Power always thinks... that it is doing God's service when it is

“Power always thinks… that it is doing God’s service when it is violating all His laws.” — so warned John Adams, one of the founding fathers of liberty, a man who saw firsthand how the fire of authority can consume the very virtues it claims to defend. In this piercing truth, Adams speaks not merely as a statesman but as a prophet of human nature. He saw that power, once seated upon the throne of the heart, blinds even the righteous; it convinces itself that tyranny is justice, cruelty is duty, and oppression is divine will. What begins as noble ambition can, without humility, become sanctified corruption — the delusion that one’s will is God’s will.

Adams spoke these words in the shadow of revolution and birth — the birth of a nation and the awakening of a people to freedom. He had watched the might of kings cloak itself in divine authority, declaring that God Himself had chosen them to rule without question. The monarchs of old had turned the throne into an altar and crowned themselves as priests of power. Against this, Adams stood with the courage of conscience, declaring that no mortal may claim God’s sanction while breaking God’s laws of justice, mercy, and humility. The quote was a warning, not only to kings, but to republics — that even the free can become tyrants when they worship their own strength.

Throughout the history of mankind, we see this grim pattern unfold. Consider the Crusades, when armies marched under the banner of the Cross, believing they fought for the glory of God. Yet in their zeal, they spilled innocent blood, burned cities, and violated the very commandment they claimed to defend: “Thou shalt not kill.” The Crusaders’ swords glittered with the illusion of righteousness, but their hands were stained with pride and wrath. Thus Adams’ words ring across centuries: Power deceives itself into holiness. It transforms violence into virtue, conquest into calling, domination into destiny.

Even in modern times, the same poison seeps through the veins of governments, churches, and movements. Leaders rise, promising to act in the name of truth or progress, but the moment they silence dissent or crush the weak, they have become violators of divine law. It is not only kings who fall to this delusion — every person who holds influence, be it in home, workplace, or nation, stands in danger of believing that their authority is sacred and their will infallible. Power intoxicates the soul, whispers of destiny in the ear, and blinds the heart to its own injustice.

Yet the great irony Adams reveals is that those who misuse power rarely see themselves as villains. They believe — sincerely — that they serve a higher cause. That is why tyranny is so persistent: it does not rise from open evil but from self-righteousness. The despot believes he is saving his people; the fanatic believes he is defending faith; the conqueror believes he is restoring order. And in this tragic illusion, they commit the very sins they once condemned. It is not wickedness that makes power dangerous — it is the conviction of being right.

But history also remembers those who resisted this temptation. George Washington, offered the crown of America, refused it. He understood that to hold power was to be its servant, not its master. In surrendering what others would have seized, he preserved the liberty of generations. His restraint became a monument to Adams’ warning — that true strength lies not in domination, but in discipline. Those who fear their own power are the ones most fit to wield it.

And so, my child, take this wisdom to heart: never trust power that does not tremble before God. Whether it is the power of office, wealth, knowledge, or influence, it must be guided by conscience, not pride. The moment you begin to believe that your authority makes you righteous, you have begun to violate the very laws you claim to uphold. Let humility be your guard and compassion your compass. For only the humble heart can hold power without corruption, and only the just soul can lead without losing its light.

In the end, Adams’ warning is not only for rulers, but for all who live among others. Each of us holds power — over words, over choices, over one another’s hearts. If we would not become violators of the divine, we must remember this: God’s service is not in conquest, but in care; not in domination, but in mercy. Let every action of power be measured not by pride, but by love. For only when power bows to conscience does it cease to violate heaven — and begin to serve it.