Why and How to Better be the Government by New Hampshire State Rep. Rev. Paul Terry

(The following is a transcript of a presentation given by Rev. Terry at Camp Constitution’s 3rd annual weekend family retreat. There is a link to a video of the presentation below.)

Opening Observations and Points

1. Government, when operating at its best, provides for the ordering of a society or group of people such that the best interests of the society or group, and determined by a majority of such, are honored and advanced for the common good.
2. Government was instituted by God in response to the historical situation in which Moses and the Israelite people found themselves aRer achieving freedom from enslavement (see Numbers 11 and the provision of 70 elders and officers to assist Moses inleading/governing the people).
3. Eventually, the people of Israel became discontented with this arrangement and
   demanded a king so that they might be like other nations (see 1 Samuel 8).
4. Israel as a divided monarchy (northern first, then southern) ended with foreign
   conquests in 722 BC (see 2 Kings 17:6) and 586 BC (see 2 Kings 24-25 and 2 Chronicles Failure and catastrophe due to persistent gross disobedience.
5. The Apostle Paul reiterates in his Letter to the churches in Rome (NT “Romans”) that government is God’s provision for the nations of the world: “there is no authority except that which God has established. The authority that exist have been established by God” Romans 13:1b-2, NIV).

• Who is/are the government?

The instructions Paul laid out in Romans 13 had in view the Mediterranean world area that comprised the Roman Empire. The government was the emperor and the ruling class, enforced by military power. Ever since the success of our American War of Independence (1776 and following), the people of the United States are the government. We refer to elected and appointed officeholders as the government, but in fact and for the first time in history we the people are both the governed and the government that governs. As President Abraham Lincoln famously declared in his Gettysburg address (November 19, 1863) during the War between the States:

“The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us—that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they here gave the last full measure of devotion—that we here highly that these dead shall not have died in vain—that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom, and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.”

• The Christan’s Responsibilities

Even as we are to…
“Pray then like this:

“Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name.
Your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.”

– Matthew 16:9-10 (ESV)

Q – How will the Father’s “will be done on earth as it is in heaven?”

A – Ideally, by the hands and hearts of those who are committed to seeking the Father’s will. And yet, estimates from reliable sources, such as www.myfaithvotes.org:

“For years, Christians have bought into the lie that faith is a private matter. As a result, more than 25 million Christians who are registered to vote do not vote in Presidential Elections and as many as 65 million Christians do not vote in local elections.”

Disturbingly, 25 to 65 million professing Christians are not actively involved by being “government by the people” in furthering our LORD’s prayerful petition that we are to pray and live, “your will be done on earth.”

Conclusion: As with ancient Israel, the United States—a nation founded upon acknowledgement of the sovereignty of God and a belief in the necessity to live according to the Will of God and revealed in the Word of God, by departing from and rejecting its goldy heritage stands in desperate need of repentance and return to God. The responsibility of the decline of the nation can be laid in large part due to the failure of the Church in America (that is, Christians individually and their churches). As I wrote recently, “If America falls it will be the because of
the Church in America.”

Q – Is it too late for America to be saved?

A – If Nineveh, the city of the pagan and wicked Assyrians, could be spared from imminent judgment upon hearing and heeding the call to repentance as preached by the prophet Jonah, this one of several biblical precedents suggests it is not too late for America if: The Church awakens to its call to be “salt and light” (Matthew 5);, and in the words of the prophet Isaiah, accepts our calling to be [God’s] light to the nation(s) – Isaiah 49:6 with reference to Jesus, but then to the Church in Acts 13:47!

“For so the Lord has commanded us, saying,
‘I have made you a light for the Gentiles,
that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.’” – Acts 13:47 (ESV)

Because God’s people, the Church, are appointed to be a “royal priesthood” (1 Peter 2:9cf. Exodus 19:6, “kingdom of priests”); and because the priestly function involves both proclamation (God > people) and interceding (people > God); then the Church, and we as members thereof, should be declaring God’s will in word and deed and praying for the nation of which we are earthly citizens. Indeed, 2 Chronicles 7:14 is our charge (i.e., call to duty and action):

“When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command the locust to devour the land, or send pes.lence among my people, 14 if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land” (2 Chronicles 7:13-14, ESV).

Q – Will God through prayer alone forgive and save America?

A – Prayer alone does not change the world. God works by the power of answering prayer and faith put into action. Remember, “So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead” (see James 2:14-26, and especially verse 17 [ESV], cited above).

Q – Who built the Ark? __________________
Q – Who confronted Egypt’s Pharaoh? _______________
Q – Who slew Goliath and turned the against the Philistines? _____________
Q – Who confronted the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel? _____________
Q – Who went before the king of Persia in an effort to save her people from genocide?
________________
Q – Who contended for the Gospel of Jesus Christ before the Emperor of Rome?
__________________

Conclusion – God’s will is done through the prayers and faithful actions of people who put their prayers AND faith to work in God’s service.

Q – What should I do to be faithful?

• By all means, begin by PRAYING.
• ACTIONS:
  ___ Pray yourself. Consider writing a prayer that you then pray each day. It can
  be a prayer to which you can add concerns as circumstances change.
  • ___ Pray with others and with focus and specificity. Start a prayer group that
  meets weekly to pray in accordance with 1 Timothy 2:1-4 (ESV):
• “First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and
  thanksgivings be made for all people, 2 for kings and all who are in high positions,
  that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way.
  3 This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all
  people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.”
  AND:
• For specific ways in which your local, state, and national government
  officeholders will conduct themselves honorably in the sight of God and enact
  and carry out programs and policies that further the dictates and principles of
  God’s Word
• ___ Ask your pastor to pray, and/or have an elder pray during corporate
  (congregational) worship for the country, for officeholders, for God to raise up
  godly people to serve in local, state, and national offices. Ask him and them to
  pray specifically for issues confronJng us and for which we need God’s wisdom,
  guidance and courage.
• Key point: The prayer prayed by your pastor/elder/deacon will serve both as an example for how members should pray and for what they should pray! Far too many American churches have discarded or severely abbreviated prayer during corporate (Sunday) worship. Is it any wonder that the American Church is anemic in its priestly duty before God!
• Get INVOLVED
• ___ ACTION: Begin attending school board meetings, select board/town or city council
  Listen and learn. This will assist you with ACTION Item 1, too! Introduce yourself to board/council members.
  ___ ACTION: Encourage your pastor and church governing board to host an elected
• officials appreciation breakfast, lunch or dinner. Have places set for them that will give you the maximum opportunity to become acquainted. Do NOT seat all of them at the “head table!” Be friendly and kind. Do not quiz them on issues. This is not the time or place for that! Have your pastor or an elder invite them to stand, introduce themselves (clap, smile) and then lead in a prayer of thanks and blessing. Conclude by having
  someone near each official ask how the church might be able to help with some concern or cause that is important to him or her and the community. Forward responses to pastor and governing board for ACTIONS. Follow up: “What are you doing? Is there anything I can do to help?”
• ___ ACTION: Prayerfully consider running for an office. Especially if you are not well known, start modestly, perhaps running for your town’s Budget Committee BEFORE you run for the Selectboard or City Council. Guess what? It is not unlikely that at least some who when they first began to serve know as much as you do about the job. Listen and learn, but do NOT sell yourself short.
• ___ ACTION: Visit the State Capitol. Let your State Representative know you are coming. (In the New Hampshire House, guests are announced by name at the beginning of each session!)
• ___ ACTION: Ask your Representative or Senator to be your guest for a meal, either at a restaurant, or in your home. Offer prayer over the meal and ask God to bless your Representative. This may lead to a personal friendship! • Key point: You are more likely to meet with success with respect to an issue that you support if you have established a friendly, personal acquaintance or friendship with the officeholder.
• ___ ACTION: By all means write Letters to the Editor of your local newspaper. Don’t be afraid! When you write, be sure to not only make your belief/positions, but also let people who agree with you know what they can do.
• ___ ACTION: Consider getting involved on your community Facebook (e.g.) page. Be tactful and friendly. Do not argue with others. Arguing on social media is like walking into quicksand. You won’t get anywhere, except sink!
• ___ ACTION: Begin attending your town/city/county political party committee meetings. This way you will increase your awareness of issue for which to do what? First, pray. And second, network with others to do some good!
• ___ ACTION: Get out of your comfort zone or “bubble.” The longer people are Christians, the greater the tendency they have to associate with Christians only. You can be “so heavenly minded you will end up being of no earthly good.” If the salt remains in the saltshaker (Matthew 5:13), what good is it for others? Your community? Your state and the nation?

  “So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith” (Galatians 6:10, ESV)

• Do not give up!
  • Do not give in!
  • Do not go passive!
  • More often than not, failures precede successes
  • In the end, the question will not be how many successes you had, but were you
  consistently faithful?

“ I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing.” – 2 Timothy 4:7-8 (ESV)

Recommended reading:
Letter to the American Church, Eric Metaxas (Salem Books, 2022) Religion less Christianity: God’s Answer to Evil, by Eric Metaxas (Regnery Faith, 2024)
Out of the Saltshaker and into the World: Evangelism as a Way of Life, by Rebecca Manley
Pippert (IVP Signature Collection, 2021) / Note: First published in 1999, over 800,000 copies
sold!
Stay Salt: The World Has Changed…Our Message Has Not, by Rebecca Manley Pippert (The
Good Book Company, 2020) / Note: The Gospel Coalition Book Award – 2020
Faithful Politics: Ten Approaches to Citizenship and Why it Matters, by Miranda Zapor Cruz (IVP
Academic, 2024)
Revised: 10.17.2024