"Fear Not, for I Am with Thee."

A new page in the history of the United States of America turned when the United States House of Representatives narrowly approved the health care overhaul reform bill that President Barack Hussein Obama and his administration longed for on Sunday, March 21, 2010. It was upon this day that we could probably say America has officially left her original intent of being a free nation and entered a world eerily similar to that which is found in foreign nations such as Venezuela and Cuba. The legislation was signed into law by the President on March 23 at approximately 11:56 a.m.

This event brings to remembrance how the Roman government, and even many of the Jewish rulers, during the early years of the church, treated Christians. While both events are very different in many respects, they do have the same element of fear and vexation of the spirit.

Now that our government is beginning to assume more of a dictatorial role, what are we, as Christians, to do? If we find ourselves in a situation that forces us to do that which is contrary to the teachings of His word, what decision should we make? Jesus said that we are to "Render therefore unto Caesar the things which be Caesar's, and unto God the things which be God's," (Luke 20:25). What Jesus is saying is that we must obey the government so long as its rules do not conflict with the teaching of the word of God. In other words, God's law on every issue of life takes precedence over the law of man.

When the Apostles Peter and John were confronted by the rulers of their day, they were explicitly told they had no authority to preach and teach in the name of Jesus. They were threatened with beatings and imprisonment if they did not stop spreading the doctrine of Christ. When they refused to submit to them during multiple occasions, Peter and John were put in jail. The Apostle Paul, formerly known as Saul of Tarsus, was also bound in prison and beaten with many stripes for the same thing.

Jesus, himself, suffered persecution by his own brethren for spreading his doctrine, performing miracles, claiming that He is the foretold Messiah and the King of the Jews. At the end of His physical life of 33 years, He was hung on the cross as a spectacle between two thieves.

When we refuse to submit to the rules of our government that will put us in jeopardy of losing our eternal heavenly reward, we are not committing a sin. The Lord views it as an act of obedience to His will. "And when they had brought them, they set [them] before the council: and the high priest asked them, saying, Did not we straitly command you that ye should not teach in this name? and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man's blood upon us. Then Peter and the [other] apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men," (Acts 5:27-29).

With these thoughts in mind, let us remember that regardless of how much life turns for the worse, God is always watching over us who says, "Fear not, for I am with thee," (Isaiah 43:1).