Civil Government: Chapter 7 – The Perils of a Strong, Centralized Government (Excerpt)

April 5, 2013 by

Civil Government - coverExpect persecution — It should not surprise us that persecution will come from the government as it grows more powerful. Those who set themselves up as god will persecute believers of the one true God. Persecution is a reality for Christians anyway (2 Timothy 3:12; 1 Peter 4:12,16); and it is often worst when the source is government. Since the church was established in the first century, severe persecution is often the work of the civil authorities.

Do not be caught off guard by this. Instead, be ready for it; and do not be intimidated. The second time Peter and John were brought before the Council, they were told: “We gave you strict orders not to continue teaching in this name, and yet, you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and intend to bring this man’s blood upon us.” Were they intimidated? Not at all. They simply answered, “We must obey God rather than men” (Acts 5:28-29). One day the government may try to stop you from serving God, assembling with fellow Christians, or teaching the gospel to others. When this happens, do not be afraid. Peter later wrote, “But even if you should suffer for the sake of righteousness, you are blessed, ‘And do not fear their intimidation, and do not be troubled’” (1 Peter 3:14).

You can read more about the perils of a strong, centralized government in Civil Government: What the Bible Says About Its Origin, History, Nature, and Role. Follow the link to learn more about the book and purchase your copy today!

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Civil Government: Chapter 6 – A Minister of God, or of Satan? (Excerpt)

March 29, 2013 by

Civil Government - coverIn the book of Revelation, the Lord warned the church in Smyrna of the persecution that was coming. He said, “The devil is about to cast some of you into prison, so that you will be tested, and you will have tribulation for ten days” (Revelation 2:10). This persecution was being carried out by the civil authorities (the Roman government). Were these authorities acting as the minister of God here when they persecuted Christians? On the contrary, they were doing the work of the devil. Their service to Satan is so plainly indicated here that their work of throwing Christians into prison is attributed to the devil himself.

When a government rejects its God-given role and begins to do harm to the ones who should be enjoying its protection, that government ceases to be a minister of God and becomes a minister of Satan.

You can read more about how civil authorities may act either as God’s ministers or as Satan’s ministers in Civil Government: What the Bible Says About Its Origin, History, Nature, and Role. Follow the link to learn more about the book and purchase your copy today!

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Civil Government: Chapter 5 – What God Ordained with Respect to Civil Government (Excerpt)

March 22, 2013 by

Civil Government - coverSo, what function does God have in mind for today’s civil authorities? The New Testament answers this question. It sets forth the divinely approved model of civil government. The purpose of government — as stated by the apostles (Romans 13:3, 4; 1 Peter 2:14) — is to punish evildoers and approve those who do what is right. It is a government that is “not a cause of fear for good behavior, but for evil.” It praises those who “do what is good” (Romans 13:3). Peter wrote, “Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake: whether it be to the king as supreme; or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well” (1 Peter 2:13-14, KJV).

God tells us to pray for civil authorities that we may lead “a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty” (1 Timothy 2:2, KJV). The word translated “quiet” is a word that emphasizes tranquility arising from the absence of outward disturbance. The word translated “peaceable” emphasizes a tranquility arising from within. While this is primarily a prayer passage, we learn from it an important function of civil rulers: they are to provide peaceful and secure conditions in which citizens are free to live lives according to divinely revealed principles of conduct and behavior.

The God-ordained model of government is one that:

  • Provides for the safety and security of its citizens (1 Timothy 2:2).
  • Provides an atmosphere in which its citizens may live peacefully, mind their own affairs, and work with their own hands, doing what is right for themselves, their families and their neighbors (1 Thessalonians 4:11; 1 Timothy 5:8; Romans 13:1-10).
  • Punishes those whose actions are harmful and detrimental to the divinely ordained function of society.

Any government that fails or refuses to follow this model cannot be classified as a God-ordained government.

You can read more about what God ordained with respect to civil government in Civil Government: What the Bible Says About Its Origin, History, Nature, and Role. Follow the link to learn more about the book and purchase your copy today!

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Civil Government: Chapter 4 – The Foundation for a Godly Society (Excerpt)

March 15, 2013 by

Civil Government - cover

It is important to note that the Ten Commandments are not directed to or about the government — they are to the individual. That means that each one of us and all those we may teach can make personal application from these truths.

How do we fix a broken society? It will not come through government policy but with the people’s change of heart. In the Ten Commandments, we are taught about one’s relationship with God and with others and also the type of character which one ought to have. The framework for a godly and righteous society does not start with government. In fact, if all people would follow these commands, government would be unnecessary. Notice what Paul wrote:

“For this, ‘You shall not commit adultery, you shall not murder, you shall not steal, you shall not covet,’ and if there is any other commandment, it is summed up in this saying, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law” (Romans 13:9-10).

This comes immediately after what Paul revealed about the divinely ordained role of civil government. He mentioned a few of the Ten Commandments and said they all have one thing in common — love. Love is the fulfillment of the Law. This means that if everyone exercised love properly toward one another, there would be no God-given purpose for civil government, thus making it irrelevant and unnecessary.

You can read more about how the Ten Commandments show us the foundation for a godly society in Civil Government: What the Bible Says About Its Origin, History, Nature, and Role. Follow the link to learn more about the book and purchase your copy today!

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Civil Government: Chapter 3 – Origins of Civil Government: A Rejection of God’s Rule Over Man (Excerpt)

March 8, 2013 by

Civil Government - coverIf God did not institute civil government from its beginning, how did it originate? The Scriptures show us that civil government had its origin after the flood with Nimrod.

“Now Cush became the father of Nimrod; he became a mighty one on the earth. He was a mighty hunter before the Lord; therefore it is said, ‘Like Nimrod a mighty hunter before the Lord.’ The beginning of his kingdom was Babel and Erech and Accad and Calneh, in the land of Shinar” (Genesis 10:8-10).

Nimrod’s actions in establishing a kingdom were in rebellion against God. Many people do not (or will not) see this. They read these short verses about Nimrod as simply a benign record of history, rather than the first great organized rebellion against God since the flood.

The phrase that is easily overlooked is “before the Lord.” Nimrod was “a mighty hunter before the Lord.” He held such a place of prominence among the people that others would use him as a point of comparison — “Therefore it is said, ‘Like Nimrod a mighty hunter before the Lord.’”

This phrase is often used to mean in the presence of the Lord (Genesis 19:27; Exodus 34:34) or in worship to the Lord (Exodus 29:11; Deuteronomy 26:10). Because of this, brethren assume that the phrase is used positively here. Yet the word translated before (panim) has many different uses. In blessing Joseph’s sons, Jacob placed “Ephraim before Manasseh” (Genesis 48:20), meaning he placed Ephraim as chief among Joseph’s sons over his older brother Manasseh. It is used to describe kings who “faced each other” in battle (2 Kings 14:11). The translators of the New American Standard Bible have also translated this same word as against (Hosea 5:5; Ezekiel 6:9).

The Bible is not describing anything that Nimrod was doing in the presence of the Lord and certainly not in worship to the Lord. Rather, it is describing what Nimrod was doing to place himself before the Lord in the eyes of the people, making him their chief rather than God. Nimrod was opposed to God and wanted the people to forget the Lord and instead look to him as the ultimate authority and the provider of their happiness.

You can read more about the origins of human government in Civil Government: What the Bible Says About Its Origin, History, Nature, and Role. Follow the link to learn more about the book and purchase your copy today!

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