What type of government is best?
Does God tell us in the Bible, or did Jesus describe it?
Our world today is a mess: the government is in turmoil; our institutions are corrupt and failing in their missions; our colleges and universities have abandoned education in favor of leftist indoctrination; our media both news and social has lost all credibility; our culture seems closer to massive civil disturbance than anytime since the war between the states.
There is rampant racial and cultural hatred and distrust on every level – from our churches, our institutions, our government and our media to our personal conversations.
We are no longer able to discuss our cultural and social problems and try to find solutions because saying the wrong thing at the wrong time can cost one their job and their reputation as well as possibly losing friends and even family.
Guidance from the Bible concerning governments and rulers is non-existent!
Search the scriptures from Matthew 1:1 to Revelation 22:9 and you’ll find no direction given by Jesus to those who are the leaders in government or those in the public who support or conspire against government – other than, of course, the same principles which apply to every individual.
The statement that comes closest to Jesus’ commenting on government is this one:
22 Is it lawful for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not?”
23 But He perceived their craftiness1, and said to them, “Why do you test Me? 24 Show Me a denarius. Whose image and inscription does it have?”
They answered and said, “Caesar’s.”
25 And He said to them, “Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” [Luke 20:22–25 (NKJV)
Why is that? Why didn’t Jesus tell us what type of government we should have; what type of constitution under which we should live; whether we should have “democracy”, or a “republic” or whether we should be ruled by a “king”?
Why not tell us whether we should have a government that takes money from the “rich” and gives it to the “poor”? Why not tell us whether He approved more of democracy or “socialism” or “communism” or the rule of a king? Why not tell us whether we should have a “government” or live in anarchy?
Because God doesn’t work that way!
God’s default position for each and every individual is personal liberty.
Except for the first 11 chapters of Genesis – the first book in the Bible – the whole Bible is the history of the descendants of Abraham and the nation created by God – the nation of Israel. The only time other nations and people are mentioned or described in the Bible is a result of their contact with Abraham’s descendants.
A look at the governments of Israel provides some insight into God’s preferred form of government of the people.
The rule of the Patriarchs (and most other social structures at that time – up until Israel escaped Egyptian bondage ~1400 BC) was one as “head of household”.
From the time of the Exodus until Israel’s first king – ~ 1050 BC – Israel was led by a prophet or a “judge” with direct communication with God.
Beginning with Moses and ending the the “judge” Samuel, the Israelites were governed by:
- “Heads of households” answered to tribal leaders who settled disputes and provided civil safety
- Tribal leaders would confer with other tribal leaders to settle disputes between tribes. Each tribe had their own “men at arms” to deal with outside threats like wild animals or raiders from other nations.
- When tribal leaders could not settle disputes or the nation or portions of it were threatened by outside combatants, they depended on the Prophet or the recognized “judge” over Israel to provide guidance obtained directly from God.
Otherwise, each individual was free to do what they pleased so long as they supported their family and the tribe and caused no harm to others.
Since our Creator knows human nature – mankind is naturally opposed to God – He never advocated that an individual give his or her loyalty to any but their family and their tribes and – in a most general way – to the nation of Israel.
Giving power to any man or group – anyone other than family or tribal leaders – was always discouraged as the Creator knows how easily that man and/or that group can become corrupt.
John Dalberg-Acton (Lord Acton 1834–1902) stated the truth succinctly:
“Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.2”
When Israel rebelled against God and demanded a king, God allowed that to happen but his warning through the judge and prophet Samuel against “strong, central government” is still applicable today.
6 But when they said, “Give us a king to lead us,” this displeased Samuel; so he prayed to the Lord. 7 And the Lord told him: “Listen to all that the people are saying to you; it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king.
8 As they have done from the day I brought them up out of Egypt until this day, forsaking me and serving other gods, so they are doing to you. 9 Now listen to them; but warn them solemnly and let them know what the king who will reign over them will do.”
10 Samuel told all the words of the Lord to the people who were asking him for a king.
11 He said, “This is what the king who will reign over you will do: He will take your sons and make them serve with his chariots and horses, and they will run in front of his chariots. 12 Some he will assign to be commanders of thousands and commanders of fifties, and others to plow his ground and reap his harvest, and still others to make weapons of war and equipment for his chariots.
13 He will take your daughters to be perfumers and cooks and bakers. 14 He will take the best of your fields and vineyards and olive groves and give them to his attendants. 15 He will take a tenth of your grain and of your vintage and give it to his officials and attendants. 16 Your menservants and maidservants and the best of your cattle and donkeys he will take for his own use. 17 He will take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves will become his slaves.
18 When that day comes, you will cry out for relief from the king you have chosen, and the Lord will not answer you in that day.” [1 Samuel 8:6–18 (NIV84)]
That is exactly what happened to Israel again and again: first with Saul, then even with the benevolent dictatorships of David and Solomon, each of these who were “good” men became corrupt and brought tragedy, oppression, suffering and even death to many Israelites with their powerful central governments.
From the coronation of King Saul of Israel to the time of the Christ, our Lord Jesus, God never again spoke directly to a political leader of either the Israelites or the Jews
Neither Saul nor David nor Solomon spoke directly with God – other than a brief conversation with Solomon at the dedication of Solomon’s temple in which He warned Solomon of the consequences if Solomon violated His laws.
Instead God would send His prophets to advise Israel and Judah’s kings of their sins and the consequences of those sins. But, as God prophesied through Moses:
16 And the Lord said to Moses: “You are going to rest with your fathers, and these people will soon prostitute themselves to the foreign gods of the land they are entering. They will forsake me and break the covenant I made with them. 17 On that day I will become angry with them and forsake them; I will hide my face from them, and they will be destroyed. Many disasters and difficulties will come upon them, and on that day they will ask, ‘Have not these disasters come upon us because our God is not with us?’ 18 And I will certainly hide my face on that day because of all their wickedness in turning to other gods. Deuteronomy 31:16–18 (NIV84)
Now, read verse I Samuel 8:18 above again and see if it makes sense why our prayers for healing of our culture and society seem to remain unanswered.
God’s “true religion” is personal: “Love God with your heart, soul and mind and your neighbor as yourself.”
Our world today is the product of our God-given “free will”. It is the culmination of the choices made by the people of this culture and – and to much less extent – the people of other cultures.
After all, our centralized government is engulfing every more power with each passing day and the problems in our culture have largely been the result of that amassing of power by the few – the “elites” – who are determined to control our lives from cradle to grave.
Each of us is responsible before God and our neighbors to live by God’s laws which are all personal. Were most of us accepting that responsibility and acting accordingly, our world would straighten itself out.
Even today, there are thousands upon thousands of Christians who are doing their best and surviving in this corrupt culture.
Has God abandoned His people? Of course not!
We have this promise, relayed by the Apostle Peter:
9 So the Lord knows how to save those who serve him when troubles come. He will hold evil people and punish them, while waiting for the Judgment Day. 10 That punishment is especially for those who live by doing the evil things their sinful selves want and who hate authority. These false teachers are bold and do anything they want. They are not afraid to speak against the angels. 2 Peter 2:9–10 (NCV)
Our media, our educational establishment and our government contain many of those “false teachers” who are “not afraid to speak against the angels” – and much less concerned when they speak against God’s people and their way of life. Christianity is under attack both from within our culture and outside it.
However, as the Bible and history each clearly shows, it has always been and always will be that way.
But Jesus said of His church:
“the gates of hell will not prevail against it.” Matthew 16:18
The only teaching on government found in the New Testament comes from the Apostle Paul in his letter to the church in Rome [Romans 13:1–7] with this admonition:
5 …… submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also because of conscience. 6 This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God’s servants, who give their full time to governing. 7 Give everyone what you owe him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor. Romans 13:5–7 (NIV84)
A true Christian is the best citizen any nation could have!
But what if those authorities are corrupt? Thank God for our founding “fathers” who gave us the responsibility and possibility of voting those people out of office. It’s our choice: stay home on election day and accept whatever the outcome or get off our duffs and vote for the best people running for government offices and against those who are more corrupt.
Based on all the turmoil of the election of November 3, 2020, we need to insist that our state, county and local officials who bear the responsibility for administering elections insure that there is as little fraud as possible.
No matter what is your political philosophy, good people should insist on open, fair and accurate recording of all the vote from legitimate voters.
“Loving our neighbor as ourselves” includes being respectful of others even when we disagree sharply with their views on government and culture. Persuade them if we can, but respect their right to disagree.
10 You, then, why do you judge your brother? Or why do you look down on your brother? For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat. 11 It is written: “‘As surely as I live,’ says the Lord, ‘every knee will bow before me; every tongue will confess to God.’”
12 So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God
. Romans 14:10–12 (NIV84)
If God’s people will first clean up their own house – get themselves and their families right with God – and strive to live by God’s ways, that action will speak louder and more forcefully than any sermon from any preacher, or any political speech from any politician or any essay or book from any writer or any broadcast on radio or television or any posting on social media like Facebook.
If we want our world to be a better place to live and work and raise our families, it’s up to you and me to do our part. Correct our own lives, teach others (when they ask for help) and do what we can to make the world a little better for our having passed through it.
