Parable and Introduction

Once upon a time, a Christian family legally immigrated to America. They took the skills they had and earned good wages. It took them a while to save up, but they eventually put together enough to buy a house despite the expensive housing market. They were so excited to move in and make the house a home as they were expecting a baby. Soon, they welcomed a little girl into the world, and unfortunately, she was born with a congenital heart defect. The additional medical care and time spent at appointments put a strain on their finances. Also, their neighbors across the street started to harass them almost every day. They were repeatedly told to “Go home!” and “We don’t want people like you here!” and far worse things.  They could barely open their car door, and their neighbor would come out and scream at them. To add to their already difficult existence, the woman developed a rare form of cancer. The cause of her cancer was tied to chemicals that had accumulated in the well water for their house. Her treatment was expensive, too, and drove this family into poverty. Their American dream turned into a nightmare.

Starting with this fictional story provides us with a vivid picture of how struggles can accumulate and make life very challenging for people, even if they made all the “right” choices. But that isn’t the focus of this blog. This blog is about the Christian view on the role of government. This story will serve as a helpful framework for us to refer to and consider what right and left-leaning Christians want or expect from the government.

Generally, people advocate for a very limited government on the right side of the political spectrum and, on the left, a more expansive one. There is a lot of contention about the Biblical approach and what God wants us to advocate for from our government. Let’s survey the Biblical basis for some of these perspectives, explore where right and left-leaning Christians land on the issues, and then consider what this author’s take is on the role of government.

Biblical Survey of the Role of Government

There are several key New Testament texts that discuss the role of government. The most famous is perhaps Romans 13:1-6. A key section is v4 (NIV), “For the one in authority is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are God’s servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer.” In this key section, we see a couple of important roles of government. The first mentioned is that government exists for your good or, some might say, “the common good.”¹ The second purpose is to punish those who do wrong in order to protect its people. Neither appears to be given priority over the other; both are listed as roles.

Another important passage is 1 Timothy 2:1-2. Here, Christians are encouraged to pray for those in authority – “that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.” This passage is not as explicit and seems to imply a role for the government to safeguard the lives and livelihoods of its citizens. Besides these important New Testament texts, there are numerous references to government in the Old Testament, of which we will take just a brief survey.

The Torah (the first five books of the Old Testament) established many laws for the theocracy (a system of government in which priests’ rule in the name of God) of Israel. The Ten Commandments establish laws for how to treat each other and in relationship to God in Exodus 20. These are elaborated in further detail with protections of personal property, how to adjudicate interpersonal injuries, and how to treat the poor, widow, foreigner, etc., in Exodus 21-23. Later on, one of the most significant passages is Leviticus 25 (Deut. 15:1-11). Here, there is a societal reset that happens every 50 years. The command was to free the slaves and interrupt a cycle of generational poverty for those who had come to misfortune. This principle was based on the land being God’s and everyone only having temporary stewardship.

A few more passages are worth looking at. Leviticus 23:22 tells how people are commanded not to glean to the edge of their fields. 1 Samuel 8, Israel is warned about asking for a king instead of being subjects to God alone. Samuel warns them about how the King will take the best of sons and daughters, the best of their fields, and other things on the way to the very people becoming the king’s slaves. This is a very negative warning regarding the impact having a king will have on the people of Israel as they reject God as their king. Other passages that relate to government are Psalm 72 (judging rightly, bringing prosperity, defending the weak), Jeremiah 22:13-17 (all went well for King Josiah because he defended the cause of the poor and needy and didn’t rob people), Jeremiah 29:7 (seek the peace and prosperity of the city), Nehemiah 5:1-13 (on the rich taking advantage of their fellow Jews), and many more that can’t be cited.

This concludes our brief survey of the Bible related to what it has to say about government.

Right-Leaning Christians on the Role of Government

More Conservative or Right-Leaning Christians believe in a smaller government. Many argue that limited government is necessary for people’s biblical flourishing.² The desire for a smaller government fits with a view that has a smaller purpose for the government. Liberty University puts it this way in its statement of belief, “God established civil government to protect its citizens, punish evil, and reward good.”³ Or “The state’s most fundamental role is to protect citizens from the sinful conduct of their neighbors.”⁴

They advocate for a government based on negative laws such as what they characterize the Old Testament laws to not kill, steal, lie, etc.⁵ They find personal property rights to be extremely important and defended by Scripture (Acts 5:4). They view the power of the government as coercive and compulsive instead of a positive choice. Government compulsion under threat of punishment starkly contrasts with the way of Jesus which calls us to give to others willingly out of our generosity. Some right-leaning Christians even go so far as to say that any taking or forced compulsion by the government of people’s goods is stealing and violates God’s law against stealing.⁵

Regardless, they are skeptical of the government’s ability to serve the people well. This sometimes relates to their view of sin and how everything on earth is corrupted. Therefore, the more power within any group also means an increasing potential for evil.⁶ Additionally, increasing power in an organization lacking the gospel’s power is considered dangerous. Government does not have the same power as the Gospel to change people. It can only work “from the outside in. The Spirit works from the inward out to our behaviors.”⁷ Not only do governments lack the power to bring spiritual change, but they are also seen as unable to create wealth. “They are only capable of taking and transferring wealth.”²

All of these reasons combine to create a deep skepticism about the ability of the government to enact positive change. Some right-leaning Christians have warned that “Our founders would counsel us not to expect the government to do good, but rather to keep it small and limited, lest its power be perverted to evil ends, the primary one being infringements on our God-given rights.”⁵ Other reasons against bigger government are the waste partly due to lack of frontline knowledge of problems, entitlements ruining the country, and many more. There is, of course, much more that has and could be said about the Christian views on limited government. However, let’s move on to the perspective of left-leaning Christians.

Left-Leaning Christians on the Role of Government

Left-leaning Christians believe in a larger government but not a government that encompasses all of society, ex. Communism. They see the government as having two distinct purposes: protecting from evil and promoting the good.¹ They see the civil government as God’s agents for justice in the form of bearing the sword for courts, police, and military (Romans 13:4-5, 1 Pet 2:14).⁸ However, they also want the government to be active in protecting “society’s weakest members, including the poor (Ex. 23:6), foreigners (Ex. 22:21; Deut. 27:19; Zech. 7:10), and the helpless (Ps. 82:3–4).”⁸ They see the government having a role in safeguarding the environment as an extension of God’s mandate to humanity to be stewards of creation (Gen 2:15, 1, Psalm 24:1).⁸ They want the government to create a space where “good is recognized and encouraged (see 1 Pet 2:14).”⁸

They see fair economic outcomes as important to the role of government. This is based on passages like Isaiah 5:7-9. Here, the prophet Isaiah pronounces judgment on wealthy landowners who had bought up all the land, forcing out smaller farmers. This action was condemned by God even though “the prophet does not say the powerful acted illegally, he nevertheless denounces the unfair outcome.”¹ Thus it is not only the action itself but the result of the action which is condemned by God. The same could be said for larger systematic issues, such as the enduring results of racism and racial discrimination. They view the government as an important “check on powerful people, institutions, and interests in the society that, if left unchecked, might run over their fellow citizens, the economy, and certainly the poor.”¹ Their views on government are more closely related to the socialism active in European governments than the communism of the Soviet Union or China, though not necessarily synonymous with either.

There are views much beyond the ones summarized for left and right. However, hopefully these summaries provide us with a responsible and not straw man view of each side. We will now use these approaches to examine the story from the beginning.

Desired Government Action in the Parable

What would each side want from the government in the story that opened this piece?

Right-leaning Christians would most certainly want the government to protect the family from the harassment of their neighbors. Their harassment violates their peace, and they should be protected or allowed to defend themselves if things escalate. They might advocate for reducing restrictions on housing to increase the supply and bring down housing prices. They would likely advocate for justice for the woman who developed cancer, but it is unknown how expansive they would want the government to regulate the chemicals without direct solid evidence. It is uncertain what other roles besides these that right-leaning Christians would have agreement on advocating for because of their general consensus to keep the government small.

Left-leaning Christians would want the government to be active in many more areas. They would want the government to create and oversee a comprehensive immigration process. They would want the government to oversee the home inspections and purchases to ensure quality buildings fit with area development/zoning. They would want to create conditions that allow housing to be more affordable by placing conditions on buildings like a percentage set aside for affordable housing. They desire health insurance to be available to everyone to cover unexpected medical conditions and for assistance to be given to those who need it for purchases such as food and other poverty alleviation measures. They would agree with protections from harassment from their neighbor. They also advocate for restrictions on pollution from businesses that can cause damage to the environment and, ultimately, the people (based on a real pollution story).⁹ They would want the government to oversee just compensation for the woman who developed cancer from chemical pollution and further government restrictions on other similar chemicals to prevent further incidents.

Hopefully these examples demonstrate tangibly the differences in approach to government intervention in society by different groups of Christians.

The Author’s Humble Take

The following represents my personal views and not necessarily the views of the Boston Faith and Justice Network. Also, I recognize I am not an expert on these topics, but I hope these perspectives can add to the discussion and encourage further dialogue around this important topic. We at BFJN are passionate about helping to alleviate poverty, and the government has an important role to play regardless of desiring more or less of it.

Biblically, I think there are more strengths for the left-leaning Christian perspective of the government. The Bible does not speak out against the existence of government, despite comparing their puniness to God (Isaiah 40:15). It tells us God is the only savior and the one in whom we should place our trust. He is the ultimate authority and our only true hope. When the government assumes too big of a role, it can become oppressive, as anticipated by Samuel’s warning to the Israelites and later Solomon’s heavy taxation.¹⁰ However, the Bible does advocate for positive and not just negative government intervention in Old Testament law. Clear Biblical examples are Leviticus 25 (Jubilee) and Exodus 23:4-5 where the law obligates people to return their enemy’s ox or donkey if it has wandered off and to help if their donkey has fallen under its load. Other examples include Leviticus 19:18, “love your neighbor as yourself” and 19:34, “The foreigner residing among you must be treated as a native-born. Love them as yourself…” The donkey example is part of the outworking of loving your neighbor as yourself. These were laws given to the people and the government of Israel. They proscribe positive actions and obligations on the people, not simply avoidance of wrong.

In the New Testament, we learn more about how to operate as Christians outside of a theocracy. Jesus shares how His Kingdom is distinct from that of this world, and we are to render to each accordingly (John 18:36, Matt. 22:15-22). Paul and Jesus establish that we should pay taxes (Matt. 22:15-22, 17:24-27, Romans 13:6-7). Therefore, it wouldn’t make sense for governments collecting them to be inherently immoral. Those who claim government taxation is stealing also advocate for taxation to maintain the collective defense.⁵ The US tried the alternative under the Articles of Confederation (no power of taxation), and even the military went largely unpaid. We quickly moved to something more viable: the Constitution. Therefore, it is more a question of how the government uses the money than that the act of taxation itself is stealing. Paul even calls those who work for the Roman government God’s servants (Romans 13:6). There is no demonizing or glorification of the government to be found. I am concerned that the desire for limits on government intervention comes more from fear and historical experience than any Biblical basis.

The omission or minimization of the positive role of government indicated in the Bible by right-leaning Christians lays the foundation for several errors in practice. Right-leaning Christians tend to overlook the benefits of government in our society and way of life. Those who advocate for the smallest government possible also want safe roads and travel, reliable and affordable utilities, a safe building to live in, a functioning fire department and police, and a just criminal justice system. They say that a government cannot create wealth, but it can certainly play an important role in creating the conditions for wealth to be created and even for spreading the gospel. Consider how Jesus came during the Pax Romana and the gospel spread using the Roman roads.^14&15 Governments are responsible for many direct and indirect means of benefiting a society.

Right-leaning Christians tend to want the church to step in and fix the problems within our society, like in our example story, and not the government. They would likely advocate for the family to reach out to their church and for a collection to be taken up to meet their needs. And perhaps they would be. But what if they aren’t, or if the family seeking help is not Christian or connected to the church? Also, where is Christian charity in our country, where about 37 million people live in poverty?¹¹ Even if giving to the church surged, it would not necessarily correspond to a significant increase in giving to others. Currently, 13% of church giving goes to local ministry (not necessarily meeting physical needs).¹² Also, the scale of the problem is immense, and the percentage of religious people in our country is decreasing. Short of a huge revival, which we cannot control, the government is the main entity that can address these huge issues. For example, “Thanks to an abundance of resources, federal nutrition programs provide 10 times as much food assistance as private churches and charities combined.”¹³ If the government were to withdraw its support, then many people would suffer and die.

Right-leaning Christians’ lack of advocacy for any government intervention for the poor leads to a couple of confusing results. They trumpet the rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness as God-given. Yet, they are unwilling to extend their understanding of this “right” to the aspects of human existence necessary for life itself, like food, water, shelter, or, more controversially, healthcare. If you will physically die without getting something, ex. proper medical care, then one might think this is something you have a right to. Of course, there needs to be wisdom and judgment applied since there are not unlimited resources for ever increasing healthcare costs to extend life indefinitely.

Also, another confusing advocacy of right-leaning Christians is how they do not want governments to act in correcting wrongs that governments took part in, like slavery, racism, economic exploitation, etc.; they don’t see the government as helpful in correcting or righting these wrongs. These two omissions appear to ignore Jesus’ command to love our neighbors as ourselves. We would want to be able to live and be treated fairly while not robbing other people of their livelihood (2 Cor 8:13-15). Putting ourselves in the shoes of the other person is an important test to be used as the government pursues the common good.

I think the stronger Biblical grounding of left-leaning Christians can lead to a more just and Biblical society, with some major warnings. I’ll explore the warnings and leave what I have already said to represent the positive aspects. I don’t want to let the left-leaning Christians fully off the hook because certainly no side, including myself has it just right. An important starting point is the realization that government power is inherently coercive. It is not the way of Jesus’ kingdom where God desires cheerful givers. Therefore, while not morally wrong, government power should be taken up cautiously. The government can provide important checks on strong economic powerhouses and/or exploiters like multinational companies, but it can lead to much waste. A personal example is capping a $500k plus water well in Afghanistan that was finished about a week before we closed the base. A total waste of money and that is just one tiny example. Imagine what that money could have done for someone in need! Some waste is inherent in any large system, but a government throwing money at the problem is no guarantee of a solution.

Also, another important premise often overlooked or downplayed on the left is that the economy is the engine of our society and not the government. The government should regulate and maintain the engine while helping society get to where we want to go safely. However, balancing the common good with the ability to create economic opportunity is a real challenge. Acknowledging how sometimes government policies do not achieve the goals they have and, in fact, bring unintended harm is a reality we must live with. Based on our preexisting assumptions, we can perceive this challenge as a call for better or simply less government.  I think the better is possible.

This blog has covered about enough. If you have read through all the way to this point, Bravo! Hopefully, you feel better informed about God and government or at least have some questions for further exploration. If you have better sources for any side of this debate than the ones cited, please send them to Andrew@bostonfaithjustice.org. I’d love to read the best that is out there to refine my own views and perspectives and share them with our community.

Sources:

1. https://sojo.net/articles/caring-poor-governments-biblical-role
2. https://tifwe.org/why-limited-government-is-integral-to-biblical-flourishing/
3. https://www.liberty.edu/residential/what-we-believe/#:~:text=We%20affirm%20that%20God%20ordained,marriage%2C%20government%20and%20the%20church
4. https://tifwe.org/resource/biblical-foundations-of-limited-government/
5. https://www.faithandfreedom.com/christian-charity-and-the-welfare-state/
6. https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1530&context=gov_fac_pubs
7. https://petra.church/blog/the-limits-of-government-and-christian-involvement/
8. https://www.esv.org/resources/esv-global-study-bible/the-purpose-and-role-of-government/#:~:text=Governments%20are%20to%20act%20on,society%2C%20ought%20to%20be%20protected.
9. https://www.bostonglobe.com/2024/09/14/metro/pfas-chemicals-drinking-water-massachusetts-lawsuit/
10. https://fee.org/articles/what-the-bible-says-about-big-government/#:~:text=In%20his%20letter%20to%20the,have%20been%20instituted%20by%20God.%E2%80%9D
11. https://www.povertyusa.org/facts
12. https://davidjoannes.com/shocking-stats-on-missions-giving/
13. https://www.bread.org/hunger-explained/what-will-solve-hunger/
14. https://www.britannica.com/event/Pax-Romana
15. https://www.britannica.com/technology/Roman-road-system