What Does the Bible Say?
Question – Does the Bible say anything about whether God cares what nations do?
Answer – The Bible says He does and has a lot to say about this subject. Romans 13:1-2- “for there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God: whoever resists the power, resists the ordinance of God and receives to themselves damnation.” From these verses and the rest of Romans 13, we see that government leaders throughout the world are established and ordained by God. They are accountable to God for how they rule their people. This passage gives leaders the authority to lead people but holds them accountable to rule in proper and justifiable ways. Those in authority are servants of God for the good of those they rule over. The government is given the job of ruling in a way that where those who do evil are punished and those who do right are supported and protected. Godly people should be able to trust their rulers. Rulers do not act with God’s sanction when they rule against His precepts for governments. Let’s notice some other passages.
In Matthew 22:15-22, Jesus endorsed obedience to the laws of Rome when he said, “render to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s.” In saying this, Jesus endorsed paying taxes. It was the job of the subject of a government to pay taxes to support their society, but God holds Caesar (governments) responsible for using those funds in accordance with His rules of what is right and wrong. God’s standard is the supreme law over all other laws and powers. He must be obeyed first (Our line of subjection is biblically- God always over man. If what men (governments) ask us to do does not go against God’s word, we must obey them. If they demand of us what God would oppose, we must obey God first.
Consider these verses in addition- Daniel chapter four is where the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar had it vividly stressed to him that v. 17- “…the Most High rules in kingdoms and gives a kingdom to whom he wills and even sets up the basest of men.” Sometimes God uses oppressive leaders to punish His people for going along with sin. God gives men kingdoms and makes those kingdoms rise and fall at His will. In John 19:11, Jesus told Pilate, “You would have no power except it had been granted you from above.”
We can all rest assured that God is in control of all men (even government officials at all levels. God holds them accountable for using their authority over us in a fair, moral, and right way. All corruptions, over-taxing, cruelty, murders, and perversions in the name of the government will be punished by God one day (the judgment day). God has always punished nations whenever they get to such a point as He feels they are no longer fulfilling His purposes. It is our job to be good citizens and law-abiding in the nations we live in. The greatest thing any Christian can do for his government is to live righteously (Pr. 14:34- righteousness exalts a nation). God will deal with the nations. If we happen to live in a nation that gives us a say according to its laws, we should always lend our support to what is righteous. We then let God sort it all out in 1 Jn. 9:11 it says, we should not bid godspeed to that which is evil- even by our silence.
Please address all questions and comments to What Does the Bible Say> C/O Maple St. Church of Christ, PO Box 3086, Liberty, TX 77575 and visit our website, maplestreetliberty.org.