Orthodox Christian Theology

Pat Robertson – Calling for an Assassination

by Hadley Robinson

Like the feckless Jerry Falwell, Pat Robertson is not far behind.  On August 23, 2005, Robertson called for the assassination of President Hugo Chavez of Venezuela. 

Who does Robertson think he is?  He is like the Islamic terrorists who serve the Devil.  Being essentially powerless, this demon is unable to do its work so it must get its human offspring to do it instead.  As such, Robertson is just like them.  He is in disobedience to the command of Scripture:
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.  Roman 13:1-2 (c.f. Dan. 4)
Many, like Robertson and Islamic madmen, think they have the right and privilege to change a government by illegal means, such as assassination and armed rebellion.

The excuse is always "...this situation we have here is different and, therefore, requires special action on our part...."  It is much like a godly pastor the author once knew who was frustrated and impatient with people coming to him looking for reasons to divorce.  They would invariably say, "...but my situation is different than others...."

One example of why rebellion of any kind is sin is given in 2Sam 1.  A messenger came to tell David that Saul had asked him to kill him as he was in the throes of death from an attempted suicide.  The messenger, of course, had lied about his role in Saul's death hoping to glean favor in the new king's eyes.

David, however, did not miss a spiritual beat:  He ordered that the young man be put to death immediately for killing the king of Israel.   Had some American rebel helped put to death a British officer during the American rebellion, he would have, no doubt, been greatly honored – as the messenger that came to David had hoped.  But the godly should have nothing to do with attacks on civil government, as David taught by his swift action in putting this man to death.

In general, it is the habit of men to make excuses in order to depose hated authorities by whatever means.  Christian men are not to be this way and so we are given Romans 13, Daniel 4, and other passages in Scripture that explicitly forbid resisting civil government.

One can only imagine the ungodly chaos that would have been created if American evangelical leaders like Falwell and Robertson had lived during the 6th century B.C.  They would have been raising up armed forces in one way or another to defeat King Nebuchadnezzar and his God-ordained plans to destroy what was left of Israel for their sins of idolatry, murder, and adultery.

Rather than appeal to God for relief, as Habakkuk did, they would have attempted to take matters into their own hands and put themselves in the company of other bloody rebels.  No doubt they would say, "...but the situation we are experiencing here is different."

The Creator of the Heavens and the Earth does not need anyone's help implementing His irrevocable plans for our  rebellious race, including sending the most vicious and cruel men to rule over us.

When we pray "...thy will be done on earth, as it is in Heaven" does anyone think for a moment of what we are asking the LORD?  His plans for the earth are violence, especially when He returns and puts all to rights.  As Rev. 13:7 declares, even the Elect will experience the paroxysms of the coming of the End.  In other words, like most of the Apostles and Prophets, the world has no use whatsoever for those who deliver God's ultimatums.

As Jesus said, we are often like dead men,
Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me." Matt. 16:24
A. W. Tozer wrote years ago that the Cross represents the sudden and violent death of a man.  He who picks up his cross does not look back and has already said goodbye to his friends and family.  He knows what lies ahead and, like Jesus, is filled with joy despite it all.  Dead men make no attempt to change by violence that which is condemned and lost to begin with.

Are you worried about the world your children will inherit?  The Truth is that there will not be any world after a certain number of generations and we have no idea when that will be.  Instead, we are to be God's holy people – separated from the sinful pollution in which we find ourselves (2Cor. 6:17) and doing good when we can, like Jesus (Ac. 10:38).

We are commanded to be examples and teachers of our children – not to forcefully change the world we live in.  We can do the former but the latter is the LORD's domain.  Let it never be said of God's people,
"For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you." - Romans 2:24
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