spes clara

The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it,
    the world, and all who live in it;
for he founded it on the seas
    and established it on the waters. (Psalm 24:1-2; NIV)

Like it or not, the powerful, personal, triune Creator God of the Bible is in charge of his universe. This world and everything in it are his. God has ordained that the world be governed (under his sovereign rule) in four main spheres of responsibility. These four ‘governments’ are clearly explained in the Bible, and can be identified as:

1. Self-government

The primary sphere of responsibility in the world is that of the self. Whatever we do, wherever we go, God expects us to exercise self-control and use our time, energy and resources for good and godly purposes. Before a person can be a good son, father, grandmother, employee, politician, chef, or artist, a certain self-mastery must take place. Certain disciplines and habits must be cultivated (or begin to be formed). Without these, our impact in other areas of life will be negatively affected. Here are a few verses to show this is a key concern in the Bible:

Those who guard their mouths and their tongues
    keep themselves from calamity. (Proverbs 21:23)

Like a city whose walls are broken through
    is a person who lacks self-control. (Proverbs 25:28)

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. (Galatians 5:22-23)

For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline. (2 Timothy 1:7)

Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. (1 Corinthians 9:25)

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you. (Philippians 4:8-9)

It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; that each of you should learn to control your own body in a way that is holy and honorable, not in passionate lust like the pagans, who do not know God; and that in this matter no one should wrong or take advantage of a brother or sister. The Lord will punish all those who commit such sins, as we told you and warned you before. For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life. Therefore, anyone who rejects this instruction does not reject a human being but God, the very God who gives you his Holy Spirit. (1 Thessalonians 4:3-8; NIV)

God wants his image bearers to exercise self-control and to work hard at being the kind of people that produce good ‘fruit’ in life. This is the foundation for all the other spheres of human activity in this world.

2. Family/home government

While the importance of the family has been under attack for many decades in the West, God’s intention is that the family/home be a distinct sphere of human flourishing. In both the Old and New Testaments, God is deeply concerned that the home be a place of care, love, accountability, and service. In particular, God holds men responsible for their conduct in helping the home be a place where good things flourish.

So God created mankind in his own image,
    in the image of God he created them;
    male and female he created them.

God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it.  (Genesis 1:27-28)

Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you. (Exodus 20:12)

Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. (Deuteronomy 6:5-7)

Start children off on the way they should go,
    and even when they are old they will not turn from it. (Proverbs 22:6)

By wisdom a house is built,
    and through understanding it is established;
 through knowledge its rooms are filled
    with rare and beautiful treasures. (Proverbs 24:3-4)

Wives, submit yourselves to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them. Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord. Fathers, do not embitter your children, or they will become discouraged. (Colossians 3:18-21)

Anyone who does not provide for their relatives, and especially for their own household, has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever. (1 Timothy 5:8)

Now the overseer is to be above reproach, faithful to his wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not given to drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. He must manage his own family well and see that his children obey him, and he must do so in a manner worthy of full respect. (If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God’s church?) (1 Timothy 3:2-5)

Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. Then they can urge the younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God. (Titus 2:3-5; NIV)

God is deeply concerned for the harmony and health of home life. There is to be mutual love and respect, service and structure. And, by God’s design, men are to take the lead – not as pushy ‘bosses’, but as proactive servant-hearted leaders. This sphere of government in God’s world is predicated on the first point above, and indeed, the home is the perfect context for the development of good and godly personal habits of thinking and behaviour.

3. Church government

In God’s world, the church is the key place where the glory of God revealed in Jesus is celebrated and made known. Though the whole world belongs to God, it is the church that is the focal point of the Spirit’s saving and renewing work. God has promised to guide and grow his church. Given the importance of the church, God has given clear instructions on how it is to be governed. These instructions include:

Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.” (Ephesians 2:19-22)

For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. (Romans 12:4-6)

Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that person; for God’s temple is sacred, and you together are that temple. (1 Corinthians 3:16-17)

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. (1 Peter 2:9–10)

[. . .] if I am delayed, you will know how people ought to conduct themselves in God’s household, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth. (1 Timothy 3:15)

And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. (Colossians 1:18)

 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work. (Ephesians 4:15-16)

The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching. (1 Timothy 5:17)

God is gathering a multi-generational, multi-ethnic family of people to follow Jesus Christ, and to tell the world about him. It’s a family. A body. But there’s also to be structure and accountability.

4. State/magistrate government

Finally, the fourth sphere of government in the world is that of “the state”. It might be defined differently, but I’m talking about the body of rulers, authorities and judges who are charged with the responsibility of protecting life and maintaining peace and justice within a nation, state, or region.

When the righteous thrive, the people rejoice;
    when the wicked rule, the people groan. (Proverbs 29:2)

Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and you will be commended. 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. Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also as a matter of conscience. This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God’s servants, who give their full time to governing. Give to everyone what you owe them: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor. (Romans 13:1-7)

Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human authority: whether to the emperor, as the supreme authority, or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people. Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as God’s slaves. Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God, honor the emperor. (1 Peter 2:13-17)

Then Jesus said to them, “Give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s.” (Mark 12:17)

I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people—for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. (1 Timothy 2:1-2)

God has ordered his world with four interrelated spheres in which human affairs are governed. These four ‘governments’ are the self, the family, the church, and the state.

How are they meant to interact with each other? That’s for another time.