Front Page Article
"The Lenses of Reformation Concerning Primary Elections"
by Dr. Patti Amsden
"The Lenses of Reformation Concerning Primary Elections"
by Dr. Patti Amsden
Although the term government is often used as a synonym for the civil realm, the word actually defines a distribution structure for a vision. Therefore, some form of government and governing principles can be found in all jurisdictions and institutions. A family, a church, any business, and civil agencies all function within a structure that identifies both the authority and the responsibility to execute and distribute the vision.
Reformation lens #1 – Government is the function by which purposes are distributed and carried out through a chain of command.
God’s Kingdom government is worked out through His ambassadors and His appointed representatives. God is not afraid to distribute His power. He does not maintain His control by hoarding His power. God calls people into His unified purposes and then prepares each person to find his or her individual identity in the midst of that unified identity. As a part is recognized, meaning as a job is given and accepted, power is released so that the job can be done.
Reformation lens #2 – The higher the levels of unity, synergy, and maturity within the functioning parts, the better the operation of any government.
At each level and for each job description within every government structure there are duties, rights, limitations, and authority. Breakdown in the flow from the vision to the execution results when either abdication or overreach occurs. When civil government is the government under discussion, overreach creates a top-down bureaucracy, robs individual agencies or people of both authority and responsibility, perverts or destroys the vision (in this case the constitution), and creates ineffective governing policies.
Reformation lens #3 – Centralized civil government robs the people of independence, choice, and responsibility and, thus, overrides or eliminates the role of the populace in that government.
As Reformers, we must understand that a constitutional republic is a system of government in which elected representatives govern according to constitutional law and that those elected derive their power from the constitution and the consent of the governed. To establish and maintain a constitutional republic, the populace must elect representatives who will not override the will of the people and who will restrict their activities to those constitutionally-described duties. When the representatives abdicate their responsibilities or overreach their authority, it is the job and responsibility of the citizenry to vote those elected officials out of office and to replace them with others who will serve the people within the boundaries of their designated positions. Within the context of a republic, it is the right and duty of the citizens to vote.
Reformation lens #1 – Government is the function by which purposes are distributed and carried out through a chain of command.
God’s Kingdom government is worked out through His ambassadors and His appointed representatives. God is not afraid to distribute His power. He does not maintain His control by hoarding His power. God calls people into His unified purposes and then prepares each person to find his or her individual identity in the midst of that unified identity. As a part is recognized, meaning as a job is given and accepted, power is released so that the job can be done.
Reformation lens #2 – The higher the levels of unity, synergy, and maturity within the functioning parts, the better the operation of any government.
At each level and for each job description within every government structure there are duties, rights, limitations, and authority. Breakdown in the flow from the vision to the execution results when either abdication or overreach occurs. When civil government is the government under discussion, overreach creates a top-down bureaucracy, robs individual agencies or people of both authority and responsibility, perverts or destroys the vision (in this case the constitution), and creates ineffective governing policies.
Reformation lens #3 – Centralized civil government robs the people of independence, choice, and responsibility and, thus, overrides or eliminates the role of the populace in that government.
As Reformers, we must understand that a constitutional republic is a system of government in which elected representatives govern according to constitutional law and that those elected derive their power from the constitution and the consent of the governed. To establish and maintain a constitutional republic, the populace must elect representatives who will not override the will of the people and who will restrict their activities to those constitutionally-described duties. When the representatives abdicate their responsibilities or overreach their authority, it is the job and responsibility of the citizenry to vote those elected officials out of office and to replace them with others who will serve the people within the boundaries of their designated positions. Within the context of a republic, it is the right and duty of the citizens to vote.
