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Conscientious Christians are in a
quandary about what to do with a government that is increasingly becoming out of touch with the traditional
values upon which America was founded. Many are wondering, what they can do to change the trend away from
“Judeo-Christian values” toward humanism. They are also wondering if they should honor such a government by
submitting and paying taxes to it. They, like Lot, “vex their souls” as they observe the government sanctioned
and, all too often, government promoted immorality. Many of them work hard to bring about a change for the
better through the election process, only to have their hopes dashed by defeat. All too often, even if the ones
they supported win the election, once they take office turn out to be no better or even worse than those who
were in office. It seems that ethical and moral corruption is no respecter of political parties. So what is a
Christian to do?
The first thing he needs to do is
remember that his generation is not the first to have to wrestle with this problem. In fact, every generation
of Christians from the very beginning have faced this problem. The first Christians lived under one of the more
immoral and oppressive government imaginable – the Roman empire. The immorality of the Caesars would shock the
sensibilities of anyone with a sense of decency about him. Their antagonism from time to time against
Christians, is one of the more documented facts of history. Yet, it was to those first century Christians, that
the Lord’s words and apostles writings were addressed concerning their responsibility to civil government. We
have those words recorded in the New Testament and they apply to us today as much as they did to them. The fact
that our government officials leave a lot to be desired in their personal and public lives does not relieve us
of our responsibility to follow the instructions concerning governments left to us in the pages of holy
writ.
Firstly, we are taught to recognize that civil powers are ordained of God.
Not just certain civil powers, but all. “The powers that be are ordained of God.” (Romans 13:
1-2).
Secondly, we are taught that they are the servants of God. (Romans 13: 4). As
servants of God, they are serving under the “King of kings and Lord of lords.” This phrase was applied to the
heads of some of the great ancient empires in the Old Testament. It was applied to the King of Babylon and the
King of Persia (Ezra 7: 12; Daniel 2:37, 38). The idea was that these great rulers had dominion over other
rulers in their vast empires. Similar language was applied to God, depicting His dominion over all the kings
and nations of the earth. (Psalm 22: 28; Daniel 2: 21; 4:17, 25-32; 5: 21).
Civil rulers serve as God’s
avengers upon the earth. The Christian must not avenge himself. He must leave that to God. (Romans 12; 19- 21).
God’s ultimate vengeance will be played out at the great Judgment Day. But in the meantime, he has an avenger
that will execute God’s temporal judgment upon evildoers. That avenger is civil power (Romans 13: 4). So it is
not the business of the Christian to “get even” nor to take the law into his own hands. But instead, he should
do good to those that despitefully uses him and turn it over to God to take vengeance. That He will do either
through the civil powers, or defer it until He comes again to judge the world. Even ungodly governments are
servants of God in that they serve His purposes as punishers of all evildoers, even though they themselves may
be evildoers. Assyria was a good example of this principle. Assyria was a brutal power, but it became God’s
servant to punish ungodly Israel (Isaiah 10: 5-7). Likewise Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, was an evil and
ruthless despot, but God called him “my servant” as the one chosen to punish Judah for her apostasy (Jeremiah
25: 9; 27: 6).
Thirdly, we are to conscientiously obey their laws (Romans 13: 5; 1 Peter 2: 13-17).
Paul makes it clear that obeying their laws is tantamount to obeying God’s ordinance (Romans 13: 2). There is
only one revealed exception – that is when civil laws contradict God’s other laws (Acts 5: 29).
Fourthly, we are to pay all taxes, customs, etc., due to the governments under which we
live. (Romans 13: 7; Matthew 22: 21).
Fifthly, we are pray for them (1 Timothy 2: 1, 2).
Sixthly, we may exercise rights given by the them. Paul did not hesitate to
exercise, and at times to demand his right to protection as a Roman citizen. (Acts 16: 27, 38; 25:
11).
As bad as government seems to be
sometimes even bad government is better than no government. As frustrating as all the evils we see in the
governments of this world can be, we as Christians cannot allow ourselves to refuse or to neglect a sacred
command to “honor the king” (1 Peter 2: 21) – even if that “king” is not the one we would have
chosen.
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© Copyright 2008, Edward O. Bragwell, Sr.. All rights reserved.
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