What is the purpose of civil government? Considering the political battles raging today, as well as the history of debate and disagreement here in America one thing is clear – not everyone agrees on the answer, not even those who call themselves Christian. Despite scriptures clear declarations that governments are established by God as His “minister…for good” and “an avenger…on the one who practices evil” (Romans 13:1-7; 1 Peter 2:13-17).

To our shame some religious folk focus on the “for good” part and reject the “avenger” side. Others flip that and are all for it being “an avenger” and ignore or radically restrict the “for good” part. That’s why it is a mistake for Christians to focus on politics and civil government as their path to spiritual success. We end up joining ourselves to ungodly people while fighting over how to apply force to get our way, which is not the Gospel way (2 Corinthians 10:1-6).

As noted in yesterday’s Morning Minutes in the Bible on An American Missionary, there is a connection to an event involving King Ahab in 1 Kings 20 that illustrates today’s political divide and provides important lessons for us. When the Syrian army came out to battle against Israel they mistakenly thought they could win in the plain, but quickly learned that God rules everywhere (see our 1/26/22 video post). But when Ahab captured their king, he viewed the king as a peer and, focused on the flesh (pride of position), applied mercy instead of judgment (1 Kings 20:30-34).

In other words Ahab refused to act as God’s instrument of “punishment of evil-doers and the praise of those who do right.” Instead he praised an evil-doer because it made him seem magnanimous and benevolent (much like many today who want to force their neighbors to accept open borders and open their neighborhoods to unvetted “refugees”, though they themselves often hypocritically live in fenced and gated neighborhoods with security guards hired to keep out those who “don’t belong” and go home to sleep safely behind locked doors).

Ahab was rebuked by God’s prophet who condemned him for failing to obey His command and destroy the enemy (1 Kings 20:35-43). Thankfully we’re not under the old law, nor a theocracy, but we still have to obey God.
The individual Christians must be kind and generous, even if it exposes us to personal danger (Matthew 25, Luke 10:30-37) – and law abiding as well. Are we willing to take personal action and risk, or do we apply hashtag help and ask the state to force our neighbors to do it for us? Or do we pay the church to fulfill our individual obligation? Or do we just let everyone do whatever they will?

The duty to share the gospel is not optional either (Romans 1:15-16) and political debates detract from that work because it focuses on the flesh. Imposing so-called social justice and aggressive benevolence are one side of the carnal coin and militant law enforcement is on the other side. God’s people have mistakenly tried to use both in their effort to “convert” others, despite God’s clear prohibition (2 Corinthians 10:1-6). The apostles went about preaching the gospel message of salvation from sin and establishing churches rather than hospitals and refugee centers, or political parties and police departments. Christians can do those things, as long as they don’t join themselves with ungodly causes or groups willing to use ungodly means to accomplish good things. And remember this, it’s not the Christian’s primary purpose nor the church’s mission. Are we fulfilling our real mission, our real purpose, or, are we, like Ahab, being distracted by the flesh?