Q&A Home > A > Antichrist I found this video and I wanted to ask your opinion on it http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EzX4Dk0GoSA&feature=youtube_gdata_player. In my opinion, we must follow all the directions given to us by the Holy Scripture. Even if all that is in this video is true, what should then the believer do? Is not voting for this man what the Scripture tells us to do? Is following the prophecies and predictions of Nostradamus what the Holy Scripture teaches the believers to do? Is slandering the reputation of the president of a country the right thing to do?
Christians are assured that Antichrist will indeed come and the world as we know it will end. Therefore, we must strive and heed to all the words of the Holy Scripture that we may live a life of perpetual repentance and not just in fear of an Antichrist whether lurking in the bushes or as a king or a mighty ruler. There is no doubt that the day will come when all the Biblical prophecies will come to pass. Our obligation as Christians anticipating the heavenly kingdom of God is not to discover the time, but to repent each day and to keep the faith untainted throughout each generation.
Let us be respectful to all who are placed in positions of leadership, whether you agree with their ideology or not. If their ideology impedes on your religious beliefs, then you need to know and understand the law of the land and to express your opinions with the rights granted to you by the law.
The Divine Liturgy of St. Cyril has a special Litany for the Leader:
Priest: "The king (leader of our land, Your servant)."
Deacon: "Pray that Christ our God may grant mercy and compassion before the mighty sovereigns, and soften their hearts toward us for that which is good at all time, and forgive us our sins."
The Holy Scriptures teaches us to honor our governments and our earthly rulers:
"And He said to them, 'Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's.'" (Luke 20:25).
"Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same. For he is God's minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God's minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil. Therefore you must be subject, not only because of wrath but also for conscience' sake. For because of this you also pay taxes, for they are God's ministers attending continually to this very thing. Render therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor" (Romans 13:1-7).
"Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth" (1 Timothy 2:1-4).
"Remind them to be subject to rulers and authorities, to obey, to be ready for every good work, to speak evil of no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing all humility to all men" (Titus 3:1-2).
"Therefore submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake, whether to the king as supreme, or to governors, as to those who are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and for the praise of those who do good. For this is the will of God, that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men—as free, yet not using liberty as a cloak for vice, but as bondservants of God. Honor all people. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king" (1 Peter 2:13-17).
| |