The Civil Magistrate: The Christian and the Civil Authorities


 By Bob McEvoy - Posted at The Salty Scrivener:


Text: Acts 25:10-11


In Acts 25:10-11 Paul is saying – if I have broken the civil law, I deserve to be punished. So, as a Christian, if I break the law, should I accept my punishment, willingly, even if that punishment is thought to be harsh? To get a better insight into what Paul is thinking here we should couple Paul’s words here with what he wrote in Romans 13:1-7.

1. Paul’s Principles Stated. Romans 13:1-7

In his mercy, and his complete understanding of our human weakness and needs, God has ordained that we should be governed by earthly rulers. V1. Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. The Belgic Confession, article 36, one of the ‘Three Forms of Unity,’ sums this up, ‘We believe that because of the depravity of the human race, our good God has ordained kings, princes, and civil officers. God wants the world to be governed by laws and policies so that human lawlessness may be restrained and that everything may be conducted in good order among human beings.’ Paul recognises that ruling authorities exist and that we must acknowledge them. And, of course they do some good. Who would run the hospitals, empty the bins etc if they did not exist? Who would order society? Anarchy and chaos would reign!

This is not some unusual doctrine for a specific local situation that Paul is talking about either. There are plenty of other references to the role of the civil magistrate in the NT: 1 Timothy 2:1-2 Titus 3:1, 1 Peter 2:13-17 Jesus himself had been asked about this very issue in Mark 12:17, …Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.

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