Awaiting the Perfect Government
I’ve heard it said that government exists because we live in a sinful and fallen world, and without authority we would have chaos. To this I say yes—and no.
No, because scripture does not teach that authority exists as a result of the fall. On the contrary, God has exercised it from all eternity, “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever…” (Ps. 45:6). And God has been delegating authority at least since the day he gave mankind “dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth” (Gen 1:26). All this before sin entered the world. Scripture also tells us that after Christ returns and sets up his kingdom, “kings of the earth will bring their glory into” the New Jerusalem. So even after the restoration of all things, there will be earthly government. (Rev 5:9-10, 21:24)
Government was always part of God’s plan. God governed man directly. Man and woman, made in His image, were both created to carry out and submit to His authority as they govern the rest of creation. Sin was a rebellion against God’s government as Adam and Eve submitted to the words of Satan and their own desires rather than those of God. Humanity has been rejecting the authority and government of God ever since.
But, the saying is true in that were it not for authority structures, we would have chaos. Mankind, for a brief time in Eden, needed and enjoyed only minimal government. But once sin entered the world, the floodgates of evil were opened, along with the need for more extensive government to keep chaos at bay. It is a mercy of God that He has not left us without government.
Even though all human government currently consists of rebels governing rebels, and even though every human ruler is as fallen as the people he or she governs, God still reigns supreme and accomplishes all His purposes. Even in rebellion, fallen humanity is directed and restrained by God, via the law He has written on their hearts, via His mysterious providence, and, as we’re discussing now, via human government. All of these are means God uses to restrain us, preventing us from being as evil as we can be. Each of these, though resisted at every turn, is a blessing to sinful humanity.
Today, as I see my own nation—built on principles of self-government—failing to govern itself, I grieve. Yet I’m thankful that God has not toppled our government and left us to chaos. So, instead of complaining, I do my best (for what it’s worth) to respect the government He has given us, to be thankful for it, prayerful for it, and subject to it—insofar as it does not require me to sin against God—recognizing it as an institution established by God for our good. And I joyfully anticipate the New Heavens and the New Earth where all government will glorify Him, and where nothing but righteousness will dwell (2 Pt 3:13).
(See: Job 42:2, Is 46:10, Jer 10:23, Ps 33:10-11, Prov 16:9, 19:21, Dan 4:34-35, Lam 3:37-38, 1 Tim 2:1-2 Rom 1:18-21, 2:12-15, 13:1-7 )
