The Sovereignty of God over all Authority
In the first two parts of this article series, we touched on the principles which established the relationship and the differences between the church and the state. In summary, it does not correspond to the church to govern nations, in the same manner, it does not correspond to the state to govern and re-define the family, education, the sciences, the arts, etc., just as it cannot govern and control the Christian church because all of that has already been laid out by the principles of the Word of God. The state has to advance what is good and punish what is evil, protect private property, and advance what is just in every situation. The church, on the other hand, should pray for its nation’s governing officials, submit to just laws, according to the creational order of God, participate in its political obligations, such as democratic elections, but also resist the state when the state loses its legitimacy as the “servant of God” according to Romans 13.
We also learned, in light of the Word, of the limits of our obedience to the state: when the state prohibits what God commands us to do, or commands us to do what God prohibits; when it ceases to fulfill the purpose of what God established, it thus loses its legitimacy before God. In those cases, the disobedience of Christians against the state is not just a possibility, but a duty.
In light of all this, in terms of authority, there is something fundamental that we need to recognize, and that would be that there is only One being who has eternal power and authority: it is not the state, not the political elites, not the church… His name is Jesus Christ.
All of creation serves the Creator God, because He alone is the Creator. He is THE sovereign over all earthly authority. And it is for that reason that, understanding that all authority is delegated by God, there is no worse sin than for a delegated authority (political, parental, educational, etc.) to not recognize God as the ultimate Sovereign as well as the One to whom He delegated all authority (the Son). Only God is sovereign over all things, including the family, arts, education, the sciences; not the state. This is why the apostle Paul writes in 1 Timothy 6:15, “which he will display at the proper time—he who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords.”
Peace, Justice, Security, and Prosperity are things only God can provide
Contrary to what many might think, the state, the political elites, and the political candidates do not exist to achieve the peace of a nation, we need to remove that veil from our eyes. God never instituted the state to achieve peace, welfare, security, or even economic prosperity; because all these things are blessings that God sends to a nation that obeys His commandments. That is what the Bible declares.
The state is there to restrain what God calls evil and to advance in society what God calls good. Therefore, as Christians we should not place our hope in politics, not even in politicians, but in Jesus Christ, who is the only one who can bless a nation with peace, security, justice, and prosperity.
There is not a single governmental institution (or political party) in the world that can serve as redeemer. The only sovereign King and Redeemer is Jesus; thus, our function as a church is to preach the gospel for the redemption of all those who believe in Him, in all the other spheres. We should preach to politicians, to the poor, to the rich, to people of other religions, to families, to the sciences, to the arts… that is our function, but placing our faith in the only sovereign God who reigns over all the spheres, His name is Jesus.
If you have placed your faith in some politician, governing official, or elective representative, in order to arrive at some peace, security, welfare, and prosperity, repent of your doubt in the Lord; because no state can bring to our homelands the blessings that only God can give. In place of placing your hope in politics, put it solely in Christ.
The Only Eternal King: Jesus
Isaiah prophesied “For the Lord is our judge, the Lord is our lawgiver, the Lord is our king; it is he who will save us” (Isa. 33:22). We may not be able to see this reality today with our own eyes, but by faith we have certainty that Jesus is our governor, our King, our Legislator, and Saviour. For that reason, by faith, we preach that truth, and we proclaim that hope.
However, we all know according to the promises of the Bible that there will be a day in which all things of the earth and all things in creation – what is above in the heavens, what is on the earth, and what is below the earth – will see this reality, and all will bend their knees to confess publicly that Jesus has always been Lord, governor, King, and the Saviour of all things.
There will be a day in which our eyes will contemplate Jesus the governor, who already governs in our hearts; but when the new heavens and new earth arrive, our eyes will see Him. And only then will the true peace, justice, and eternal security that we desire on earth come in its fullness.