The government of the United States has profoundly shaped my life. My ancestors moved to North America because of the religious freedom offered to them. I was born in a vehicle speeding down a road the government had created and maintained. I grew up in a safe environment partially because the government protected me from foreign and domestic threats. I looked forward to the day the government would allow me to drive. I learned the laws the government had set in place for driving on the road. I learned how to pay my taxes and how to register my car. The government has influenced how I live, but is it influencing me how it is supposed to? What is God’s design for civil government?

       Learning more about God’s design for civil government should do three things for us: strengthen our respect for it, help us guard our sympathies for political actors, and deepen our understanding of God’s character. The Bible teaches that government officials are the servants of God and that God uses them to accomplish His will. Political actors and commentators have many persuasive arguments for what the role of government is. Knowing what God’s Word says about government topics should help us avoid sympathizing with incorrect theories. God is a God of justice, and civil government is one of the main tools He uses to mete it out.

       In his book Civil Government: A Biblical View, Robert Culver defines government as a “social organization with coercive power.” We see this borne out in the Biblical teaching that God gives the government the authority to create and enforce laws. For instance, in Genesis 9, God institutes the death penalty for murder. Romans 13:1-2 clearly states, “Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. 2 Whosoever, therefore, resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation.”

       Unfortunately, even though God gives governments authority, they sometimes exercise it terribly. The Communist government in Cambodia killed over 1.5 million people over four years. The Germans killed around 12 million people during World War II. During the 1950s and ’60s, the Chinese government was responsible for the deaths of up to 75 million people. Since these governments are abusing their God-given authority, shouldn’t they be replaced? Governments certainly rise and fall based on their choices. But even corrupt governments fill a certain role in maintaining societal order and should be respected for that. Augustine taught that even pagan government authorities should receive our respect. First Peter 2:13-14 teaches obedience to the laws of the Roman government, which we know was pagan and corrupt. Calvin observed that anarchy is worse than tyranny. Indeed, sometimes the overthrow of a government is more destructive than the government itself. For example, the revolution that overthrew the brutal, corrupt, and inefficient government of the Czars of Russia claimed the lives of 7-12 million people! Although all these bad actors will be held fully accountable for their cruel actions someday, judgment is God’s job. The Christian is called to respectful obedience within the confines of godliness.

       God’s Word has much to say about civil government. Much of its story is about God’s interaction with the Children of Israel and their neighbors. In Exodus through Deuteronomy, God laid out a clear set of laws He expected Israel to follow. Maybe we assume modern nations are required to adhere to these laws? While the Bible often mentions civil government, God’s purpose throughout the Bible is to tell how He is restoring His relationship with mankind. The Bible is not a manual for the utopian government. God’s covenant with Israel was unique to Israel and cannot necessarily be used as a blueprint for the nations of the world. For instance, many of Israel’s national laws set them apart from other nations and symbolized God’s plan of salvation. These symbols have been fulfilled in Jesus and would not make sense to replicate today.

       Some principles about civil government can still be learned from the Bible. The Mosaic Law and the history of Israel as a nation have much to teach. The prophets, in their condemnation of Israel and of other nations, tell of God’s expectations for nations. Proverbs has some advice for rulers and relating to them; there is even a little teaching in the New Testament.

       The Bible makes it clear that one of God’s primary purposes for government is that they would protect people and promote their well-being. This can be deduced from the Noahic Covenant, where God authorizes governments to carry out capital punishment for murder. Joseph’s story as governor in Egypt during the seven years of famine supports the idea that the government is responsible for looking out for the wellbeing of its citizens (not just protecting them from evildoers).

       How do governments protect their citizens and promote their well-being? In Romans 13:4b, Paul says, He (rulers) is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil. God’s design is that governments punish criminals. Governments also should protect the interests of the weak in society (Ps 82:3-4). In Exodus 21:22-23 God ordered that any Israelite who injured an unborn child should be punished. Unborn babies, orphans, widows, the poor, and strangers should be protected. According to 1 Peter 2:14, governments should promote good behavior. Of course, if a country is supposed to protect its people from internal threats, it makes sense that it would be responsible to protect them from external threats as well.

       Part of good governance is maintaining fair laws. The Law of Moses taught that the laws should be applied equally to everyone regardless of social status. It also taught that children should not be punished for their parent’s crimes (See Deut 24:16). The evilness of the crime affected the severity of the punishment. Also, the intentions of criminals were considered. Therefore, the severity of the punishment for criminals was to be varied according to the intentions of the criminals when committing crimes. An example would be the different punishments for murder based on differing crime scene circumstances. 

       The courts were not allowed to accept speculation as the foundation for accusation. Witnesses were required for an accusation of a severe crime. Judges were expected to verify the witnesses’ accusations. False witnesses were punished with the penalty the accused would have suffered. Torture for evidence was not permitted.

       We can see some of God’s expectations for a nation’s foreign policy in the prophets. Through their condemnations of the pride of different nations, God’s desire for humility is evident. While it is difficult to imagine any nation being consistently humble, the maxim that pride leads to a fall is true for countries as well as individuals. The prophets condemned nations that did not keep their treaties (see Amos 1:9-10). Also, nations that treated other nations brutally were judged (see Amos 1:11-12).

       God wants governments to create a safe environment for His church to flourish (see 1Ti 2:1- 2). That’s not their only mission, however. God also uses evil governments to purify His church. In the final analysis, God did not intend for us to place our final hope in governments here. Their imperfections should make us long for the perfect government that God will set up someday. I’m looking forward to that!

       Different people like to use the Bible to support either capitalism or socialism. The Bible does not fully endorse either economic system. The Mosaic law clearly allowed for the private ownership of property. It also severely restricted it: families, not individuals, owned land. If land was sold, it had to be returned to its owners every fifty years. Debts were either canceled or put on hold, and servants were freed every seven years.

       What about the welfare state or immigration? I should reiterate that the Bible is not a manual for the government and should not be used to recommend a course of action for the government to pursue. Israelites were expected to treat foreigners with respect. Israelite society was also expected to provide for people in need. They were to lend to the poor without interest. When the land lay fallow every seventh year, they were to be allowed to pick what they wanted from what grew naturally. Farmers were to leave grain in their fields for the poor to glean. There was even a tithe collected for the poor. Some argue that the church is primarily responsible for the poor and that the state worsens things when it gets involved. Many good arguments for this point of view can be made. However, based on the evidence provided, I do not think that the Bible can be used to argue that the government should not be involved in social welfare.

       We should thank God for setting up the government over us. We need it to function properly as a society. We should also remember to pray for it that it would continue to fulfill its role of providing justice, protecting the helpless, punishing evil, and promoting good.

-Pensacola, FL