They Key To A Happ World-Can Humans Govern Themselves?

Can Humans Govern Themselves?

When God created humans,he gave them authority over the animal kingdom. (Genesis 1:26) But humankind was under God's sovereignty. The first man ans woman were to confirm their submission to God by obediently abstaining from the fruit of one particular tree, "the tree of the knowledge of good and bad." (Genesis 2:17) Sadly, Adam and Eve abused their free moral agency and disobeyed God. Taking the forbidden fruit was not simply an act of theft. It constituted rebellion against God's sovereignty. A footnote to Genesis 2:17 in the New Jerusalem Bible states that Adam and Eve laid claim "to complete moral and independence by which man refuses to recognize his status as a created being . . . The first sin was an attack on God's sovereignty."

Because of the serious moral issues involved, God allowed Adam and Eve and their descendants to choose their own way of life, and they established their own standards of right and wrong.(Psalm 147:; Romans ) In essence, the human experiment with self-determination then began.
Has it been successful? With the advantage of thousands of years in hindsight, we can say no! Ecclesiastes 8:9 states: "Man has dominated man to his injury." This lamentable record of human self-rule confirms the truthfulness of Jeremiah 10:23: "I well know, O Jehovah, that to earthling man his way does not belong. It does not belong to man who is walking even to direct his step." History has proved that humans do not have the capacity to rule successfully without their Creator.

Jesus fully concurred. Independence from God was anathema to him. "I do nothing of my own initiative," he said. "I always do the things pleasing to [God]." (John 4:34; 8:28, 29) Hence, with no divine authorization to receive kingship from humans, Jesus did not even consider accepting it. This does not mean, however, that he was reluctant to help his fellowman. On the contrary, he did all in his power to assist people to find the greatest happiness then and in the future. He even gave his life for mankind. (Matthew 5:3-11; 7:24-27; John 3:16) But Jesus knew that "for everything there is an appointed time," including God's time to assert his sovereignty over mankind. (Ecclesiastes 3:1; Matthew 24:147, 21, 22, 36-39) Recall, though, that in Eden our original parents submitted to the will of the wicked spirit creature who spoke through a visible serpent. This brings us to a second reason why Jesus kept out of politics.

Next time: The World's Secret Ruler

Watchtower, 2001