Government
All civil governments are responsible to God for their actions in restraining civil evil, promoting civil good, and ensuring civil justice, which alone is their rightful purpose (Rom. 13:1-7; 1 Pet. 2:13-14).
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It is an abomination to kings to do evil, for the throne is established by righteousness.
-Proverbs 16:12
This may seem well and good to a great majority of people. Nonetheless, it must be realized that for as many people to which this may appeal, there could very well be just as many definitions of "evil," "good," and/or "justice."
So in order to know what evil is, that it might be restrained, to know what good is, that it might be promoted, and to know what justice is, that it might be ensured, all governments are responsible to act under the Lordship of Christ and His law (Ps. 2:10-12) - for He, and He alone, defines evil, good, and justice (Gen. 18:25; Deut. 32:4; Job 8:3, 34:10; Isa. 5:20; cf. Ps. 51:4).
Here is where the uproar usually begins, with the complaint that we must keep "church and state separate." However, it is not at all proposed that the church somehow be involved with restraining civil evil, promoting civil good, and ensuring civil justice in the same way the government (or "the state") is. To the contrary, there is a large separation of appropriate duties and means with regard to church and state.
The Church
To be sure, the church is to restrain civil evil, promote civil good, and ensure civil justice - but not by enacting laws, collecting taxes and organizing militia, and rendering punishments or enforcing restitution. It hasn't the power or right to do any of those things. The church is called only to encourage and command its members to abide by the civil laws (Rom. 13:1-5; 1 Pet. 2:13-14), to go about their moral business and pay their taxes (Eph. 4:28; 1 Thess. 4:11-12; Rom. 13:6-7), and to assent or acquiesce to rendered punishments or enforced restitution (Rom. 13:1-5; 1 Pet. 2:13-14) - so long as any of these are not so contrary to the Word of God to the point that one is unable to take care of his family (in a morally upright way) and to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ (1 Tim. 5:8; Acts 5:29).
The State
The State on the other hand has much more than a disposition of "encouragement." Truly, the state is given the power of the "the sword" in order to restrain civil evil, promote civil good, and ensure civil justice (Rom. 13:1-7). And it alone is given the sword in order to carry out its task of restraining civil evil, promoting civil good, and ensuring civil justice.(1) Yet again, that is the state's sole purpose.
The state is not to be entangled in the affairs of charity and mercy, education, healthcare, and a plethora of other things that have nothing to do with restraining civil evil, promoting civil good, and enforcing civil justice as defined above. As we see in Scripture, acts of charity and mercy ought to be handled by a willful society or the church (2 Cor. 9:7). Education ought to be the responsibility of the parents and/or the private stewards to which they entrust their children's education - and then later the responsibility of the children themselves (Deut. 6:4-9; Eph. 6:4). Healthcare, like any other morally praiseworthy service, is a service that ought to be up to the individuals in society who are able and willing to render that care toward others (Lk. 10:34).
So in order to know what evil is, that it might be restrained, to know what good is, that it might be promoted, and to know what justice is, that it might be ensured, all governments are responsible to act under the Lordship of Christ and His law (Ps. 2:10-12) - for He, and He alone, defines evil, good, and justice (Gen. 18:25; Deut. 32:4; Job 8:3, 34:10; Isa. 5:20; cf. Ps. 51:4).
Here is where the uproar usually begins, with the complaint that we must keep "church and state separate." However, it is not at all proposed that the church somehow be involved with restraining civil evil, promoting civil good, and ensuring civil justice in the same way the government (or "the state") is. To the contrary, there is a large separation of appropriate duties and means with regard to church and state.
The Church
To be sure, the church is to restrain civil evil, promote civil good, and ensure civil justice - but not by enacting laws, collecting taxes and organizing militia, and rendering punishments or enforcing restitution. It hasn't the power or right to do any of those things. The church is called only to encourage and command its members to abide by the civil laws (Rom. 13:1-5; 1 Pet. 2:13-14), to go about their moral business and pay their taxes (Eph. 4:28; 1 Thess. 4:11-12; Rom. 13:6-7), and to assent or acquiesce to rendered punishments or enforced restitution (Rom. 13:1-5; 1 Pet. 2:13-14) - so long as any of these are not so contrary to the Word of God to the point that one is unable to take care of his family (in a morally upright way) and to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ (1 Tim. 5:8; Acts 5:29).
The State
The State on the other hand has much more than a disposition of "encouragement." Truly, the state is given the power of the "the sword" in order to restrain civil evil, promote civil good, and ensure civil justice (Rom. 13:1-7). And it alone is given the sword in order to carry out its task of restraining civil evil, promoting civil good, and ensuring civil justice.(1) Yet again, that is the state's sole purpose.
The state is not to be entangled in the affairs of charity and mercy, education, healthcare, and a plethora of other things that have nothing to do with restraining civil evil, promoting civil good, and enforcing civil justice as defined above. As we see in Scripture, acts of charity and mercy ought to be handled by a willful society or the church (2 Cor. 9:7). Education ought to be the responsibility of the parents and/or the private stewards to which they entrust their children's education - and then later the responsibility of the children themselves (Deut. 6:4-9; Eph. 6:4). Healthcare, like any other morally praiseworthy service, is a service that ought to be up to the individuals in society who are able and willing to render that care toward others (Lk. 10:34).
So in order to truly avoid all the mess of entanglements, both church and state must act under the Lordship of Christ, according to their own rightful spheres of influence and operation which He himself has assigned them.
Does this mean the State, to some degree, must legislate morality? Yes! And there is no way around it. Even for the staunch libertarian, there are certain moral values that must be legislated (e.g. do not murder, do not rape, etc.). By nature of the case, the State must always to some degree legislate morality. But the Church and State, nonetheless, have their own distinct roles in society; yet both are to be under the Lordship of Jesus Christ. For there is no other authority (Mt. 28:18-20; Ps. 2:10-12).
Does this mean the State, to some degree, must legislate morality? Yes! And there is no way around it. Even for the staunch libertarian, there are certain moral values that must be legislated (e.g. do not murder, do not rape, etc.). By nature of the case, the State must always to some degree legislate morality. But the Church and State, nonetheless, have their own distinct roles in society; yet both are to be under the Lordship of Jesus Christ. For there is no other authority (Mt. 28:18-20; Ps. 2:10-12).
(1) We are not here saying individuals do not have the right to carry firearms or other weapons of provision or self-defense. To the contrary, they have every right to provide for and protect themselves and their families by those means. However, when it comes to matters of civil justice (not being in the course of self-defense), individuals do not have the right "take matters into their own hands" so to speak. Paul says, "Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, 'Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.'" (Rom. 12:19). But from where does this wrath and vengeance of God come? Paul answers that just a few verses later: "For he [the governing authority] is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God's wrath on the wrongdoer" (Rom. 13:4).