After the destruction of the world by water because of man’s sinfulness, God knew that without some means of restraint man would sink into total depravity and self-destruct. In Genesis 9:6 God establishes the foundation for human (civil) government; in addition, He grants it the authority to execute punishment up to and including the death penalty. Later, in chapters 21 and 22 of Exodus, God presents seven crimes which are specifically to be punished with the death penalty. He therefore armed the civil government with the “sword”, or in today’s reality, the weapons and the authority necessary to be able to apprehend, hold, convict, and gave carry out punishments as awarded by the government’s judicial system.
The defining purpose of the civil government is to restrain and punish sin/evil. Can you imagine a world without any restraint whatsoever of man’s sinfulness? It would be a situation of every man for himself. Every man would do what he considered to be right in his own eyes. Thank God for his loving provision of these wise protections and restraint.
In Romans chapter 13:1-7 Paul says how we are meant to be subject to the “higher powers” (civil governments) which are “ordained of God.” That they have been established for our good; that we are to pay “tribute” (taxes) or the cost of providing the means to restrain sin; and that we are to be good citizens. It is through such a system that “the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth” (Rom. 1:18). Of course, there are other ways that the wrath of God is so revealed, but surely the establishment of civil government provides an environment of relative safety and security for the present-day Church (the body of Christ) to flourish. Yet, the churches (the existing local bodies of believers) appear to be squandering its opportunity. It is God’s way that ability (resources) provided and not used is taken away. Judgment must begin at the house of the Lord. Attacks are coming from both within and without the church; Why? What does the future hold? Who will bear the responsibility?
