“The paternalism of the state is that of the bad parent who wants his children dependent on him forever. That is an evil impulse. The good parent prepares his children for independence, trains them to make responsible decisions, knows that he harms them by not helping them to break loose. The paternal state thrives on dependency. When the dependents free themselves, it loses power. It is, therefore, parasitic on the very persons whom it turns into parasites. Thus, the state and its dependents march symbiotically [in close union with one another] to destruction.” ^[4]

A crisis can lead people to make bad decisions. In a time political crisis, the people of Israel chose Saul as their savior-king even after being told what tyranny he would bring on the nation (1 Sam. 8). The Jewish leadership, when given the opportunity to embrace Jesus as their king, the cried out, “We have no king but Caesar” (John 19:15). That choice had a devastating effect on the nation before their generation passed away (Matt. 24:34).

When a great tribulation manifested itself against the Christians in the lead up to the destruction of Jerusalem during Nero’s reign, the were warned not to seek a messianic solution, a new Moses in the wilderness or a savior from the religious establishment from the inner rooms of the temple (24:21-26).

The crisis of the First World War led to the rise of Adolf Hitler. The Great Depression led to the election of Franklin Delano Roosevelt and increased power and authority of the national government.

Herbert Schlossberg’s masterful study of power in his book Idols for Destruction is both prophetic and frightening:

Rulers have ever been tempted to play the role of father to their people. . . . The state that acts like a wise parent instead of a vindictive judge has been an attractive image to many people. They include ecclesiastical authorities who have completely missed the point of the gospel warning to “call no man your father on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven” (Matt. 23:9).

Read More