Objections Answered | 12

12. We Are Commanded To Be Subject To Civil Rulers

Objection.

Christians are commanded to be in subjection to civil rulers, who are God’s ministers to execute wrath on the wicked and are ministers of good to the church.

Therefore, Christians are bound to take the sword at their command, for civil government is ordained of God, civil rulers are not to bear the sword in vain, and Christians may lawfully do what God ordains to be done.

Answer.

That civil government, so called in distinction from religious government, is ordained by God is fully admitted, and also that God ordains whatsoever comes to pass.

But there is a great difference between his decretive and his preceptive will:

The former is not a rule of duty for man without the latter; the latter is always a rule of duty. This fact might be proved by a multitude of instances from Scripture.

Persons therefore may be very wicked in doing what God ordains to be done, if they act without his command.

That civil governments and civil rulers exist only by God’s decretive will, which is fulfilled by his providence and not by his preceptive will, is evident

because God has never authorized the appointment of them or given any precepts or any commands as a code of laws to any denomination or class of people as such, distinct from his own covenant people or church.

I beg leave to submit this fact as conclusive evidence that civil governments and civil rulers exist only by God’s decretive will and not by his preceptive will.

Under the ancient dispensation, no laws or directions were given to any class of men, as such, other than God’s own covenant people or church, unless some special commands on singular occasions, or the general command to repent and turn to God, be excepted.

The king on the throne of Israel was as truly an officer in the church of God as the high priest who entered into the holy of holies. Both were set apart and anointed with the holy oil, at the command of God, and both were types of the Son of God.

The king as much typified his kingly office as the priest did his priestly office. Both were necessary parts of that complete shadow of good things then to come.

Under the gospel dispensation, no authority from God is to be found for appointing and setting apart civil rulers, nor are there any directions given to civil rulers, as such, how to conduct in their office, unless those who rule in the church are called civil rulers.

All the precepts and directions in the gospel, excepting such as were special (as those which related only to the apostles) or such as are universal (relating alike to all men), are given to the disciples as members of Christ’s kingdom, who are not of this world, even as he was not of this world.

The Son of God came into the world to set up the kingdom of heaven, which is a perfect and everlasting kingdom and distinct from all other kingdoms which are to be destroyed to give place to his divine and heavenly reign.

He came in the likeness of men, sin excepted, and laid down his life as a ransom for the world, and then rose a triumphant conqueror.

In the complex character of God and man, as Mediator, he took the universe, his purchased possession, into his hands as a lawgiver, judge, and rewarder.

He took the sceptre when it departed from Judah, and is exalted far above all principality, power, might, and dominion, and has a name above every name, all executive power in heaven and earth being given to him as Mediator.

Thus, as Mediator, the kingdom of heaven is his kingdom.

He reigns not only as King of kings and Lord of lords but, seated on the throne of his father David, he is forever King in Zion and is head over all things to his church. His kingdom is not of this world, neither are his subjects of this world, though some of them are in it.

He sent out his disciples to appear in a distinct character from the world and to be a light to it by imitating his example and by exhibiting his spirit and temper.

They ought not to say, as the Jews did, that they have no king but Caesar, for they have an everlasting King and kingdom and laws perfect and eternal. They should, therefore, set their affections on things above and not on things beneath.

While the kingdoms of this world exist, Christians must remain in captivity to them and must obey all their laws that are not contrary to the laws of the gospel.

Otherwise, they cannot remain peaceful, harmless, and blameless in the midst of a wicked world before whom they must shine as lights.

Though the church is now in captivity, yet her redemption draws near, for God will soon “overthrow the throne of kingdoms,” the thrones will be cast down, and the princes of this world will come to naught.

The stone which was cut out of the mountain without hands will dash them to pieces, as the potter’s vessel is shivered, and will become a great mountain and fill the whole earth.

Then the kingdom and the dominion and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven shall be given to the people of the saints of the most high God whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom and of whose dominion there shall be no end.

Though God, by his decree, has ordained civil governments and established kingdoms, and will by his providence make them subservient to the good of his church and people, and notwithstanding it is the duty of Christians to be in subjection to them and pay tribute.

Yet, it does not follow that their genius and laws may not often be contrary to the genius and laws of the gospel, and, when they are so, Christians must not obey them nor count their lives dear to themselves.

It should be distinctly remembered that, when Christians were exhorted and commanded to be obedient to civil rulers,

they were under heathen, idolatrous, civil governments, and those civil governments were by no means congenial with the spirit and precepts of the gospel.

Still, Christians were commanded to be in subjection to them – not, however, without limitation, for they utterly refused obedience in many instances and nobly suffered or died as martyrs.

Thus civil government may be an ordinance of God, may be subservient to the good of the church, may be an instrument in God’s hands for executing his wrath, and Christians may be bound to obey magistrates in all things not contrary to the gospel;

and yet it will not follow that Christians may consistently with the gospel take up the sword or do anything to countenance war.

If it is the duty of Christians to take the sword and enter the field of battle at the command of their civil rulers, then there could be no impropriety in having armies wholly made up of real Christians, especially since it is the duty of every man to become a Christian;

and as professing Christian nations are almost constantly fighting each other, it would be perfectly proper for hosts of pious saints to be daily engaged in shedding each other’s blood.

But how would it appear, how does it appear, for those who have drunk into the same peaceful and heavenly spirit,

who are united together by the tender ties of the Redeemer’s blood, who are all members of the same family, and who hope through divine grace to dwell together in everlasting love and blessedness, to be fighting one another here with relentless fury?

Let us contemplate the subject, in this point of view, a little further:

Suppose an English and an American frigate in the time of war, both manned entirely with real Christians, should meet in a neutral port. Ought they not then to treat each other as brethren of one common Lord?

As they are all members of the same family and have all been redeemed by the same blood, and sanctified by the same divine spirit,

they surely must have the most tender affection for each other, and it would be highly proper for them to meet together for Christian fellowship, worship, and communion.

Suppose, then, that they occasionally go on board each other’s ships for religious worship;

that their chaplains lead in their devotions, using such petitions as these – praying that they may be all of one heart and one mind in the knowledge of Christ, knit together in the bonds of Christian love;

that they may have much of the wisdom from above which is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, easy to be entreated;

that they may do good to all as they have opportunity, especially to the household of faith;

that they may be meek and gentle as lambs and harmless as doves;

that they may be kind and forgiving and that, like their Divine Master, they may return good for evil and have their affections on things above and not on things beneath;

after which they together partake of the symbols of Christ’s broken body and shed blood, and then part with tender tokens of Christian fellowship and love.

They leave the port and meet again at sea:

It now becomes their duty, on the principles of war, instead of meeting as Christian brethren, to meet as raging tigers and discharge the flaming engines of death on each other;

and in order to perform “their duty to their God and country,” they must exert all their power and skill to destroy one another. The dreadful struggle and carnage must be continued by both parties as long as both can fight.

When half of their crews are wallowing in their blood and expiring in agonies, a violent effort must be made by one or both to board the other and end the contest, sword in hand.

Those hands which recently saluted each other with Christian love now plunge the envenomed steel into their brethren’s bosoms.

At length one is vanquished and yields to the other.

Those who remain alive after the conflict again unite in prayer and give thanks to God that he has given them courage and strength to fight so nobly, and that he has shielded their lives in the hour of battle.

Thus they again resume their Christian fellowship and communion.

This mutual fellowship, communion, and love are perfectly consistent with Christian character, and are required by it.

The conduct that has been supposed as enemies when fighting is also entirely consistent with the principles of war and with the character of warriors, and is such as would be highly applauded and admired by the world.

But is it not obviously and perfectly absurd and perfectly incompatible with the principles of the gospel for Christians to act in this twofold character?

If, however, it is the duty of Christians to obey the command of their rulers and engage in war, then it would be perfectly proper for what has been supposed to take place.

Christians may one day surround the table of the Lord together, and the next kill and destroy each other.

The god of this world, not being yet chained down to hell, deceives the nations and gathers them together to battle;

but the children of peace, the citizens of Zion, ought not to mingle with them or listen to the deceiver.

They should take to themselves not carnal weapons but the whole armour of God, that they might be able to stand in an evil day and to quench all the fiery darts of Satan.