Government - the Legal use of Force

How are Christians to obey Christ’s command to obey corrupt earthly governments? Do we unconditionally obey earthly governments in obedience to God? How does the Christian live out this dual citizenship? Under what conditions, if any, do we disobey our earthly governments? In this message, Dr. Sproul talks about the role of government in the world and how the Christian is to live with the tension of two kingdoms.

Romans 13:3–4

“Rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, for he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer.”

Civil governments have existed in many different forms over the course of human history. Even today, we can find absolute monarchies, republics, socialist states, parliamentary systems, and many others, each following different principles and choosing leaders in different ways. Yet all these governments have one important thing in common. Every human government, no matter the form it takes, exists to exercise force in a legal manner. Civil magistrates can use force under the law in ways that individuals and nongovernmental organizations and associations cannot. We recognize, certainly, that sometimes civil laws grant governmental authorities the ability to use force in a manner that may actually be morally evil. Laws written by fallen people often permit things that God’s moral law forbids. Yet civil governments can lawfully bear the sword over the people under their jurisdiction in ways that would be illegal for individuals.

The principle of the legal use of force existed long before human governments existed, for it is reflective of the very character of God. God has both the moral and legal right to exercise force in the administration of His reign over creation, though God’s “legal rights,” as it were, perfectly coincide with what is upright for Him to do. This is because His law reflects His own holy character. Human beings might write and follow laws that are morally evil, but the Lord is incapable of doing so. Because of God’s perfect holiness, He could rightly threaten Adam and Eve in the covenant of works with death for eating the forbidden fruit (Gen. 2:15–17). That covenantal threat is one of the first mentions of divine government in relation to human beings in Scripture. God’s exercise of legal force is seen after the fall in His placing an angelic guard at the gates of Eden (3:24).

Since the fall, God has granted human governments the prerogative of using force to punish evil as His servants for our good (Rom. 13:3–4). Human government existed even before Adam and Eve sinned, however. Remember that the Lord commanded human beings to subdue the earth for His glory (Gen. 1:28). That would have required people to set up rules to ensure effective cooperation between human beings for the fulfillment of this task. Human government is not a necessary evil created because of sin but is part of God’s original design for mankind.

Coram Deo Living before the face of God

Groups of people need leaders and rules to work together effectively. This is true even in the happiest of circumstances when individuals are not trying to harm one another. Governing authorities of various kinds—civil magistrates, managers and supervisors in the workforce, principals and teachers, and so on—help us all work together effectively. Let us be grateful that such authorities exist.

Bible Study Tabletalk Magazine September 2024