Reaganites, Repent !

America’s government is operating again: for now. But the faction that wanted it shut down promises they’ll try again.

They illustrate the fact that people's acts reflect their deepest beliefs. Scripture puts it well: “as a man thinketh in his heart, so is he.” (Proverbs 23:7)

The shut-down faction’s operative principle is hard-core Reaganism. That President announced at the start of his first term his principle of governing: that “government IS the problem.” His followers embrace the same principle. They wish to shut down our government because they, like Reagan, view government as inherently evil.

I've said it before, and it's still true: that principle has insoluble problems.

First, that it is illogical. Anti-government governance is impossible in reality.

Second, that it's the foundational principle of anarchism. (see Point One.)

Third, that it contradicts America's founding principle, that “We the People” ARE the government. In Reaganism, America's government is an extraneous predatory force, and "We the People" its prey.

But Reaganism's greatest problem is that it contradicts scripture's principle: human government is put in place, and endowed with God's authority, under His mandate to be “a minister of God to you for good.” (Romans 13:4, my emphasis). Human beings fail to meet God's standard: that's a given. But the fact of human failure hardly negates God's characterization or intent.

Scripture's judgement of those who operate on the anti-government idea is that they "oppose...the ordinance of God." (Romans 13:2) That's sin. Not just a sin: it's satan's own heart-motivation, rebellion against the Great King's rule.

America has just had a small real-world preview of what results from following Reaganism's doctrine. That experience affirms another scriptural principle: acting in accord with an evil idea produces bad results.

Reaganites and those who elect them need to re-examine their operative ideas. If they’ve learned anything from the harm they've caused America thus far, perhaps they’ll change their thinking.

Scripture has a specific word for “re-think and change your mind.” It's exactly the right word for America's anti-government faction. Followers of Reaganism must repent.