God's Purposes in Government

Proverbs 14:34 Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people.

The pulpit is not for politics. Politics should not be the theme of the pulpit. Sad to say, more and more, the pulpit is becoming the sounding board for politics of many different stripes.

That's too bad, because there is too little time to inform Believers of what the Bible says about life, living, death and eternity. When the little time we have is devoted to politics, then there is no time to look at the real deep things of God. There seems to be more pulpit time spent declaring personal right, than there is edifying Believers for greater holy conduct. Far too often, there is more information about the issues of the day presented from pulpits, than the declaration of God's plan of the ages. I refuse to stoop to such a low level, or trade the privilege of presenting the deep things of God, for the trivia of the fickle winds of politics.

However, there are some Biblical issues at stake in this election, as in most. I will not tell you who vote for, or how to vote on the issues. There are Biblical principles that need to be brought back into our focus. It is so easy to loose sight of Biblical instructions when caught up in the media blitz of personalities, tax cuts, Medicare, prescription drugs and goodness knows what else. Most of these political declarations have little resemblance to what will really happen.

All these things are important, but these are not the all important things.

Yes, these Biblical principles have a great deal to do with the sovereignty of God, and the choices of mankind allowed by God.

1 Timothy 2:1-4 Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, 2 for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. 3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.

May I remind you that those, to whom Paul was writing, had No choice as to who would be the authority over them. The ones in authority during Paul's day were wicked to the core. They had no concern for the well being of those under their rule. They didn't even care about the environment. Morality was not an issue. These leaders were totally immoral.

Paul gave instructions that Believers should follow. Before we look at the instructions, let's look at the reason for the instructions. That reason is found in the last part of v.2. "that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence."

I believe that should still be the main reason for government, and the reason we should do our part in that government. Look at the instructions given by the Holy Spirit through Paul that leads to the real purpose of government, that of enabling its people to "lead a quite and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence".

These instructions are that we should make:

We will not, at this time, look at these definitions or the process needed to comply with these commands. Look at the listed order of those for whom we are to make these supplications, prayers, intercessions and giving of thanks.

First we are to do these things for all humans. When was the last time you prayed for the people of the Middle East? Don't you realize that a mere handful of extremists in that area can disrupt your peace? It takes very little to disrupt our peace. All they would have to do is slow the flow of oil, or bring damage to our Naval fleet, etc. You see, it takes only a handful of the right (or wrong) people to make it impossible for you to have lights, air conditions, etc. Let me tell you, if the electricity went out, your peace would be down the drain, along with most activities of your daily life.

You need to be making supplications, prayers, intercessions and giving of thanks for all peoples. There are other reasons, but if for no other reason, because a small handful of people can make it impossible for you to get gas for your car, or power for your computer. What would life be without milk, bread and especially email? That same handful of people can cause the store shelves to be bare, and a lot of other things. This is not a theory. These and many more are a real possibilities.

Therefore first, we are to make supplications, prayers, intercessions and giving of thanks for all humans. I don't understand how prayer works, but I know it does and it is a command of God. If we are not praying we are sinning. You can't pray for everyone in the world by name, but don't forget that God is omniscient and, through the intercessory work of the Holy Spirit, God knows for whom to direct your prayer. Don't let Satan divert you from the main issue by the introduction of non-essentials. We are to be lifting up the peoples of the world to God, through these different means mentioned in this passage.

After that, our prayer attention is to be directed to the king or the one in highest authority and influence. Last but not least, we are to give our prayer attention to those who are in direct authority over us. These directly in authority over us are ones who received by appointment, or in the case of the USA, may have been elected to lesser but more personal authority.

Don't forget the main object of this ministry of supplications, prayers, intercessions and giving of thanks. The main reasons we are to engage in this ministry is so "that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence." The function of government should be to produce and protect an environment in which its citizenship can live peaceably and quietly. This condition of peacefulness and quietness is also the atmosphere that most lends itself to living in godly reverence.

Sad to say, governments too often become bastions of glory, power, and self-indulgence for the leaders, instead of providing and protecting an atmosphere in which the citizens can know peace and quietness. By the way, when any government goes beyond the function of providing and protecting an environment in which the citizens can live in peace and quietness, that government is moving step by step in the direction of becoming the slave-master of its people. When government begins to provide for its citizens what the citizens could and should provide for themselves, that government becomes an employer or at least a retailer.

In this first step of becoming the slave-master of its citizens, the government says, "Give me some of your resources, and I will provide for you that which you should and could provide for yourselves." It is only a short step from this type of exchange until the government says, "Give me more and more of your resources, so I can continue to provide for you." Once the citizens are dependent on the government to provide the basic needs for existence, all the government has to do is threaten to withhold or restrict the basic needs for life, and the citizens will do almost anything, just to exist.

That is one of the worst forms of slavery.
1 Timothy 2:1-4 Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, 2 for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. 3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.

In 1 Timothy 2:1-4, there is second reason for the Believer to pray for all people and the government. This atmosphere of peace and quietness lends itself to living godly and reverently as Believers. Often, we Believers do not take advantage of the peaceful atmosphere to live the Christian life in godly reverence. However, when we do live so, it is good and acceptable to God our Savior, because that type of environment also lends itself to freely spreading the truth of salvation to others. I could be wrong, but I strongly suspect that most of us are concerned about our government for the wrong reasons. We want a good government so we can have more money in our pockets. Thereby, being able to indulge ourselves more and more in the things of this life. Instead, we should be concerned about our government so that the desire of God our Savior can be fulfilled. That desire of God our Savior is that all people come to the knowledge of salvation and receive that gift of God.

Honest now. As you watched the debates and all the rest of the political side-show was your primary concern the fulfillment of the desire of God our Savior? If not, you (we) have been looking at these events in the same manner as the heathen.

The nice part about this whole thing is that when God's desire is fulfilled in this matter, we get the good things, too. When we approach this matter from the opposite perspective, even though the good things may come, those good things then control us, instead of us controlling and enjoying them.

Psalms 67:1-2 God be merciful to us and bless us, And cause His face to shine upon us. Selah 2 That Your (God's) way may be known on earth, Your salvation among all nations.

This truth is taught all throughout the Word of God. The blessings of God are sent and designed so that the truth of God will be known throughout the world, and people will be saved. Most of us want the blessings of God or translated into real English Most of us want more money and more things so we can have a better life, so our kids will have more stuff. We most generally equate the blessing of God with wealth, good health and comfort. However, God's definition of blessings goes much farther than physical and earthly nice things.

That list could and should go on and on. All that we do should be so that the desire of God our Savior would be fulfilled.

1 Corinthians 10:31-33 Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. 32 Give no offense, either to the Jews or to the Greeks or to the church of God, 33 just as I also please all men in all things, not seeking my own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved.
Colossians 3:15-17 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. 17 And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.
Colossians 3:23-25 And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, 24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ. 25 But he who does wrong will be repaid for the wrong which he has done, and there is no partiality.

The Biblical Principle: be in an attitude of constantly bringing the people of the world and their leaders before God in prayer, so we can have a peaceful and quite life, so the desire of God our Savior will be fulfilled.

Romans 13:1-7 Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. 2 Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves. 3 For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same. 4 For he is God's minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God's minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil. 5 Therefore you must be subject, not only because of wrath but also for conscience' sake. 6 For because of this you also pay taxes, for they are God's ministers attending continually to this very thing. 7 Render therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor.

Sovereignty

As we look at this next principle, we will need to apply what we know of the sovereignty of God. Not only will we need to apply what we know, we will need to believe it and trust it with our whole heart. God's eternal plan will be carried out no matter who sets their will and actions against that plan. Even though many of the rulers of this worldly system have done things, are doing things and will do things displeasing to God, God will use those things to bring about His own will.

That is true sovereignty!
sovereign (Webster)
unlimited in extent
sovereignty (Webster)
freedom from external control
sovereign (New Century)
a being above all others; supreme in character, importance and excellence.
sovereignty (New Century)
supremacy in rank or power
Lord [Sovereign] (Greek & Hebrew)
an absolute ruler (despot); the one in control

We are to be subject to the governing authorities, except when their directives forbid us to carry out a direct command of God for His service.

Acts 5:29 Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said: "We ought to obey God rather than men.
Romans 13:1-7 Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God.

Romans 13:1 tells us that true authority is not earned or gained through the voting booth. Authority possessed by any human is not absolute. Authority is always conferred by the possessor of authority to another. With authority always come responsibility for how that authority is used.

John 19:8-11 Therefore, when Pilate heard that saying, he was the more afraid, 9 and went again into the Praetorium, and said to Jesus, "Where are You from?" But Jesus gave him no answer. 10 Then Pilate said to Him, "Are You not speaking to me? Do You not know that I have power to crucify You, and power to release You?" 11 Jesus answered, "You could have no power at all against Me unless it had been given you from above. Therefore the one who delivered Me to you has the greater sin."

Please note that God gave Pilate the power, but in this case the High Priest, who delivered Christ, had the greater sin. We can't take the time to go into the differences of the sins of immediate circumstances, and the sins of deliberate premeditation, but simply to say the greater sins will receive the greater punishment.

All who have not received Christ as Savior will go to the Lake of Fire. However, there is every indication that those with the greater sins will suffer more in the Lake of Fire than those with lesser sins. Don't take that lightly, because just being in the Lake of Fire will be punishment and suffering beyond anything known to mankind on this earth, and will be absence from the presence of God and eternal blessings.

What I want to point out from this passage is that even though the actions of Pilate were sinful, the actions of the High Priest were more sinful. Both are responsible for their actions and will be judged accordingly.

However, no matter how great the sin, God can and will use the sins of mankind to bring about His purpose. Once again showing the greatness of God, and His sovereignty even over the sins of mankind generated by their own volition. Therefore, those to whom God has given authority are His ministers, as we see in Romans 13:3-7 and elsewhere.

Romans 13:1-7 Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. 2 Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves. 3 For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same. 4 For he is God's minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God's minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil. 5 Therefore you must be subject, not only because of wrath but also for conscience' sake. 6 For because of this you also pay taxes, for they are God's ministers attending continually to this very thing. 7 Render therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor.

These are not ministers in the sense of the elect angels, prophets or pastors, etc.

minister (Greek)
an attendant; waiter of tables; aA deacon; one who serves the needs of another

This is also the same basic Greek word for deacon. However, these ministers of Romans 13 were not willingly doing God's bidding. In most cases, they were against God and His purpose, but God still uses their actions to carry out His plan. That is sovereignty.

Because they unwittingly became attendants of God's plan, does not lessen the responsibility of their sinful actions. It does establish the fact of the true sovereignty of God, as one who rules with far greater power than brute force. The account of Joseph being sold to Egypt by his brothers is a Biblical example of this very fact.

Genesis 50:18-21 Then his brothers also went and fell down before his face, and they said, "Behold, we are your servants." 19 Joseph said to them, "Do not be afraid, for am I in the place of God? 20 But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive. 21 Now therefore, do not be afraid; I will provide for you and your little ones." And he comforted them and spoke kindly to them.

Earlier in this story of Joseph, as he greets his brothers, we are given more insight into this situation.

Genesis 45:4-8 And Joseph said to his brothers, "Please come near to me." And they came near. And he said: "I am Joseph your brother, whom you sold into Egypt. 5 But now, do not therefore be grieved nor angry with yourselves because you sold me here; for God sent me before you to preserve life. 6 For these two years the famine has been in the land, and there are still five years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvesting. 7 And God sent me before you to preserve a posterity for you in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance. 8 So now it was not you who sent me here, but God; and He has made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt.

The brothers' actions were devious, and undertaken simply to rid themselves of a younger brother, whom they considered a nuisance, mildly put. The fact that God used their actions to accomplish His purpose, did not lessen the crime of selling their brother, and the sorrow that it brought to their father.

2 Peter 3:-108 But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 9 The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. 10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up.

Often we feel, even though we may not say it, that God needs to take the slack out of the line, and move the program along. After all, if the will of God is to be accomplished, it needs to be done now, because I have more important things to do later. Listen my friend, in the fullness of time God sent forth His Son (Galatians 4:4). God promised this gift of His Son to Adam in the Garden, but the promise was not fulfilled for thousands of years. Adam never saw, in earthly life, the fulfillment of God's sovereign promise, but the promise came to pass:

...in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, 2 saying, "Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him." Matthew 2:1

This fact of the sovereignty of God over all the activities of mankind, brings us to another Biblical Principle that we need to keep in mind in this election year, and beyond.

The Biblical Principle: the events and decisions of any government, even though wicked to the core, will be used by God to accomplish His purposes within His Eternal Plan. However, we may never see the results of that sovereignty in our lifetime.

There was a great world power known as the Greek Kingdom with Alexander the Great as its leader. That kingdom did nothing willingly to advance the Kingdom of God. Nonetheless, Alexander the Great had a hand in the advancement of God's Kingdom, even to this very day.

Out of this kingdom came Greek philosophies that were not only absent of any godliness, they were anti-God. The Greek Kingdom produced manmade gods that have as the essence of their worship total and complete moral debauchery and demonism. Yet, God used that Godless anti-God kingdom to advance His Kingdom as much, and possible even more than any in history.

God uses people and events for His purpose not because of the merit of the person or event, 
but in spite of there being no merit at all.

Alexander the Great developed a language with a syntax that was designed to give precise meanings, and could be used to construct definitions of almost any substance, event or concept. Not only did he invent such a language, as he went all over the known world conquering, he required the conquered nation to learn his language before the conditions of peace would be discussed and implemented. Therefore, this language of Alexander the Great became the universal language of world trade.

In the fullness of time Christ came, and the New Testament was written in the language of Alexander the Great, known as Common Greek. Therefore, the message of Christ could be taken to the known world with a measure of ease, because most people spoke and understood Common Greek.

Yes, Alexander the Great was a Minister of God. He will not receive any rewards for his efforts. But nonetheless, without his language, it would have been humanly impossible for the Gospel to cross the many cultural bearers. Therefore, the Gospel might have been confined to Hebrew speaking people, and never crossed over to Europe and then the United States

God uses godless governments for His purpose, yet holds them totally responsible for their actions. This shows both the sovereignty of God and the free choice of the nations. Please understand that the term free is used as part of a descriptive title, and is relative not absolute.

Genesis 15:13-14 Then He said to Abram: "Know certainly that your descendants will be strangers in a land that is not theirs, and will serve them, and they will afflict them four hundred years. 14 And also the nation whom they serve I will judge; afterward they shall come out with great possessions.

God used another nation and its leaders as ministers of His plan. The ruthless and godless nation of early Rome. One good thing the Romans did was build roads, lots of roads, good roads.

Therefore, in the fullness of time when the gospel went out to the world, there was a language in place to explain that gospel to the world, and roads in place to travel to the world with the message. Yes, God is sovereign over man's actions, even when those actions are evil. That does not mean God directed those evil actions. It means that He uses those actions, and holds the generator of those actions responsible for any evil intent. That is sovereignty.

Proverbs 19:21 There are many plans in a man's heart, Nevertheless the Lord's counsel-- that will stand.
Isaiah 46:9-10 Remember the former things of old, for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me, 10 Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things that are not yet done, saying, 'My counsel shall stand, and I will do all My pleasure,'
Proverbs 21:1-3 The king's heart is in the hand of the Lord, like the rivers of water; He turns it wherever He wishes. 2 Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the hearts. 3 To do righteousness and justice is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.

In the United States, we have a privilege and an obligation that few other peoples have had in all of history. We can make a difference in our nation through prayer and the ballot box. We should use both properly.

I trust you will not allow the smoke screen of politics, or the facade of so called debates to cloud your minds to issues that are far greater than the headlines. Satan would love to have us think that this election is over personalities, lies, taxes, Medicare, etc.

There is one matter I would like to bring into focus for your consideration, prayer and action. This next President will appoint several Supreme Court Judges, and a lot of Federal judges. Many of those appointments will be for life.

These men and women will make a far greater impact on the future of this nation politically and morally than the President. These judges are supposed to interpret the law. However more often than not, these judges do more to write and rewrite the laws that control social behavior and moral conduct than the Congress and the President put together.

May I suggest for your prayer list to pray for these appointments. Please, include this factor when deciding who you will vote for as President. The type of judges that are appointed to these offices will make a difference in our nation long after the next President is dead and gone.

Use your God given privilege and obligation of voting  as a spiritual ministry. 
So the desire of God our Savior will be accomplished.