God and Country? Ten Key Points about the Christian and Government

In light of the upcoming election, with its whirlwind of debates, promises, lies and controversies, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and disillusioned. As a Christian, navigating the political landscape can be particularly challenging. This article aims to outline ten key points regarding the Christian and government. These points will provide a thoughtful perspective on how we can engage with politics without compromising our beliefs. Let’s dive in and explore how we can make a positive impact in these turbulent times.

The first government was a divine government

In the beginning, God created Adam and granted him dominion and rights over the land (Gen 1:26-28). Adam’s authority was directly subordinate to God, contingent upon his obedience to tend the Garden of Eden and avoid eating from the forbidden tree. When he instead submitted to Satan’s temptation and sinned against God, his dominion became altogether corrupted. It would only be salvageable by a future Second Adam, the King Jesus Christ.

All human governments are fallen, deceptive, and doomed to destruction

God’s mistrust of human kings was clear from that point forward. During the periods of Moses and the Judges, He ruled Israel as a theocracy, meaning that He was the supreme ruler and the source of law and order. When Israel demanded a king, He warned them about the dangers of monarchical government – exploitation, extreme taxation, and servitude (1 Sam 8:7-18). In Psalm 2, God observes the nations conspiring against Him and His Anointed One, plotting to escape His authority. Yet, He laughs at their schemes, reasserts His sovereignty, and warns them to fear Him and honor His Son. Acknowledging that such submission will never ultimately occur, Daniel prophesies that all earthly kingdoms will eventually be crushed by God’s kingdom (Dan 2:44).

The last government will be a divine government

According to Biblical prophecy, the coming kingdom of God will be supreme over all the earth. It is depicted as a divine realm where God’s rule is absolute, characterized by peace, righteousness, and justice. In Daniel 7:13-14, it’s described as an everlasting dominion given to “one like a son of man,” which will never be destroyed. Similarly, in Revelation 11:15, it’s proclaimed, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Messiah, and he will reign for ever and ever.” At that time, God “will be exalted among the nations” (Ps. 46:10), for the nations in the consummated kingdom will consist only of glorified believers.

The church is not the state (yet)

While there is a spiritual sense in which the church represents God’s kingdom on earth right now (Col 1:13, Rom 14:17), we will not experience the complete fulfillment of that kingdom until Jesus returns and the will of God is done on Earth as it is in Heaven (Mt 25:34, 2 Pet 1:11, Mt 6:10). While we await its arrival, we are called to influence society through love, service, and personal witness, not by using governmental force to legislate Christian belief and behavior. Jesus told His disciples, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you” (Mt 20:25-26). Christianizing the world is not through “God and country”, it’s through “God and Gospel”.

The church’s primary citizenship is in heaven

Christians are often described as having their primary citizenship in heaven. In Philippians 3:20, Paul writes, “But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.” This indicates that the Christian’s ultimate allegiance and identity is rooted in the coming (and already spiritually present) kingdom of God. This doesn’t mean Christians disregard their earthly responsibilities. Instead, they engage with their temporal communities, respecting laws and contributing to society, but with a mindset that they are “foreigners and exiles” awaiting their true home with God (1 Pet 2:11).

The church is to bless the nation in which it is exiled, as well as its government

Examples abound in the Bible where God caused His people to thrive in and even bless ungodly kingdoms. One notable example is Joseph. He became Pharaoh’s right-hand man, unleashing God’s temporal blessings upon Egypt during a severe famine. Another is Daniel, whose integrity, wisdom, and ability to interpret dreams earned him favor with King Nebuchadnezzar, who promoted him to a high-ranking position in Babylon. His example was the epitome of what God instructed the Israelites to do in exile; to seek the peace and prosperity of their captor, Babylon (Jer 29:7).

Blessing the worldly kingdom we reside in also occurs by sharing our convictions with government leaders. David cried out, “Kings of the earth … you princes and all rulers on earth … praise the name of the Lord” (Psa 148:11-13). Paul engaged respectfully with leaders like Felix, Festus, and Agrippa, sharing the message of Christ with courage and tact. John the Baptist confronted Herod about his unlawful marriage, standing firm in his convictions despite personal risk. In no way is this an attempt to convert leaders for the purpose of enforcing a state religion. Nevertheless, converted leaders would naturally influence their followers by their example, apart from “policy”.

Submission to earthly kingdoms stems from God’s sovereign appointment

Throughout history, God used wicked empires like Babylon, Assyria, and Rome as instruments of discipline for His people, even though they would later be judged for their own bad motives (Hab 1:5-11, Isa 10:5-19, Jer 25:8-14). Notwithstanding, Christians are called to submit to these governing authorities, recognizing them — even the very wicked ones — as such divine instruments (Rom 13:1-7). In fact, not only are they to submit, but they are to seek the welfare of these nations during their exile there (Jer 29:7), understanding that the exile is God’s will.

Submission to earthly kingdoms should be motivated by evangelism not patriotism

When Jesus told the inquiring Pharisees – “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s” (Mt 22:21) – He was actually employing His usual Jesus Juke. The truth is, everything is God’s, even the things you “give” to Caesar. Christians are to acknowledge this fact, and always obey God’s commands before the laws of the land. Blind submission out of patriotic allegiance was never God’s intention for us.

1 Peter 2:13-14 commands, “Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human authority…for it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people.” Our submission isn’t about blind patriotism but about living out an evangelical witness. It’s about reflecting Christ’s humility and obedience, thus not bringing shame to His name by being seen as rebellious or unruly to the public. So, obedience to earthly kingdoms should be evangelical in its intent—to bear witness to Christ.

Submission to earthly kingdoms is secondary

It must not be understated that our allegiance to earthly governments is contingent on our ability to exercise our faith. This means disobeying governing authorities when their laws contradict divine commands. Daniel thrived in Babylon, directly serving their government, yet refused orders that prevented him from praying to his God. Peter also disobeyed civil authorities when they tried to silence his preaching about Jesus. He boldly asserted, “We must obey God rather than human beings” (Acts 5:29). God’s commands always take precedence over man’s.

Freedom is the primary moral ethic that should be legislated by worldly kingdoms

As foreigners belonging to a heavenly kingdom, yet currently exiled to a worldly kingdom, we are urged to pray that our worldly governments would allow us to live “quiet and peaceable lives” so that we can pursue godliness and holiness (1 Tim 2:2). In a pluralistic secular nation, we should vote, not for a government that will use force to “Christianize” the nation, but for a government that supports our freedom to live out our faith and influence others peaceably and lovingly. This freedom should also extend to other moral and religious views, because we can’t expect to have our freedom if they can’t have theirs.

This idea of freedom principalis is woven throughout the Biblical narrative. In the Old Testament, God’s judgments on Gentile nations often stemmed from their mistreatment of Israel rather than their noncompliance with Israel’s covenant. For instance, Pharaoh’s harsh treatment of the Israelites and his refusal to let them go led to God’s judgment through the ten plagues (Ex 7-12). In another instance, God sends Jonah to warn Nineveh, the capital of Assyria, primarily because of the “violence that [was] in [its] hands” (Jon 3:8). Assyria was known for its brutal treatment of conquered peoples, including Israel. The prophet Nahum also pronounced judgment on Nineveh for its cruelty, violence, and exploitation of other nations (Nah 3). Furthermore, God pronounces judgment on Babylon for its arrogant oppression of Israel and other nations (Isa 13-14; Jer 50-51). In the Book of Obadiah, God pronounces judgment on Edom for their violence against their brother Israel (Oba 1). In the Book of Ezekiel, Tyre is judged for its prideful exploitation of other nations, including Israel (Ezek 26-28). God promised to gather Israel from such nations who “treated them with contempt” and to make them “dwell securely” (Ezek 28:26). Clearly, his rule over His covenant people was not identical to His rule over worldly kingdoms.

Worldly Kingdoms Vs Covenant People

Psalm 147:19–20 highlights the distinction between God’s governance of His covenant people and worldly kingdoms: “He declares his word to Jacob, his statutes and rules to Israel. He has not dealt thus with any other nation; they do not know his rules.” Notice the layered pattern of divine governance. The universal moral law—rooted in creation and reiterated in the 10 Commandments—establishes foundational prohibitions against what destroys freedom, such as murder, theft and judicially bearing false witness. Yet beyond this, God entrusted Israel with a distinct body of ceremonial and civil laws to shape its life as a holy nation under His direct kingship. These covenantal laws were never imposed on the surrounding nations, who remained under God’s broader moral rule and expectations to not mistreat His people. These surrounding nations were not God’s kingdom, but were expected to accommodate its current manifestation via freedom principalis!

This principle stands in the New Testament. The church is God’s “holy nation” with covenantal obligations and a spiritual (not carnal) reign. Its outward reign will not precede the coming kingdom of God. When that kingdom comes, it will subdue all other kingdoms which currently exist by God’s providence and permission (Dan 2, Acts 17:26). These kingdoms only buy more time by giving us heavenly sojourners the freedom to live “quiet and peaceable lives” (1 Tim 2:2).

Paleolibertarianism

This view aligns with an old political label called “Paleolibertarian”. The “paleo” aspect of the title emphasizes that they believe in cultural conservatism, yet advocate that such conservatism should be maintained at the ecclesiastical and family level rather than through government enforcement. This means they advocate for individual freedom and limited government, while promoting traditional values through social and religious institutions rather than through laws and regulations. The “libertarian” aspect of the title emphasizes the belief that the government should be limited to enforce the moral virtue of freedom of property, including our possessions, our bodies, and our lives. Such freedom is universal and objective because it originates with a Creator who bestows intrinsic worth upon every human being. Even the Founding Fathers—though not all were Christians—recognized that such “inalienable rights” to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness are grounded in a theistic (though not theocratic) constitution. Nearly every original state constitution included similar verbiage, attributing our freedom to “Almighty God,” “the Supreme Ruler of the Universe,” “Divine Providence,” or “the Author of all good government.”

Paleolibertarianism emphasizes the free market, opposing all forms of government-enforced wealth distribution. It maintains that collective “generosity” must be initiated voluntarily by individuals, families, churches, and social institutions, similar to what is seen in Acts 2:44-45. It advocates a much smaller federal government, focused primarily on providing national security and infrastructure, leaving unrelated matters to state and local governments, and free markets. The overarching mantra is – societal progress is always best managed by the masses of sinners rather than a few sinners empowered with a governmental sword.

Paleolibertarian Table Talk

Here is a smattering of what a paleolibertarian might say about key issues in politics:

Inflation: “Government should reduce regulations and promote free markets to stabilize prices.”

Federal Budget Deficit: “Advocate for fiscal responsibility and reduced government spending.”

Foreign Wars: “Avoid entangling alliances and unnecessary conflicts; prioritize national defense and the sovereignty of other nations. Non-intervention keeps us from costly wars and respects other nations’ autonomy. If you’re big enough to send forces to help ward off bullies, you’re big enough to hit them in the pocket book with tariffs instead.”

Healthcare: “Encourage market-based solutions and personal responsibility for healthcare. Don’t force people to pay taxes for other people’s procedures that violate their consciences.”

Drug Usage: “Support community-based programs and personal accountability over government intervention. Stop spending so many tax dollars on the pursuit of and incarceration of people who want to put chemicals in their own bodies, except for those pushing such chemicals onto minors who can’t make clear decisions for themselves.”

Immigration: “Don’t close the borders to everyone (All of our forefathers were immigrants!). Implement fair immigration policies that respect individual rights and national security, while offering hope to genuine refugees. Even ancient Israel balanced these objectives. The rights of immigrants depended on their status. The Ger (Non-Jewish long term residents) were treated with justice yet without full covenant privileges or land inheritance. The Toshav (Temporary Residents) were allowed to live and work in the land without covenant membership, land rights, or full religious participation. The Nokri/Ben Nechar (True outsiders passing through) had even less rights, being forbidden from intermarriage with Jews. The Zar (Strangers) were any of the above who were unauthorized for sacred duties. Ammonites and Moabites were banned indefinitely from the assembly due to hostility, while Edomites and Egyptians could enter after three generations.”

Gun Violence: “Safeguard the right to bear arms while encouraging responsible gun ownership and community safety. Boost mental health awareness and actions to prevent senseless shootings. Disturbed individuals will find ways to harm, regardless of the weapon’s legality. Maybe regulate extremely dangerous weapons, like fully automatic firearms or explosives (especially nuclear ones), due to their potential for mass harm.”

Abortion: “Until we develop a technology to safely evacuate and incubate unwanted pregnancies, we must uphold laws that protect the unborn, particularly when intercourse was consensual, knowing pregnancy was a possibility. Cases of rape or threats to the mother’s life are rare and more complex debates.”

Homosexual Civil Union: “Protect individual rights and freedoms, including homosexual civil unions, while allowing Christians to hold their beliefs about Biblical marriage and to opt out of related commercial or ministerial activities, such as making wedding cakes or performing marriage ceremonies. Legal force is not the solution for enforcing biblical marriage, monogamy, or marital faithfulness. Nor should it be the mechanism to silence those who advocate such things.”

Welfare: “Welfare should be managed by communities, families, and churches to encourage personal responsibility and compassionate voluntary charity. Local communities have a better grasp on genuine needs than governmental systems that have a ton of overhead, loopholes, and inefficiencies.”

Social Security: “Social Security should be reformed to allow individuals more control over their own retirement planning, emphasizing personal responsibility and private savings. Give people their money back and let them invest it themselves. The national debt is a good indicator that the people could probably handle money better on their own.”

Education: “Education should be decentralized, with families and communities having more control over curricula, fostering an environment that encourages personal responsibility, creativity and moral development. It shouldn’t be a one-size-fits-all, cookie-cutter model of learning, nor a means of indoctrinating our children with society’s “morals” (or lack thereof).”

Conclusion

In light of these key points, Christians must acknowledge the divine origin and ultimate fulfillment of government, and hold their primary allegiance to God’s eternal kingdom. Earthly governments, though necessary and authorized by God, are temporary and inherently flawed. Therefore, the church’s mission is to live out its heavenly citizenship by blessing these lands in which it is exiled and submitting to earthly authorities as a witness to Christ, rather than out of shear patriotism.

A paleolibertarian view aligns with this understanding, emphasizing that the primary moral ethic to be legislated by worldly kingdoms is freedom. This approach respects individual rights and reflects the image of God in every person, promoting a society where faith and moral values flourish organically through community and personal responsibility. By advocating for limited government intervention, we create space for the church to thrive in its true calling, unencumbered by the constraints of state-imposed morality. Thus, Christians can be both effective citizens and faithful ambassadors of God’s kingdom.