Government is an institution established by God
1 Let everyone submit to the governing authorities, since there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are instituted by God. 2 So then, the one who resists the authority is opposing God’s command, and those who oppose it will bring judgment on themselves. 3 For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Do you want to be unafraid of the one in authority? Do what is good, and you will have its approval. 4 For it is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, because it does not carry the sword for no reason. For it is God’s servant, an avenger that brings wrath on the one who does wrong.
Romans 13:1-4 CSB
Government has a specific role in the world
13 Submit to every human authority because of the Lord, whether to the emperor[q] as the supreme authority 14 or to governors as those sent out by him to punish those who do what is evil and to praise those who do what is good.
1 Peter 2:13-14 CSB
So, the fundamental role of government includes two things:
- to punish those who do what is evil
- to praise those who do what is good
God charges kings to act justly and instructs them to look after the weak and defenseless. The psalmist prays, “Endow the king with your justice, O God . . . May he judge your people in righteousness, your afflicted ones with justice” (Psalms 72:1 – 2).
God’s desire for how government authority is to be used
7 “Lord my God, you have now made your servant king in my father David’s place. Yet I am just a youth with no experience in leadership.[c] 8 Your servant is among your people you have chosen, a people too many to be numbered or counted. 9 So give your servant a receptive heart to judge your people and to discern between good and evil. For who is able to judge this great people of yours?”
1 Kings 3:7-12
10 Now it pleased the Lord that Solomon had requested this. 11 So God said to him, “Because you have requested this and did not ask for long life[d] or riches for yourself, or the death[e] of your enemies, but you asked discernment for yourself to administer justice, 12 I will therefore do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and understanding heart, so that there has never been anyone like you before and never will be again.
We find in the Old Testament that the terms for judge, justice, and (civil) laws all derive from the same root. In other words, justice is closely related to and administered as an ideal legal standard.
Yet the concept of justice in the Bible covers more than punishing wrongdoing. It includes treating all people not only with fairness but also with protection and care. God calls all people to seek justice for those most vulnerable to suffering injustice. The Bible regularly pairs justice with acting righteously and behaving with mercy, love, kindness, and compassion.