God’s Design in a Broken World

As you grieve and have conversations with people at work, friends, or your own children, and as you think about these things, it is important to understand that God has revealed in His Word that He has instituted three domains for His sovereign purposes and ultimate glory: The Church, Governing Authorities, and the Family. Each of these three domains have clear directives in Scripture and their roles are not to be conflated. Here is a proper simple understanding (not exhaustive by any means):

The Church

• The Church is to teach and defend sound doctrine. (Titus 2:1)
• The Church is to rightly order the local body of Christ, administer baptism, and communion. (Matthew 28:19-20,1 Cor. 11:24-34, Titus 1:5-9)
• The Church is to exercise church discipline. (Matthew 18:15-20, 1 Corinthians 5:1-13)

Governing Authorities

• Governing authorities are instituted by God to promote what is good, and punish what is evil. (1 Peter 2:13)
• The governing authorities are “God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he (the governing authorities) does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer.” (Romans 13:4-7)
• Governing authorities are doing their job well when people are afraid to commit wicked acts in their city or nation. (Romans 13:3)

The Family

• Because the governing authorities are instituted by God for your good and the punishment of wrongdoers, be in subjection to them to avoid God’s wrath and for the sake of your own conscience. (Romans 13:5)
• Marriage is between a man and a woman. (Genesis 2:24)
• Raise your children in the fear and admonition of the Lord. (Ephesians 6:4)
• Love your enemies, pray for those who persecute you. (Matthew 5:43-48)
• Pursue personal holiness and discipleship of all members of the church, especially the young members of the church. (Titus 2:2-10)
• Honor everyone, love the brotherhood, fear God. Honor the emperor (governing authorities). (1 Peter 2:17)

These foundations are important. Of course, there can be debate on how to rightly apply each of these truths, but we must begin from these truths. There is no perfect church, perfect governing authority, or perfect family, but they are made worse when we (a) do not know their biblical role, or (b) think we know them yet we conflate their biblical roles. It is not my job as a father, or our job as a church, to punish wicked acts in our city, it is the role of the governing authorities. Further, it is not the role of the governing authority to “turn the other cheek” when someone breaks the law. Just like it is not the role of the governing authorities to raise our children or define reality. The family is to raise children, and Scripture defines reality which is to be upheld and defended by the teaching of the Church.

Given these realities, it is natural to be concerned when any of these domains appear to be operating contrary to their biblical purpose, or when people conflate them.
 
Of course there is correlation between the three, for the families hopefully exist as members of a church and citizens of a nation. However, the Scriptures clearly teach that it is the role of the Church to teach sound doctrine, the governing authorities to punish evil and promote good, and the family to be subject to the governing authorities, to love the Lord their God with all their heart soul mind and strength, and love their neighbor as themselves.

When it appears that people are less afraid to commit wicked acts than they used to be we as citizens ought to hold our governing authorities accountable to their primary Biblical function. We do this for the glory of God and the protection of his image bearers no matter their beliefs.  We know that no governing authority on earth is our hope, or will ever be perfect, nevertheless we strive for God’s purpose His glory and our neighbors good.

We must temper our desire for everything to be as it should be with the reality that on earth it never will be. This is not our home, or our hope. We all have experienced brokenness in ourselves, our families, our churches, and our nation, yet we press on! Forgetting what lies behind us and straining forward to what lies ahead, our great prize and goal the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. (Phil. 4:13)

So, as you go about your ways in this world, grieving horrific events, pray to the God of comfort to comfort these dear families, and trust in the promises of our risen Savior Jesus Christ who has defeated death. Let us pray that God would enable PPC to live out their role faithfully, that our governing authorities would know their role and live it out faithfully, and that our families would know their role and live it out faithfully. Praise God for the way He has sovereignly ordered His world for His glory and our good. May God lead you and guide you by His Spirit with all wisdom and understanding that comes from His word. May we proclaim the excellencies of Jesus Christ and live in accordance with God’s ways for His Glory and the good of all those around us.

Persevere,
Joey Turner
Pastor of Missions and Adults