Gospel-friendly Government

By T. M. Moore - Posted at The Fellowship of Ailbe:

Good government is friendly to the Good News.

God’s Servant for Good (7)
Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. For this isgood and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior… 1 Timothy 2.1-3

A time to oppose
A cursory reading of Paul’s teaching about government from Romans 13 might leave the impression that whatever government demands of its people, they must be ready to perform. Some might believe Paul to be saying that we must obey whatever government tells us to do, and not resist its authority.

But that would be to misunderstand Paul’s view of government as a servant of God for good. As Paul himself demonstrated, and as Scripture teaches throughout, any government that goes beyond what God authorizes, or which ignores His good and perfect will, is susceptible to falling into corruption and decay. And at times it may be necessary to oppose such governments, even to disobey the demands they make of us (more on this in a later installment in this series).

This is especially the case where the promulgation of the Gospel is concerned.

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