Common Sense, Take 2

      OK, so here's another quote:  "How came the king by a power which the people are afraid to trust, and always obliged to check?  Such a power could not be the gift of a wise people, neither can any power, which needs checking, be from God;..."  Pg. 7 of CS, Dover

    In the Old Testament, the people came to a point where they felt they needed a king.  I think God was offended.  Perhaps he asked, hypothetically, 'How can you ask for a king, when you have ME?'  Truly, they needed no more than Him.  And so it is for us.  God made it very clear what consequences would follow this demand for a king.  The people did not go into it without warning.  And yet, they held to their delusion that a king would make things better.

    Better than what, I wonder?  Were they looking for someone to blame for the ills in their lives?  You know, pass the buck up the chain of command?  How many generations paid for this demand?

    Paul tells us that he had learned to be content in any situation.  And what a story of situations he has to tell!  But a common thread through all of Paul's time line is the idea of liberty of conscience.  He held the strong belief, based on his knowledge of God, that he was responsible before God for himself.  For every choice.  For every word.  And because this directive in his conscience was fueled by a deep understanding of the character of God, he was able to say that he 'presses forward', words that depict an image of straining for the finish line.  It kind of reminds me of "Chariots of Fire."  What earthly king could inspire such devotion?  None, for no man can compare to God.

    The widespread understanding among the colonists of a king and the rejection of the Divine Right of Kings was clearly seen in the common expression, "No king but King Jesus!"  Those who could read had cut their teeth on Locke, Sydney, Montesquieu and Blackstone. These four men, considered 'fringe thinkers' during their day, all spoke clearly and eloquently regarding the unbiblical station of the Divine Right of Kings.  I imagine that more than once the phrase, "off with your head" accompanied discussions of these men by those in power.  What these men set forth had not ever been done before.

    So history answers Paine's query.  How came the king by this power?  We asked for it.  In these days of a coming election, perhaps we would do well to consult these men, including Paine, and ponder the path that led us to a Constitutional Federal Republic.