The Place of Government in god’s Plan and the Christian’s Duty to the Civil Authority

The Christians duty to the government and civil responsibilities always seem to be matters for discussion and sometimes contention. There is much exhortation to “impact the culture.” Christians are called to be salt and light and are said to live on a hill for all to see. But, the Great Commission says to spread the Gospel. It does not say to impact the culture. My reading of the Bible leads me to the following five conclusions which are discussed at length below.

  1. god prefers to rule directly and will do so in the New Jerusalem, but he has instituted governments and expects believers to be obedient to those governments.
  2. god removes rebellious governments. We are not to take god’s place in this matter.
  3. god’s people are to participate in the political processes of the society in which they live even when that society is secular or pagan.
  4. god’s people are not to compromise their witness in their participation in the politics of the society in which they live. Do not think that ends justify the methods. god has ordained the ends, it is the methods that mark the saints.
  5. Government is mandated by god to be the avenger of wrath against evil and to be the rewarder of those who do good.

All governments are instituted by god (Pr 16:12; Ro 13:1; 1 Pet 2:17). Hence, all deserve the same respect from those governed. Since this is a fallen world, not all governments are going to be equally observant of god’s law. In a secular society, less so. However, the very fact that we in the United States can enjoy a civil society governed by laws in which we can worship our god openly without looking over our shoulder should give pause to anyone thinking about radically changing our government.

god’s preference is to rule directly rather than through earthly governments. He says in Jer 10:23 that we aren’t capable of ruling ourselves. In Ps 47:7–9 god is depicted as the ruler. In 1 Sam 8:6–9 god explains to Samuel that Israel’s demand for a King is a rejection of god. god had foretold this event and given instructions for choosing a king and the conduct of the king in Deu 17:14–20. In Zech 14:9 and Rev 21:3 god indicates that he will rule directly forever.

Psalm 2 tells us that god breaks those governments that rebel against him. It doesn’t say that the righteous (saints) break ungodly governments. David, even though he had been anointed to replace King Saul (1 Sam 16:13), refused twice the opportunity to kill Saul himself (1 Sam 24:1–13; 26:8–9). David waited on god to remove the ungodly government (1 Sam 31) and replace it with a godly government.

You should also note that even in the ancient Roman Empire and modern China where Christians were and are actively persecuted, there is no fear of foreign invasion and there was and is written laws that protect a civil society so that one could feel secure in ones person and property even if one could not or can not worship openly for fear of arrest. A state of anarchy typified by the curse in the book of Judges (Judges 17:6, 21:25; Pr 12:15; Pr 14:12) would be even less conducive to the spread of the Gospel. Good order and submission to authority are common themes throughout the Bible (Pr 10:8, 17; 25:6–7; 28:2; 1 Cor 14:40).

The objection of the ancient Caesars and the modern Chinese Communist government to Christianity is the same. The ancient Christians were killed for refusing to say “Caesar is Lord,” meaning god, and the modern Communists object to calling christ the King, meaning the legitimate sovereign. The problem Christians have with government begins when the government seeks to replace god as the ultimate sovereign, “for our citizenship is in heaven” (Phil 3:20). In western secular democracies the problem is the substitution of Man for god as the ultimate authority that causes a breach between Christians and the civil authority.

In Acts 5:27–29 it is clear that the Apostles were not objecting to the government’s authority but to civil authority seeking to countermand god’s command to preach the Gospel. As long was we are not specifically ordered to disobey a command of god, we are to remain obedient to the civil authority. The Great Commission is to go out and preach the Gospel and not to impact the society. Submission of the populace to King jesus would achieve all the necessary impact.

We are told in 1 Tim 2:1–2 to pray for our rulers. This is a command from god to plead for a Godly government but when, like all mortals they fall into sin we should, like Nathan confronting David (2 Sam 20), be ready to confront government when they act outside god’s law. This is not a justification for rebellion but a call to preach the Gospel.

Daniel is our model for obedience to the civil authority. Ezekiel puts Daniel in uniquely righteous company (Eze 14:20). Daniel never compromised his obedience to god. He refused to eat the king’s food (Dan 1:8) since this would violate his covenant with god. He continued his pattern of prayer when it violated the king’s edict (Dan 6:7–10). This man served pagan emperors and god used him mightily. Who did god honor, Daniel who served diligently and faithfully those who had conquered his nation or the rebels of Massada who brought the wrath of Titus down upon their city and people? Nebuchadnezzar is a saved man as a result of Daniel’s witness (Daniel 4:34–37) and very likely Darius as well (Daniel 6:25–27). Did Titus come to saving faith due to the witness of Massada? The idea that Christians should separate from or not participate in our secular society is not supported by the Bible. Our witness should show evidence of our faith and, like Daniel’s prayers, should not be hidden.

[For those not knowledgeable of Western history, the references to Massada and Titus are not from the Bible. Titus was the Roman general, later emperor, who in 70AD destroyed Jerusalem ending the Temple worship and who directed Lucius Flavius Silva to destroy the last zealot holdouts in the mountain fortress of Massada. jesus mourned for Jerusalem (Matthew 23:37–39) and foretold the Temple’s destruction (Matthew 24:2; Mark 13:2; Luke 21:6, 24).]

god, though not originating them (compare Mt 4:8, 9; 1 Jo 5:19; Re 13:1, 2), has allowed man’s governmental authorities to come into existence, and they continue to exist by his permission. However, when he chooses to do so, god can remove, direct, or control such authorities in order to accomplish his will. The prophet Daniel declared regarding god: “He is changing times and seasons, removing kings and setting up kings.” (Da 2:21) And Proverbs 21:1 says: “A king’s heart is as streams of water in the hand of god. Everywhere that he delights to, he turns it.”—Compare Ne 2:3–6; Es 6:1–11.

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Westminister Confession (1646 with proof texts) Chapter 23 “Of the Civil Magistrate”

  1. god, the supreme Lord and King of all the world, hath ordained civil magistrates, to be, under Him, over the people, for His own glory, and the public good: and, to this end, hath armed them with the power of the sword, for the defence and encouragement of them that are good, and for the punishment of evil doers.[a]
    1. Rom 13:1–4; 1 Pet 2:13–14

  2. It is lawful for Christians to accept and execute the office of a magistrate, when called thereunto;[b] in the managing whereof, as they ought especially to maintain piety, justice, and peace, according to the wholesome laws of each commonwealth;[c] so for that end, they may lawfully now, under the New Testament, wage war, upon just and necessary occasion.[d]
    1. Prov 8:15–16; Rom 13:1,2,4; See also references in a.
    2. Ps 2:10–12; 1 Tim 2:2; Ps 82:3–4; 2 Sam 23:3; 1 Pet 2:13
    3. Luke 3:14; Rom 13:4; See also references in a.; Matt 8:9–10; Acts 10:1–2; Rev 17:14,16

  3. The civil magistrate may not assume to himself the administration of the Word and sacraments, or the power of the keys of the kingdom of heaven;[e] yet he hath authority, and it is his duty, to take order, that unity and peace be preserved in the Church, that the truth of god be kept pure and entire; that all blasphemies and heresies be suppressed; all corruptions and abuses in worship and discipline prevented or reformed; and all the ordinances of god duly settled, administered, and observed.[f] For the better effecting whereof, he hath power to call synods, to be present at them, and to provide that whatsoever is transacted in them be according to the mind of god.[g]
    1. 2 Chron 26:18; Matt 18:17; Matt 16:19; 1 Cor 12:28–29; Eph 4:11–12; 1 Cor 4:1–2; Rom 10:15; Heb 5:4
    2. Isa 49:23; Ps 122:9; Ezra 7:23,25–28; Lev 24:16; Deut 13:5–6,12; 2 Kings 18:4; 1 Chron 13:1–9; 2 Kings 23:1–26; 2 Chron 34:33; 2 Chron 15:12–13
    3. 2 Chron 19:8–11; 2 Chron 29 and 30; Matt 2:4–5

  4. It is the duty of people to pray for magistrates,[h] to honour their persons,[i] to pay them tribute and other dues,[j] to obey their lawful commands, and to be subject to their authority, for conscience[s]’ sake.[k] Infidelity, or difference in religion, doth not make void the magistrates’ just and legal authority, nor free the people from their due obedience to them:[l] from which ecclesiastical persons are not exempted; [m] much less hath the Pope any power and jurisdiction over them in their dominions, or over any of their people; and, least of all, to deprive them of their dominions, or lives, if he shall judge them to be heretics, or upon any other pretence whatsoever.[n]
    1. 1 Tim 2:1–2
    2. 1 Pet 2:17
    3. Rom 13:6–7
    4. Rom 13:5; Tit 3:1
    5. 1 Pet 2:13,14,16
    6. Rom 13:1; 1 Kings 2:35; Acts 25:9–11; 2 Pet 2:1,10,11; Jude 8–11
    7. 2 Thess 2:4; Rev 13:15–17

Regards
Steve McLeod
Job 19:25–27
© Copyright 2000 Stephen Daniel McLeod