Well its all over, all the dust has settled and the new government is in power in Britain following last weeks election, but what are some of the noteworthy things that happened? Well locally, Peter Robinsons defeat in East Belfast has caused some ripples and proves that local constituency work can triumph over the big names. In North Antrim the Paisley dynasty is well in tact and Jim Allister was soundly beaten. Nationally the biggest casualty was also a local man Lembit Opik, but by far the biggest surprise is the government we have as a result of the election, a Tory-Liberal pact, certainly not the most natural bed fellows. What are the biggest challenges facing the incoming government? The national debt, immigration, electoral reform to name but a few. But so what? Why as someone who comments on news from a Christian slant am i mentioning this? Well because the bible has something to say about government and how it should be administered, we read in Romans 13,
"Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore whoever resits the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgement." So the first thing to say is that God has appointed the government over us and has given us our government and so far as we are able as Christians we are to support our government, or else as Paul tells us we are resisting what God has appointed over us. What does this mean? Well it means we pay our taxes, it means we obey the speed limits and generally live as good citizens to the state.
But what about to Mr Cameron and Mr Clegg, what does God have to say to them, (not alot according to Mr Clegg) but Paul continues in Romans 13:
"For rulers are not a terror to good conduct but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good and you will receive his approval, for he is God's servant, for your good. But if you do wrong then be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is a servant of God, an avenger who carries out God's wrath on the wrongdoer."
So whatever they think, whatever their opinion on weather God exists or not, the fact is that David Cameron is God's servant set in place by God, but for what purpose? To do us good. This warning is something that Mr Cameron would do well to remember as he forges his coalition, that he is put in place by God, he is God's servant to do God's people good. Lets pray that he does this.
