Tim Bayly (@tbayly)

When we belligerate against "tyranny," mocking and lampooning and scorning the civil authorities God placed over us, the unspoken assumption is that we know how to do their jobs better than they do. (And no, I'm not talking about appeals to court or Ceasar which are proper and respectful. Those are a necessary part of maintaining good government.) But what if belligerators were able to establish their millenarianism by rule of law and marched on the rest of their state and country in an effort to spread their supremely excellent rule? Take Oliver Cromwell, for example... Well, first Lig Duncan, then Scott Sauls, then Andy Stanley, then John MacArthur would take up arms against them. After whupping the guy in Milwaukee and the guys in Moscow, Lig and Scott and Andy and John (maybe Phil instead) would turn and lead armies against each other. Mark my words; this is what history teaches us. Pretty soon President Biden or President Trump would be back in office. The people of the states and nation would be sick and tired of Presbyterian fractiousness and internecine bloodshed, so they would turn against it. But not to worry: Moscow's leaders aren't civil authorities. They're pastors. #OliverCromwell