A Government's Responsibility

The Role of Earthly Government

Congress, The President, and The Supreme Court are the 3 branches of Power in America

When speaking about a government's responsibility, we must do so with respect to what God expects and not according to us as citizens. God is the judge because of His right as the creator of all things. At the great White Throne judgment it will be God's Omniscience that will display the motives of men's hearts and their lies will not prevail. Revelation 20:12 tells us, "And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened.. " In the previous verse, the great are those who took to themselves the responsibility of governing (GOD'S PEOPLE) and not their own peoople because they created no one. However, the adage, "Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely" is all too true in every age. Only the Spirit of God can properly humble a man in power or any person for that matter.

I. A GOVERNMENT'S RESPONSIBILITY IS TO SERVE GOD

The Apostle Peter, when writing to believers and referring to them as Alien's, instructed them in chapter 2:13, "Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether to a king as the one in authority, 14 or to governors as sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and the praise of those who do right. 15 For such is the will of God that by doing right you may silence the ignorance of foolish men."

It is the behavior of doing what is right that silences the ignorance of foolish men; And according to scripture it is "The fool who has said in his heart that there is no God." Nowhere does Peter validate believers who by submitting to earthly rulers do wrong. In the entirety of the previous chapter Peter instructed his readers to live as those set apart from the world to serve God as Jesus the Son of God did. The believer's responsibility is to submit for the Lord's sake, not to satisfy earthly and disobedient rulers. When earthly rulers do right we submit and prove to be followers of Christ, when they do evil, we are to stand against them and prove Jesus right.

"21For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps, 22 WHO COMMITTED NO SIN, NOR WAS ANY DECEIT FOUND IN HIS MOUTH; 23 and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously."

1 Peter 1:21-23

II A GOVERMENT'S RESPONSIBILITY IS DESIGNATED BY GOD

Romans 13 further clarifies God's call for governments, which will also be the measure by which they will be judged. 1 "Every person is to be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God. 2 Therefore whoever resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God; and they who have opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves. 3 For rulers are not a cause of fear for good behavior, but for evil."

Since the rise of the Holy Roman Catholic Church, nations have risen to the place of first among the nations, and these nations have appropriated some of the teachings of Jesus Christ, but gradually they either completely usurped His authority over the "Church" or turned from Him completely. In this way, God's righteous anger fell, and they fell from prominence.

III A GOVERNMENT'S RESPONSIBILITY IS NO LESS THAN THAT OF BELIEVERS

Romans 13:8, "Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law. 9 For this, "YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT ADULTERY, YOU SHALL NOT MURDER, YOU SHALL NOT STEAL, YOU SHALL NOT COVET," and if there is any other commandment, it is summed up in this saying, "YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF." 10 Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law."

God does not allow Kingdoms to stand for long that abandon and trample underfoot His Son for their evil deeds. We know America's days are numbered, but how long is unknown. The promises made to Abraham, the patriarchs, and to Israel will not remain unfulfilled. The "Church" is not the new Israel; there is no scriptural warrant for such a teaching. Israel has faced persecution from the world for two main reasons: the first is the rejection of the Messiah, who came to Israel first. The second reason is that Israel, above all other nations, by God's sovereign choice and not for any other reason, has been given God's law, the promises of leading the nations, and two covenants, not just one. Furthermore, the most significant place of blessing above all others is the Messiah, born of Hebrew blood, and destined to sit on the throne of David.

"Now while the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them a question: "What do you think about the Christ, whose son is He?" They said to Him, "The son of David." He said to them, "Then how does David in the Spirit call Him 'Lord,' saying, 'THE LORD SAID TO MY LORD, "SIT AT MY RIGHT HAND, UNTIL I PUT YOUR ENEMIES BENEATH YOUR FEET"'? "If David then calls Him 'Lord,' how is He his son?" No one was able to answer Him a word, nor did anyone dare from that day on to ask Him another question." Matthew 22:41-46.