Civil Government and Spiritual Government

Governments are God's ordained. Jesus taught that the government should work in harmony with the church and should recognize its sovereignty in spiritual matters (Matt. 22:21). Our second institution established by God family (Eph. 5:22–32, 1 Pet. 3:1–7).

You may say, “Well, that’s a different government than today.” Yeah, you know whose government that was? Nero’s! Nero’s government.

BIBLE: According to Scriptures government is ordained of God. Government, as such, is ordained of God. It has been corrupted, obviously, but the institution is still ordained of God. Government represents God’s rule in the world. It is God’s way of ordering society. Even the worst of governments around the world, still part of God's ordained government, simply to secure the good and punish the evil.(Rom. 13:1–7) It is an easy topic but NOT easy to accept the fact. Therefore, God allowed fallible man to run for government such as Hitler, Stalin, Rwanda and others. God is the one who began the process of government. Back in the Book of Genesis, God gave the right of capital punishment to government.

Civil government should recognize the sovereignty of other God-ordained institutions (Church, Family) because civil government is necessary and divinely ordained by God (Rom. 13:1–7). We are called to render service and obedience as to submit to civil authority (1 Pet. 2:13–17 ; Matt. 22:21). Even though the Government is God-ordained but human (sinners) are leading governments are also guilty of injustice however Christians should not stop working for justice or cease to be concerned about human rights.

We just have to be careful how we disrupt God's ordained government as First Peter 2:13 says "Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every authority instituted among men." Colossians 4:5 Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. 1 Thessalonians 4:12 so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders. People who accept and respect a person's refusal to submit must have strong influences to make things change without negative affect.

Therefore, human government is an institution of God.

You may say, “But what about the right to kill?” or “What about that? Doesn’t that violate the standards of the scripture?”

BIBLE: Turn to Romans 13. Romans 13 gives us a good picture of the relationship that we are to have to government.

You may say, “Well, you know, the scripture says here, ‘Let every soul be subject to the higher powers. There’s no power but of God.’”

BIBLE The “powers that be” are ordained of God! “Whosoever, therefore, resists the power, resists the ordinance of God, and they that resist shall receive to themselves judgment.”

You may say, “Well, that’s a different government than today. Yeah, you know whose government that was? Nero’s! Nero’s government.

BIBLE: According to Scriptures government is ordained of God. Government, as such, is ordained of God. It has been corrupted, obviously, but the institution is still ordained of God. Government represents God’s rule in the world. It is God’s way of ordering society. Even the worst of governments around the world, still part of God's ordained government, simply to secure the good and punish the evil. In 1 Corinthians 13, verse 3: “For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil.” You don’t have to fear the law enforcement if you obey the law. That’s what it says. “Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? Do that which is good and thou shalt have praise of the same.” Whatever country you live in, you must obey as long as you don't violate God's holiness.

Even Jesus submitted to the Roman Government simply because He ordained them Himself. He died under Roman's Capital Punishment.

The law enforcement is in view: “The man given the power of keeping order in the government is a minister of”—what? “Of God.” “A minister of God to thee for good. But if you do that which is evil”—what? “Be afraid.” Why? “For he bears not the sword in vain, for he is the minister of God and avenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil.”

God gave the governments the sword and He gave them the sword to use. This is to keep goodness prevalent and evil subdued. If you will read I Peter 2:14, “Governors we are to be subject to as under them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers.” That’s the law enforcement. They are sent for the punishment of evildoers. They do not bear the sword in vain.

Peter and the apostles had opportunities to say, "We ought to obey God rather than men." The only time Christians can violate God's government is when a Christian is asked to disobey God. You can read many Bible characters including Daniel disobey the Government out of principle rather than simple disobience.

During the time of Hitler, Bonhoeffer was being force to sign with Hitler's view of Christian church which of course he refused which lead to Bonhoeffer's plan to disobey Hitler and eventually that disobedient got himself hanged.

If you don't like the laws, get involved and change it without total rebellious. Just simply say "I disagree" MLK and Rosa Parks did. Corrie Ten Boom disagreed with Hitler and hid the jews. Dietrich Bonhoeffer disagreed and got hanged. Daniel's friends of the Old Testament disagreed and got thrown into the furnace (Daniel 3:6 Whoever does not fall down and worship will immediately be thrown into a blazing furnace."). Later Daniel and his friends earned respects from others in Daniel 6:4 "At this, the administrators and the satraps tried to find grounds for charges against Daniel in his conduct of government affairs, but they were unable to do so. They could find no corruption in him, because he was trustworthy and neither corrupt nor negligent."

Personally, I am against death penalty, biblically, I support the death penalty if a person clearly did the crime of killing another person (without any reasonable doubt). Studying government biblically for many years, I have learned so much in each topic in the bible.

Romans 13:4
In KJV: For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil.

NIV: For he is God's servant to do you good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword for nothing. He is God's servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer.

In the New Testament, Matthew 26:52 and Acts 25:11, the sword means kill. The "Sword" was not used to spank someone, but to kill them. Jesus was referring sword as "shall perish with the sword." Perish means death.

In Greek for SWORD, it is ajpovllumi , Strong's # 622, the translated word for greek is Apollumi. Perish is defined as to destroy; to put out of the way entirely, abolish, put an end to ruin; render useless; to kill; to declare that one must be put to death; metaph. to devote or give over to eternal misery in hell; to perish, to be lost, ruined, destroyed.

So, when Paul was using the word "Sword" in Romans 13 means death. In Genesis 9:6: “Whoso sheddeth man’s blood, by man shall his blood be shed, for in the image of God made He man.” Because of the sanctity of man, because he is created in the image of God, God instituted a life for a life, an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, etc. Murder is a crime against God in whose image man is made—it defiles God—so capital punishment is required. God instituted capital punishment. Therefore, ONLY GOD can remove the capital punishment. In the Old Testament laws are discussed into three general categories: moral, ceremonial, and civil. Civil and Moral laws have not been touched by Christ because there is no need to change because they are considered timeless, eternal, and universal, based on God's own character. Christ came to FULFILL the law, not destroy the law. Moral laws are God's laws for His followers while Civil laws are for His followers that Governments are ordained by Him. One of the example of the Civil law is Judges and jurors selected by human criteria, rather than by God's standards. (See Exodus 18:21-22). "Thou shall not murder" is also STILL a law. Since government do no murder, instead, they use the term "capital punishment".

Capital Punishment Philosophies and Reasonings:
In humanism term, death penalty is wrong.

In Christian's reasoning, death penalty is wrong.

The Bible says differently.
We all can think of helping the criminals to avoid harsh punishment like death penalty. We often forget the victims of the cimes. The victims are aways invisibile in this situation. No one speaks for them. Especially children when sexual predators are out there abusing and killing kids for their sexual pleasures.

In the last 20 years, I have been seeing so much advocacy for the criminals and little advocacy for the victims. Our laws are so relaxed that they do not cause fear in the criminals' minds. Criminals usually do not have a conscience to respect other human beings.

This is from PAUL:
Romans 13:3 says: "Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and he will commend you." Verse 4 says: "if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword for nothing. He is God's servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer." Verse 5 says: Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also because of conscience.

This is from PETER
1 Peter 2:13-17 Verse 14 says: "submit to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right." Verse 15-16 says: "For it is God's will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish men. Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God."

There is a balance view of respecting God's creation and how we ought to protect the innocents who would be a victim of future crimes that may kill them.

If God says: "Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed; for in the image of God has God made man."

I will abide His law. I have not seen on clear passage from the New Testament that He removed this CIVIL law.

My personal thought (with the help from the Holy Spirit on this): In over-all, I support the death penalty if a person clearly did the crime of killing another person (without doubt).

The main theme of this issue at hand really turned out to be taking the life of someone else. Another issue have been brought up was that governments can become corrupt. Let me go through the list of different theories and reasonings.

Social Argument: "Capital punishment does not restrain crime."

Penal Argument: "Capital punishment does not rehabilitate the criminal."

Moral Argument: "Capital punishment does not reflect love."

Pacifist Argument: "Capital punishment does not rectify evil. Two wrongs don’t make a right."

Christian Argument: "Capital punishment could snatch sinners out of heaven before salvation. Our efforts should be on salvation, not condemnation."

Christian with Human Reasoning Argument: We humans don't exactly have a sterling record of being fair when it comes to the administration of justice, unlike God. God did say "thou shall not kill" so that means governments should not kill.

Biblical Argument: Capital punishment as a fact of life, the consequences of a criminal act which is one of God's eternal laws that really there is no question about. A man condemned to die on death row is there because of his own actions. He murdered and it is simply coming back to him. God told Moses, "I AM, that I AM." God said "Thou shall not MURDER" (Notice that He did NOT say "thou shall not kill").
Exodus 20:13
NIV: You shall not murder.
NLT: Do not murder.
KJV: Thou shalt not kill (in hebrew "murder").
ESV: You shall not murder
NKJV: You shall not murder

Hebrew Word for MURDER: Xcr Transliterated Word: ratsach The Hebrew word for MURDER covers causing human death through carelessness or negligence, to murder, slay. (Qal) to murder, slay, premeditated, accidental as avenger, slayer, kill (intentional) (participle) (Niphal) to be slain (Piel) to murder, assassinate murderer, assassin (participle)(subst). "We reap what we sow" The scripture teaches, if nothing else, that we are all accountable for our own actions. Sow love, and love will be returned. If you want friendship, the bible says "show yourself friendly." Jesus told Peter that those who live by the sword will die by the sword. (I am sure you know what happened, it was when Peter cut off a soldier's ear).

I may be harsh but I am looking at the victims more than I am looking at the criminals. This is why we have victims ministry as well as prision ministry. There are more prision ministries than there are victims ministries. We are to bear one another (victimes) as Galatians 6:2 says "Bear one another's burdens"

I do believe very much in being a responsible Christian citizen. But that responsibility is defined for the Christian by the Bible but no humanism reasoning. Christ have not given us a political agenda, but a spiritual mandate to proclaim the Gospel and disciple the nations (Matthew 28:19-20). Christians can work with non-Christians (& government) in attempting to promote justice and civic peace because it is good for all people, not just Christians (Galatians 6:10; 1 Thessalonians 5:15).