The Christian under Governing Authorities
Introduction. A question was recently submitted from a brother in Malawi concerning the relationship between the Christian who is not of this world and the governments of this world. While there is no doubt that all Christians are to be in submission to whatever government they are under (see passages at end of this article), some interesting questions have arisen over the role of the Christian in a democracy. While Greek history revealed that democracy was a part of the ancient world, there are no references in the Scriptures to it. Those living in the times where inspiration was still being recorded mostly lived under the rule of kings or emperors.
There are so many forms of government. There were kings in Israel and Assyria, an emperor in Rome, and a democracy in Greece. There were also governors, satraps, judges, and prefects along with the Jewish Sanhedrin. Subsequent history has also seen the parliamentary form of government to limit the power of royalty in England, and the Republic which allows democracy in America. Communism has also risen in the Soviet Union, China, and elsewhere. In America the elected president has his power limited by the Congress that writes the laws and the Courts that oversee that all law is based on the Constitution.
Recognized by God. Yet, all forms of government though devised by men were both foreseen and ordained of God: “He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their pre-appointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings, so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him.” (Acts 17:26-27). God knows their pre-appointed times (when they will start and when they will end). He also knows the boundaries of their habitations (how far their dominion will be observed). All of this works into God’s plan to use nations to lead as many as possible to grope for and find Him.
Obedience and submission commanded. So even though God did not create them, He has endorsed civil government and uses them for His purposes. Some are evil and corrupt, ruining the lives of those who are under them. Others are benign and set up with principles that God approves of as being righteous. Yet because Paul said, “For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God, (Rom. 13:1-2), we must submit to all these governments whether they are sinful and inherently wrong or not. While some are clearly more prone to evil than others, even the evil nature of the Roman government did not keep Paul from commanding God’s people both to obey it and pay their taxes to support it.
Resulting questions. Does our submission to these governing authorities allow us to work among them? Does submission allow a Christian to be a clerk, lawyer or judge? Can a Christian work for the government? Can those in submission vote when allowed to as citizens or enter into politics and become a representative of the government? Could a Christian become president or a king and work with God as one of His ministers not only as a servant of Christ, but as a servant of the ruling authorities?
According to the Old Testament. The examples in the Old Covenant make it clear that God saw nothing wrong with a godly man ruling over His people. He raised and removed kings in both Israel and Judah. Some were wicked and others were righteous, but most were placed into the position by God and then used their own free will to decide how they will reign. Sometimes their rule ended in disaster and other times in great good. But if there were something inherently wrong with ruling, there would have been no righteous kings at all. God never saw a conflict between his faithful servants ruling over His people. If He did, there would be no elders today overseeing a local congregation. It is not the ruling that is wrong, but the quality of ruling.
As we move through the Old Covenant, we see many of God’s servants in positions of leadership or working in the government. After the captivity, Daniel and his three friends were all placed in positions of leadership, first in Babylon and later in Medo-Persia. If Daniel, who would not defile himself with any of the kings food, had seen a problem with working in government, he never would have done so. Nehemiah was the cup bearer to the king and also became governor over the still weak but restored nation of Israel. Mordecai was elevated to the second in command of all Medo-Persia. Nowhere in the Old Testament is there any command, example or necessary inference that God saw the slightest problem with His servants participating in civil government.
According to the New Testament. As the gospel dawned, John the Baptist had the opportunity to reveal God’s will regarding being a soldier or tax collector serving the government. Yet he never told them to quit or find another line of work. Instead, he commanded them to do their job with justice. “Then tax collectors also came to be baptized, and said to him, ‘Teacher, what shall we do?’ And he said to them, ‘Collect no more than what is appointed for you.’ 14 Likewise the soldiers asked him, saying, ‘And what shall we do?’ So he said to them, ‘Do not intimidate anyone or accuse falsely, and be content with your wages.’” (Lk. 3:12-14) He did not tell them to quit, but to do their job well and honestly. If it was a sin, John would have told them to quit.
It is also important to note that Paul preached to multitudes of people both in and out of government. Not one word was ever spoken either in the Acts or the letters of the apostles and prophets condemning or warning that such occupations were not fitting for a Christian. Without such commands, we can only seek for the principles that would reveal God’s will on any given situation.
Although there are strong opinions held over whether a Christian should vote, seek an elected office, or work in a government job, they can only be opinions based upon principles and not submission to the laws of Christ. We must be very careful not to create laws and rules based on our own ideas and not found in the Scriptures. Each man must live by his own conscience in such matters.
Conclusion. Good and godly men can disagree over how far reaching such passages as: “They shall beat their swords into plowshares, And their spears into pruning hooks; Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, Neither shall they learn war anymore.” (Isa. 2:4) and “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here.” (Jn. 18:36). Perhaps some will not want to become soldiers or get involved in the working of civil government. But to bind such opinions about these passages on others would violate Paul’s clear warnings in Romans 14 and 1 Corinthians 8-10.
There are so many forms of government. There were kings in Israel and Assyria, an emperor in Rome, and a democracy in Greece. There were also governors, satraps, judges, and prefects along with the Jewish Sanhedrin. Subsequent history has also seen the parliamentary form of government to limit the power of royalty in England, and the Republic which allows democracy in America. Communism has also risen in the Soviet Union, China, and elsewhere. In America the elected president has his power limited by the Congress that writes the laws and the Courts that oversee that all law is based on the Constitution.
Recognized by God. Yet, all forms of government though devised by men were both foreseen and ordained of God: “He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their pre-appointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings, so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him.” (Acts 17:26-27). God knows their pre-appointed times (when they will start and when they will end). He also knows the boundaries of their habitations (how far their dominion will be observed). All of this works into God’s plan to use nations to lead as many as possible to grope for and find Him.
Obedience and submission commanded. So even though God did not create them, He has endorsed civil government and uses them for His purposes. Some are evil and corrupt, ruining the lives of those who are under them. Others are benign and set up with principles that God approves of as being righteous. Yet because Paul said, “For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God, (Rom. 13:1-2), we must submit to all these governments whether they are sinful and inherently wrong or not. While some are clearly more prone to evil than others, even the evil nature of the Roman government did not keep Paul from commanding God’s people both to obey it and pay their taxes to support it.
Resulting questions. Does our submission to these governing authorities allow us to work among them? Does submission allow a Christian to be a clerk, lawyer or judge? Can a Christian work for the government? Can those in submission vote when allowed to as citizens or enter into politics and become a representative of the government? Could a Christian become president or a king and work with God as one of His ministers not only as a servant of Christ, but as a servant of the ruling authorities?
According to the Old Testament. The examples in the Old Covenant make it clear that God saw nothing wrong with a godly man ruling over His people. He raised and removed kings in both Israel and Judah. Some were wicked and others were righteous, but most were placed into the position by God and then used their own free will to decide how they will reign. Sometimes their rule ended in disaster and other times in great good. But if there were something inherently wrong with ruling, there would have been no righteous kings at all. God never saw a conflict between his faithful servants ruling over His people. If He did, there would be no elders today overseeing a local congregation. It is not the ruling that is wrong, but the quality of ruling.
As we move through the Old Covenant, we see many of God’s servants in positions of leadership or working in the government. After the captivity, Daniel and his three friends were all placed in positions of leadership, first in Babylon and later in Medo-Persia. If Daniel, who would not defile himself with any of the kings food, had seen a problem with working in government, he never would have done so. Nehemiah was the cup bearer to the king and also became governor over the still weak but restored nation of Israel. Mordecai was elevated to the second in command of all Medo-Persia. Nowhere in the Old Testament is there any command, example or necessary inference that God saw the slightest problem with His servants participating in civil government.
According to the New Testament. As the gospel dawned, John the Baptist had the opportunity to reveal God’s will regarding being a soldier or tax collector serving the government. Yet he never told them to quit or find another line of work. Instead, he commanded them to do their job with justice. “Then tax collectors also came to be baptized, and said to him, ‘Teacher, what shall we do?’ And he said to them, ‘Collect no more than what is appointed for you.’ 14 Likewise the soldiers asked him, saying, ‘And what shall we do?’ So he said to them, ‘Do not intimidate anyone or accuse falsely, and be content with your wages.’” (Lk. 3:12-14) He did not tell them to quit, but to do their job well and honestly. If it was a sin, John would have told them to quit.
It is also important to note that Paul preached to multitudes of people both in and out of government. Not one word was ever spoken either in the Acts or the letters of the apostles and prophets condemning or warning that such occupations were not fitting for a Christian. Without such commands, we can only seek for the principles that would reveal God’s will on any given situation.
Although there are strong opinions held over whether a Christian should vote, seek an elected office, or work in a government job, they can only be opinions based upon principles and not submission to the laws of Christ. We must be very careful not to create laws and rules based on our own ideas and not found in the Scriptures. Each man must live by his own conscience in such matters.
Conclusion. Good and godly men can disagree over how far reaching such passages as: “They shall beat their swords into plowshares, And their spears into pruning hooks; Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, Neither shall they learn war anymore.” (Isa. 2:4) and “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here.” (Jn. 18:36). Perhaps some will not want to become soldiers or get involved in the working of civil government. But to bind such opinions about these passages on others would violate Paul’s clear warnings in Romans 14 and 1 Corinthians 8-10.
- Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. 2 Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves. 3 For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same. 4 For he is God's minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God's minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil. 5 Therefore you must be subject, not only because of wrath but also for conscience' sake. 6 For because of this you also pay taxes, for they are God's ministers attending continually to this very thing. 7 Render therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor. (Rom. 13:1-8)
- Remind them to be subject to rulers and authorities, to obey, to be ready for every good work, 2 to speak evil of no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing all humility to all men. (Titus 3:1-2)
- Therefore submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake, whether to the king as supreme, 14 or to governors, as to those who are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and for the praise of those who do good. 15 For this is the will of God, that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men — 16 as free, yet not using liberty as a cloak for vice, but as bondservants of God. 17 Honor all people. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king. (1Pet. 2:13-17)