Why Dictators Cannot Control the Church

Earthly power is fleeting, no-one knows this better than dictators.

Authoritarianism is a risk-factor for persecution, as becomes clear when we see the world watch list with the countries where persecution is most severe. The reason is simple. Dictators want ultimate loyalty of their subjects. Any difference of opinion is seen as a threat, which must be eliminated. The power paradigm by which they operate is that of the jungle – the strongest prevails. The end justifies the means.

It is the exact opposite of what Christ taught his followers, about true strength being found in gentleness, humbleness and servanthood. The existence of the church itself, cross-bearers following a crucified Lord, challenges the laws of earthly power. Even when it does not actively oppose the authoritarian leader, the church will still be perceived as a challenge, because it shows a different way of living. It doesn’t seek personal gain by submitting to the strongest, but seeks to please God by serving the weakest.

Love attracts more than oppression. That is why so many find Christ in countries which are governed by authoritarian rulers. In Afghanistan, under perhaps the second most repressive regime on earth, many are putting their trust in Jesus, despite the very obvious dangers of doing so. They hear of the love of Christ for them, and it is like water in a dry land.

In Iran, the regime has so far managed to keep the masses under control with displays of brutal violence, but it has not been able to stop the growth of the church. Iranians discover that God is nothing like what the ayatollahs tell them, because they may call him Father. The growing church is eroding the power base of the regime, because they are a people which are no longer ruled by fear.

Oppression can lead to a display of loyalty, but it is not very good at securing it for the long term. Dictators know this. They trust nobody. They buy the loyalty of their inner circle by bribes and force the loyalty of the masses by violence and threats. It is not given voluntarily. Regular purges are needed to keep everyone toeing the line, but people come to Jesus because love compels them. They follow Him not for what they can gain on earth, but are rather prepared to pay the price. That kind of power scares dictators. They have none of it. And they can not control the church. It is ruled by a different law.

No regime is more aware of the threat the church poses to dictatorships than the regime in North Korea. They know of the transformative power of Christianity, which swept their nation after the 1907 revival. They have also seen how the church was pivotal in the Korean independence movement against the Japanese. Korean Christians laid down their lives because they would not worship the Japanese emperor. The leadership of North Korea knows that the church, if allowed to exist and spread, will ultimately show the bankruptcy of the North Korean regime, which exists only by constant threats and indoctrination. They must control it.

When the great commission was given, it was prefaced with these words; “All authority in heaven and earth has been given to me”. The church needs not worry over who has the ultimate power, because they know it belongs to Christ. Dictators must grasp to hold on to whatever power they can maintain by force, but they know it is fleeting. The Kims, the Taliban, the Ayatollahs, and all leaders that rule by fear and force, will one day have their power taken from them. And the meek will inherit the earth.