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Jesus' views on civil government...
Continuation of a study on separation of church and state... Faith Fellowship Church PO Box 1586 Broken Arrow, OK 74013 Christendom believes that Jesus Christ was/is God in human flesh. As stated by ancient church councils, "He is fully God and fully man." Granted; but this is, no doubt, a hard statement and must be received by faith. In this mortal body, we will never understand this divine mystery totally. But what do we understand about the God-man--Jesus Christ? We know how He viewed civil authorities. We know how He reacted to the earthly-powers-that-be. Did He or did He not advocate resistance against civil government? We know He could have, but He did not lead a rebellion against Rome--one of the most, cruel governments in history? Let's take a look at the Book of all books--the Holy Bible--and see what it says regarding this. Gary DeMar writes in his book entitled, God and Government A Biblical and Historical Study (American Vision, Inc. 2001), "It is true that Jesus 'did away with' certain aspects of the Old Testament law. Those laws dealing with redemption (especially those laws having reference to the shedding of blood) have been done away with in their outward form. This does not mean, however, that the shedding of blood is no longer required by God. Salvation can only come through the shedding of blood: 'And according to the Law, one may almost say, all things are cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness' (Hebrews 9:22 cf. Leviticus 17:11) "...The law was never to be a means by which an individual obtains righteousness, but it has always been a standard by which we measure righteousness. In the area of civil government, if the law is done away with, then what will be the standard for righteousness? (emphasis is mine) If it is not the law of God then it will be the law of men." Good point. Robert L. Dabney in his Lectures in Systematic Theology; page 357, states, "The very particulars in which it is pretended Jesus amended, softened, and completed the moral law, are stated just as distinctly, although perhaps not as forcibly in all cases, by Moses and the prophets, in their expositions of the Decalogue [Ten Commandments]...Christ, in His Sermon on the Mount, then, and other places, rebukes and corrects, not the law itself, nor the Old Testament interpretations of the law, but the erroneous and wicked corruptions foisted upon it by traditions and Pharisaic glosses. The moral law could not be completed [added to], because it is as perfect as God, of whose character it is the impress and transcript. It cannot be abrogated or relaxed, because it is as immutable [unchangeable] as He." Interesting, is it not? So far we see Jesus upholding the moral law of God because He was/is God in the flesh--same character and attributes as the Father God. Therefore, He came not to do away with Old Testament law, but to correct its godless application by the religious element of the day--the Pharisees and scribes. These religious groups had become a law unto themselves--interpreting it as they desired to exact revenge or dole out a trumped-up justice. (They later arrest Jesus on trumped-up charges.) Jesus was not attacking the law of God but the religious element that made the law a burden for the people. Jesus was not an anarchist but acknowledged that all civil authorities were subject to God's law. Again, let's turn to the Book. Jesus made statements throughout the Gospel books of the New Testament, supporting civil government. He told tax collectors for the Roman government that they should not get out of the business. But, rather, just be fair in their assessments and collections. He told those involved in military service--Roman Centurions--that they should not use their position of authority and power as a way of extorting favors from those under their rule. Both these positions--tax collectors and military personnel--are a legitimate occupation for the running of any civil government (Ibid. page 108, Gary DeMar). I think it interesting that the Bible never slanders a Roman Centurion. As a matter of fact, every Centurion in the Bible is spoken about in a favorable way, even the one who acknowledged the Son of God on the Cross. Even Jesus said in regards to the Centurion of Matthew chapter eight that He had never seen a greater faith in anyone in Israel. The Centurion was a man under authority; therefore, he understood how authority worked. He told Jesus to just give the order, the command, and his servant would be healed. He, the Centurion, was used to receiving orders and giving them to young soldiers who would die in battle because of the orders. His faith in Jesus caused Him to "marvel." Further more, Jesus did not rebuke Peter for carrying a sword that he used to strike the high priest's servant in the Garden. He rebuked Peter for using the sword unlawfully. He said, "All those who take up the sword [unlawfully] shall perish by the sword [lawfully]" (Matthew 26:52). A man can not take action against his enemies without lawful cause. The laws of the state determine the rules of engagement. And the law of the state is ordained or sanctioned by God (Romans 13). Men who fill positions of civil government may be evil, but the civil government as a whole is not evil but sanctioned by God Almighty to keep and maintain lawful order in society. More on this later... Keep the faith. Stay the course. Jesus is coming one day to correct the injustices of men. The Bible says so. Pastor T.
Pastors a small church in Broken Arrow, OK. U.S. Navy veteran of the Viet Nam era (Corpsman), and a retired police officer with the city of Tulsa. Father of three grown children and grandfather of two--one rests in the arms of Jesus in heaven. |
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