has been among them. And you, son of man, do not be afraid of
them or their words. Do not be afraid though briers and thorns are all around
you and you live among scorpions. Do not be afraid of what they say or terrified
by them, though they are a rebellious house. You must speak my words to them,
whether they listen or fail to listen, for they are rebellious. But you, son of man,
listen to what I say to you. Do not rebel like that rebellious house; open your
mouth and eat what I give you."(God gave Ezekiel Bible doctrine.)
(9). - Heathenism is the result of revolution. Rom 1:19-26,"Since what may be
known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For
since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities, his eternal power and
divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been
made, so that men are without excuse. For although they knew God, they neither
glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile
and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they
became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to
look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles. Therefore, God gave
them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the
degrading of their bodies with one another. They exchanged the truth of God for
a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator, who is
forever praised. Amen. Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts.
Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones."
The result of this revolution is degeneration. Rom 1:27-31,"In the same way the
men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust
for one another. Men committed indecent acts with other men, and received in
themselves the due penalty for their perversion. Furthermore, since they did not
think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, he gave them over to a
depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done. They have become filled with
every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy,
murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, slanderers, God-haters,
insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their
parents; they are senseless, faithless, heartless, ruthless. Although they know
God's righteous decrees and those who do such things deserve death, they not
only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice
them."
(10).-Mental attitude sins on a national level leads to instability and unrest in that
nation. Daniel chapter 4.
(11).-In revolution, approbation and power lust seek to gain power by the destruction
of freedom, rights, privacy, and personal property.
(12).- Therefore, revolution is a Satanic device that is used to establish his cosmic
kingdom and to superimpose his will over mankind. A government can be destroyed
in one of two ways:
A.-By those in power who abuse that power and end up destroying the economy, the
military, or the judicial system.
B.-By those who are suppressed by the government, and then rise up with weapons
and violence and overthrow those in power.
But even though the citizens may have bona fide grievances against the government,
the Lord still does not condone revolution.