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God's Design for Government-a Unique Purpose

Before our eyes, we are seeing the machine of government unfold through various appointments of a new administration…the jockeying for position and clamor for power.  But what is the real end of government?

Civil government was first introduced after the deluge due to the prior prevalence of sin and lack of self-government.  God saw the end result of man destroying one another.  (Gen. 6:5-13)  Although self-government was originally desired by God, due to man's wickedness, He instituted the first form of "civil government":  the act of men governing other men based on authority-God's authority.  Whoever sheds man's blood, by man his blood shall be shed for in the image of God He made man."  (Gen. 9:6)

The original purpose for government certainly resulted in punishment for the individual man's sin.  However, it also provided an institution to resist the tide of wicked behavior and uplift good behavior.  This "institution"-being sent by God-and its unique "purpose" is reflected Biblically when He commanded, "Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every human institution, whether to a king as the one in authority, or to governors as sent by Him for the punishment of evildoers and the praise of those who do right." (1 Peter 2:13-14)

This godly purpose is succinctly stated in Romans 13:3, "…rulers are not a cause of fear for good behavior, but for evil…"

Such a purpose was also understood by Thomas Paine in his famous pamphlet, Common Sense, and understood by many of the colonists, who received 600,000 circulated copies throughout the colonies, prior to the War for Independence.

"Society is produced by our wants, and government by wickedness; the former promotes our happiness POSITIVELY by uniting our affections, the latter NEGATIVELY by restraining our vices.  The one encourages intercourse, the other creates distinctions.  The first is a patron, the last a punisher.

Society in every state is a blessing, but government even in its best state is but a necessary evil…Government, like dress, is the badge of lost innocence…For were the impulses of conscience clear, uniform, and irresistibly obeyed, man would need no other lawgiver; but that not being the case, he finds it necessary to surrender up a part of his property to furnish means for the protection of the rest…WHEREFORE, security being the true design and end of government, [emphasis added] it unanswerably follows that whatever FORM thereof appears most likely to ensure it to us, with the least expense and greatest benefit, is preferable to all others."  (pgs. 5-6)

Such a purpose was declared by Thomas Jefferson. "We hold these Truths to be self-evident, that all Men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness-That to secure these Rights, Governments are instituted among Men…" (Declaration of Independence)

One of my favorites is how C.S. Lewis described the limited purpose of government.  "The State exists simply to promote and to protect the ordinary happiness of human beings in this life.  A husband and wife chatting over a fire, a couple of friends having a game of darts in a pub, a man reading a book in his own room or digging in his own garden-that is what the State is there for.  And unless they are helping to increase and prolong and protect such moments, all the laws, parliaments, armies, courts, police, economics, etc., are simply a waste of time."  (Mere Christianity, pg. 199)

As Christians, only if we can maintain a clear understanding of what government is suppose to be, will we be able to lead the nation, at defining moments, in this clear understanding of the purpose of government.  And in so doing, limit government to God's purpose.

As to our sustenance, we are to look directly to God.  He did not delegate our care to the State.  He wants our petitions for our care to continue to be made directly to Him with no intervening institution.

In this latest economic crisis, the government should have been protecting the people from the greed of Wall Street.  However, on the other hand, they should certainly have nothing to do with controlling the market.  That exceeds the godly purpose for government.

My prayer, for the Christian community, is for eyes to be fully open and hearts to fully understand God's limited scope of government.  Then in those moments that God presents for us to have an impact, we will be prepared to support and proceed with a design for government notably within His will.