#CHURCHTALK 05: What Does the Bible Say About Government?

Is the Bible silent on political, socio-economic, and general issues related to governance and civil authority? The answer is NO. And this edition of #ChurchTalk will beam its light on that.

Today's #ChurchTalk focuses on all the instructions that are giving in the Bible regarding government and civil authority, and also what the citizens' (especially Christian citizens') response should be towards them.

1.   Romans 13:1-2 [NLT] 
1. Everyone must submit to governing authorities. For all authority comes from God, and those in positions of authority have been placed there by God.
2. So anyone who rebels against authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and they will be punished.

Here, we see that the scriptures quite clearly command three things: acceptance of any constituted civil authority, submission to any constituted civil authority, and the rejection of sabotage, treason or treasonous acts against a constituted authority. It declares sabotage or treason punishable because it regards it as an affront to God's authority and soveringty in appointing rulers on earth.

#OccupyNigeria protesters hold placards, shout slogans on Ikorodu road in Nigeria's commercial capital, Lagos, January 3, 2012 to reject government's new subsidy removal policy. | Photo credit: VOAnews

However, a quick clarification needs to be made here: When the Apostle Paul wrote this letter, he was writing to Christians who were under the rulership of a Roman emperor. That monarchy system of government has since been very largely replaced with the democratic system of governance that now exists in many countries around the world today. And, it is important to keep in mind that what constitutes "opposition" under both systems is different too.

Whereas in a monarchy, a simple disagreement with a statement or instruction given by the king or queen could very well be considered opposition and dissent, even if it violates your personal rights, it is not so under a democracy. In democracies, opposing views are not disallowed or punished, but are rather allowed and debated. And if you don't like what the government instructs in a particular issue, there are several instruments that you can lawfully use to express your displeasure or dissent, including the courts, civil protests and civil disobedience. The Bible does not condemn these.

Leaders of the #BringBackOurGirls campaign in 2014 protesting in Abuja against what they described as government's inaction in the face of kidnap of 276 Chibok school girls by the Boko Haram terrorist group

However, what the Bible condemns clearly in both systems of government is sabotage, treason or treasonous acts. According to Merriam-Webster's Dictionary, treason is the offense of attempting by overt acts to overthrow the government of the state to which the offender owes allegiance, or in a monarchy, to kill or personally injure the sovereign or the sovereign's family. Also, it is when a person engages in acts that are meant to hinder or disrupt the powers of state from carrying out their functions lawfully.

2.   Psalms 22:28 [AMP] 
28. For the kingship and the kingdom are the Lord’s, and He is the ruler over the nations.

The scripture clearly declares God's ownership and sovereignty over both the government and the governed. This shows that He plays a great role in uniting both. In fact, this verse reveals that there may never have been (nor can be) a successful division between the state and faith, since they both are under God's control and order.

In November, 2016, against all odds, political calculations and polls, Donald John Trump won the US presidential election with an unprecedented electoral college victory, beating popular candidate Hillary Clinton in what is still described till date as an act of God's intervention. 

3.   Romans 13:3-4 [NLT] 
3. For the authorities do not strike fear in people who are doing right, but in those who are doing wrong. Would you like to live without fear of the authorities? Do what is right, and they will honor you.
4. The authorities are God’s servants, sent for your good. But if you are doing wrong, of course you should be afraid, for they have the power to punish you. They are God’s servants, sent for the very purpose of punishing those who do what is wrong.

This shows that one of the primary duties of government is to search out for and punish wrong doers. By inference, this means that their primary duty is to uphold the law and prevent a breakdown of law and order, or a degeneration into lawlessness. And because it is a primary duty, failing at it will have consequences both for the government (loss of credibility and trust) and the governed (chaos, resulting in unlimited socio-economic losses).

In April, 2018, ousted South Korean President, Park Geun-hye was sentenced to 24 years imprisonment on corruption charges. She was the 1st female president of the Asian giant. 

4.   Romans 13:6-7 [NLT]
6. Pay your taxes, too, for these same reasons. For government workers need to be paid. They are serving God in what they do.
7. Give to everyone what you owe them: Pay your taxes and government fees to those who collect them, and give respect and honor to those who are in authority.

The scriptures command payment of taxes to the government for the purpose of financing its activities. It also commands that we respect and honor those who are in authority.

5.   Matthew 22:16-22 [NLT] 
16. They sent some of their disciples, along with the supporters of Herod, to meet with him. “Teacher,” they said, “we know how honest you are. You teach the way of God truthfully. You are impartial and don’t play favorites.
17. Now tell us what you think about this: Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not?”
18. But Jesus knew their evil motives. “You hypocrites!” he said. “Why are you trying to trap me?
19. Here, show me the coin used for the tax.” When they handed him a Roman coin,
20. he asked, “Whose picture and title are stamped on it?”
21. “Caesar’s,” they replied. “Well, then,” he said, “give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and give to God what belongs to God.”
22. His reply amazed them, and they went away.

Jesus Christ Himself commanded the payment of taxes, and in deed paid his own taxes too while he was alive.

In December, 2018, President Trump signed into law a sweeping Tax Cuts and Jobs Act which encouraged working Americans to keep more of their monies, and corporations operating within the US to reinvest their more of their profits, increase their wages, and create more jobs. 

But let's look at verses 20 and 21 a bit. Jesus makes an inference that paying taxes to Caesar was simply akin to returning to him what was already his (since the coin bore his image). Then, He also says we should give to God what belongs to God. He didn't go on further to name what belongs to God which we should give.

But, from his inference, we can deduce that the only thing in our possession which bears God's image is ourselves. We are made in the image of God. Hence, we could read Jesus' statement there as, "Give money back to government who created it, and give yourselves back to God who created you". Lastly, from here, we can also learn that money is not God's creation, but rather governments', and that God recognizes it so.

6.   Proverbs 21:1 [NLT]
1. The king’s heart is like a stream of water directed by the Lord; he guides it wherever he pleases. 

Here, the scripture shows us the mechanism by which God controls the decisions of government and civil authorities - by guiding their hearts just like He guides the rivers of water that flow. And He does so according to His will, not the peoples'.

In March, 2015, incumbent President of Nigeria and presidential candidate of the People's Democratic Party, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, in an unprecedented move, called his opponent, General Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress hours before final collation of results, to concede defeat and congratulate him for winning the election. He is the first incumbent president to be defeated in an election in the nation's history. 

This verse is both reassuring and instructive. Reassuring because it makes people of faith confident that God is in control of the decisionmaking mechanism in government, and certainly directs them in the way that He wants them to go.

The verse is also instructive because it shows people of faith who they need to talk to when their protests and cries to the government have fallen on deaf ears.

7.   Deuteronomy 16:18-20 [NLT] 
18. “Appoint judges and officials for yourselves from each of your tribes in all the towns the Lord your God is giving you. They must judge the people fairly.
19. You must never twist justice or show partiality. Never accept a bribe, for bribes blind the eyes of the wise and corrupt the decisions of the godly.
20. Let true justice prevail, so you may live and occupy the land that the Lord your God is giving you.

The judicial system is wholesale an establishment of God, as the mechanism for dispensing justice in a society in a bid to keep the society in peace and order. And the judicial officers (who are the umpires) in this system are meant to be appointed by the leadership of the government. This is exactly the practice in a democracy, and that explains why democracy is the only system of government that is closest to Godly ethics and values.

All 9 Justices of the US Supreme Court pose for their official photo at the Supreme Court in Washington, D.C., Nov. 30, 2018. From left: Associate Justice Neil Gorsuch, Associate Justice Sonia Sotomayor, Associate Justice Elena Kagan and Associate Justice Brett Kavanaugh. Seated from left to right, Associate Justice Stephen Breyer, Associate Justice Clarence Thomas, Chief Justice John Roberts, Associate Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Associate Justice Samuel Alito. | Photo credit: ABCnews

God's only command to judicial officers is that they must be fair or righteous in delivering judgment. To this end, He commands them never to take a bribe. As the only custodian of law enforcement, the judicial system must be seen to be above reproach. Where it fails to demonstrate this, it loses its credibility and legitimacy. This, in itself, can lead to a large scale breakdown of law and order.

8.   Titus 3:1 [AMP]
1. Remind people to be submissive to [their] magistrates and authorities, to be obedient, to be prepared and willing to do any upright and honorable work,

Scripture commands that the governed give support to the governing authorities, and be ready and willing to support them in any proper way to deliver good governance. The key words are "upright and honorable work". So, if what the government demands from you cannot be qualified as such, then you are right to stand by scripture in refusing to do same.

Delegates of the Christian Association of Nigeria praying for then-President Goodluck Jonathan. 

9.   2 Timothy 2:1-2 [NLT]
1. I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them.
2. Pray this way for kings and all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity.

Here, the scripture appears to recognize the dangers and negative tendencies that are inherent to leaders, especially as a result of their positions. So, it urges that prayers should be made for them, to overcome those negative tendencies and lead Godly and dignified lives as good examples to the governed.

In Conclusion, what new thing have you learnt from today's edition of #ChurchTalk about what the Bible says about government? Please share your comments and questions in the comments section below.
Thank you.


Chukwubuikem Paul Anunaso is a civil/structural engineer. He is also the editor of The Paul Anunaso Blog, and can be reached at anunaso.cp@gmail.com


Please participate by leaving your comments or questions about today's #ChurchTalk in the comments section below. Feel free to also discuss on social media platforms using the hashtag #ChurchTalk. 



Also, please suggest a #ChurchTalk topic for subsequent consideration, and we may feature it in the next edition of #ChurchTalk. Send suggestions to thepaulanunasoblog@gmail.com 



Thanks for reading and participating.