Rebellion against constituted government

As a Christian who is obligated to obey God's commands, I find a challenge in the thought that some may want to justify rebellion against constituted government. Aside from the danger in doing that from the "sword" point of view there is the issue of conscience too.

The American colonists justified their rebellion against England, yet they did it during one of the high water marks of American Christianity. This subject would have been dinner time discussion in many households and pulpit-fare for many churches. People really thought about and were serious about such matters then, as we ought to be also.

If the American political beginnings as a free nation were founded on a theological error, than I have to question how we have so obviously obtained, or deserved God's blessing on our "experiment" in ordered liberty.

One huge conundrum the American colonists faced was whether they should rebel or continue to submit. I don’t want to repeat all their reasons here (I’ll post some links to their writings), but it is undeniable that normally God calls us to obey and submit. However, the colonists discerned that Great Britain had an intent to subjugate them beyond the right of human government. At least that is their argument. Their position, as stated in the Declaration of Independence, was that England had unilaterally abrogated the relationship between the ruled and the rulers.

Theologically, I am challenged by that logic. But I have to say that the colonists had some first rate theologians among them, and they were standing on the shoulders of those who had been thinking about the subject of the governed vs the governors for some hundred years or so from a Christian perspective, so their position on rebellion to England was not haphazard or thought up as an afterthought.

The book of Daniel also contains a statement by Nebuchadnezzar to the effect that God places men in charge who are “the basest of men”. So what are we to make of that? Like someone in one of the threads on this subject implied, if God places someone in charge, then who are we to rebel against him?

One further thought. The early Americans based their reasons for rebellion on the assertion that since our rights came from God, anyone trampling on these rights was trampling on what God had given, and thus were themselves in rebellion to God. That is powerful stuff. The Declaration’s entire premise rests on that. Once that is established, we can conclude that we owe submission where submission is possible; when it is no longer possible without giving up something that is “inalienable”, then the only recourse is to change the government.

We ought to study that argument in the Declaration carefully. I think it holds water theologically, but I can find counter arguments based on the scriptures. Take David and Saul for instance. David would not raise a finger to kill Saul and get rid of his pursuer and make himself King (who he was already, actually). That is a penultimate example of submission even in the face of the imminent threat of death.

I have heard an interesting side bar to this argument that incorporates the idea that since our government is founded on the idea that we give assent to those we place in high positions to do "our business", that we are not rebelling when we vote them out of office. They are not kings, we are. That distinction ought to be kept in mind.

Clearly, the Lord is King over all the Earth, so He is not elected. But interestingly, Jesus both "receives a kingdom" from His Father (Ps 2 and other places), but He will also be crowned King by us. There seems to be something of the election principle here also. Those who reject the Heavenly kingdom will participate in another "kingdom" forever in Hell.

Truthfully, I don’t think I have a neat answer to the issue. I certainly invite discussion on it though. Please at least give the following a good read-through:

http://www.usconstitution.net/declar.html

Samuel West: On the Right to Rebel Against Governors, 1776-
http://www.founding.com/founders_library/pageID.2301/default.asp

Declaration of the Causes and Necessity of Taking Up Arms
http://www.patriotresource.com/documents/declcauses.html