What is the purpose of governments? God tells us in Romans 13:1, “Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.”
God has established authority to control sin – to curb our sinful nature. Authorities establish curbs separating where an individual’s rights end and the rights of others begin. If operating properly, authorities help protect the individual and groups of people and whole nations. As we read further in Romans, this is designed for our well-being.
But all governments have strengths and weaknesses. No matter which theory of government is adopted, perfection cannot be attained. In a democracy, we strive to do our best. But a democracy is not perfect either. And unfortunately, like other forms of governance, a democracy is not immune to evil. Governments can hurt and suppress people. But with the grace of God, there are always opportunities to change for the better.
God does not run his church by the curb of the law in the sense that a government functions. While to deal with temporal issues His church needs the law, the curb does not involve Jesus. The Kingdom of God that Jesus said is not of this world, is a Kingdom of grace. The Holy Spirit shows us our sin and brings us to the grace given through Jesus Christ. Jesus is the King of His Kingdom. Being a part of the Kingdom means living in response to the love of God in Christ Jesus.
