Biblical Counsel and Civil Authority

The Word of God plainly establishes the principle that all human authority has its source in God. Ultimately, there is no power but of God. When Jesus stood before Pilate, Pilate verbalized the life and death power he had in his hands in respect to the destiny of Jesus.

Jesus responded by pointing Pilate to the fact that the only power he had was that which was allowed him by the God of heaven.

Using "Wisdom" as a metaphor for God, Solomon, though a king with great power, nevertheless acknowledged that there was no ultimate power but that which came from God.

The prophet Daniel, in addressing the autocratic monarch Nebuchadnezzar, reminded him that God had ultimate power to set up rulers and to remove them.

Some time later Nebuchadnezzar himself faced this reality. With unbounded pride, Nebuchadnezzar had boasted that everything that he had, and all that had been established in the magnificent kingdom of Babylon, was as a result of his human power. But he found his boast to be hollow, and was compelled by divine evidence to acknowledge God’s overriding authority.

It was at this point that God intervened to prove to this boastful monarch that his human power could be taken away by, and was subject to, the power of God.

The terrible conditions that he experienced eventually brought him to the realization that indeed, God was the source of his authority.

It is because of God’s ultimate and absolute power that He calls His faithful followers to submit to those in civil authority.

The apostle Peter strongly supported the counsel of Paul.

God has placed men in civil authority to enact laws to form the platform for the wise governing of the populace. If it were not for sensible and just laws, there would be chaos in society. Indeed, we have ample evidence that when law and order break down, the most abominable crimes are multiplied. We have seen this in nations such as Rwanda. When civil government was in chaos, the butchering of myriads of people took place. People, who under normal conditions would appear to be law abiding citizens, take advantage of the evil that is in their hearts by looting and adding to the carnage generated by these situations.

One of the roles of civil government is not only to provide just laws, but to punish evil doers.

Paul expounded the principle that those who resist civil power actually resist the ordinance of God.

However, God has never given to man or governments absolute power. Those who are placed in positions of authority have a God-given responsibility to be just and equitable in their administration of justice.

A thoroughly converted Christian should have no reason to fear a just government. The appropriate role of the government is to provide protection for law abiding citizens against those who behave lawlessly in society.

We are all aware of ruthless governments. Such governments have oppressed God’s faithful children. The Bible evidences the fact that such oppressive governments will be in power just prior to Christ’s second coming. Again we remind each reader of this fearful prophecy.

The Scripture is plain in its statements concerning our responsibility when the laws of man conflict with the laws of God. Untold tens of millions of faithful Christians have suffered as they have sought to place their duty to God above the dictates of man and rulers. Under the power of the Holy Spirit, the early disciples were forced to make a choice between the edicts of man and the call of God. Their responses are examples which faithful Christians will follow. When Peter and John were commanded by the Jewish leaders to refrain from speaking or teaching in the name of Jesus, their response left no equivocation as to the primacy of their loyalty.

Later, in a similar confrontation with the Jewish leaders, their response was just as unequivocal.

There is much said today about the separation of responsibilities to God on the one hand, and responsibilities to government on the other hand. Those principles are enshrined in the response of Jesus to the questions asked by those who would find cause to report Jesus to the Roman authority as disloyal to the government of Caesar. He had been asked:

Jesus’ response laid the foundation for our understanding of the responsibilities to God on the one hand, and to the civil powers on the other.

Now here is a principle that seems to be poorly understood by segments of Christianity today. There are those who resolutely refuse to return taxes, claiming that these taxes are often used for illegal purposes, such as repression and suppression of citizens. Yet it is very difficult to argue this in the light of the words of Jesus. His words also were supported by Paul.

At the time of Christ, some of the Roman laws were good, others were repressive. Yet Christ did not equivocate on the issue of rendering a just tax to the government of His day. When Christians do not follow the clear principles enunciated in the Word of God, they make it difficult not only for themselves, but for other Christians. History testifies to the fact that increasing repression has often come upon the whole Christian community because of the unwise and unscriptural acts of more extreme elements who are following human reason rather than Scriptural injunction.

Some Christians attempt to extrapolate the taxation obligations of Christians to the rendering of tithes and offerings to specific church organizations. In this they err. Secular rulers exact an authority and rulership which Christ condemns in His church.

Ecclesiastical Administrators, on the other hand, have been strictly informed by Christ Himself, that in contrast to secular rulers, they are servants to Christ’s flock.

The purpose of compulsory government taxes is to produce funding so that the nation may function effectively. On the other hand freewill tithes and offerings are designed as gifts, not primarily to individuals or church organizations, but to God. Thus in Malachi 3:8, God does not ask, "Wherein have ye robbed the Jewish faith or the priesthood?" Rather He asks, "Wherein have ye robbed Me?" Thus tithes and offerings must be returned for the work of upholding and sustaining God’s truth and His kingdom. And where the gospel commission is prosecuted, there tithes and offerings may be freely sent to support the kingdom of God.

In another area, Christians need to follow Christ. During the era of Jesus’ sojourn on this earth, corruption and oppression were widespread. There was extortion, cruelty, and intolerance. But Christ did not spend His time in seeking to redress the excesses of the government. He knew that ultimately the most efficient and effective way to bring about reform was to change the lives of people. Christians have the responsibility to be the most loving and lovable people on the face of the planet. Their good works should recommend them to every just civil authority. Those claiming to be Christians, who are belligerent, resentful, and militant, do a disservice to the God they claim to serve. Not only do they bring discredit upon themselves, they bring discredit by extension upon the Christian community as a whole. King Solomon recognized a dual responsibility.

Peter recognized how important it is for Christians to represent the character of Christ and to avoid the exercise of the negative emotions.

Finally, Peter, in his exhortation concerning government leaders, concludes with a brief summary:

The Christian principles can be summarized as follows:

(1) All human power is subject to divine power.

(2) Earthly rulers have a responsibility to enact just laws for the protection of the citizens and their property.

(3) Christians have a responsibility to follow every law that does not contravene the commandments of God.

(4) Christians have a responsibility to render taxes to the government that has jurisdiction over them.

(5) Christians have a responsibility to live an upright life representative of the life of Jesus, so that no ruler has a justifiable reason to punish them, and that they may be a witness to others.