Where In The Bible Will I Find:

The Purpose Of Human Governments?

The Holy Spirit through the apostle Paul says, "Let every soul be subject unto higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God" (Rom. 13:1). "The higher powers," or "the powers that be," are civil government, or governments organized and maintained by men. Human governments of every form have been "ordained of God" and are now "the ordinances of God."

Jesus said to Pilate: "…Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above…" (John 19:11). So all earthly powers are from God or used by Him. "...The Most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whosoever He will, and setteth up over it the lowest of men" (Dan. 4:17). "And he changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up kings…" (Dan. 2:21). He gave "…the kingdom, the power, and the strength, and the glory…" (Dan. 2:37-38). "…He doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou" (Dan. 4:35).

All God's dealings with the rulers of earth which have been recorded in the Bible show that He has ordained human governments and overrules them to serve His own righteous purposes. He uses them for His own glory and to chastise and protect His own people as well as to punish and destroy the wicked people of earth. "For rulers are not a terror to the good work but to the evil. And wouldest thou have no fear of the power? Do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise from the same: for he is a minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is a minister of God, an avenger for wrath to him that doeth evil" (Rom. 13:3-4).

So the mission of human governments is to preserve order, to restrain evildoers, and to protect the righteous, innocent and helpless; to be "a terror" to evildoers, bearing "not the sword in vain," to be "an avenger for wrath" to all who do evil, and to be God's servants for all who are law-abiding and righteous. All officers of civil governments should be true to their trust and make themselves terrors to all who do evil.

Since God overrules human governments, for the good of His people, Christians are taught to pray for rulers and to make intercessions and supplications for them. God's people should respect and obey all authority, except only when it requires them to do that which God forbids. In such cases, then, as Peter and John declared, "…We must obey God rather than men" (Acts 5:29).