Responsibilities of Civil Rulers
In the January number of McClure’s Magazine Lincoln Steffens, who has of late exposed a shocking amount of political corruption in civic affairs, writes of the career of the present mayor of one of the Atlantic coast cities, whose motto has been that he would, if elected to office, serve his constituents “faithfully and honestly.” The title of the article is a lesson in itself. It is, “A Servant of God and the People.” This recognizes a principle, too often overlooked. An officer of the state is, in fact, a servant of God, and is responsible to him first, and secondarily to the people, for the proper discharge of his official duties. Civil government was ordained of God as a necessity in a world cursed with sin. Its purpose is to protect men in the exercise of their God-given rights and privileges. It is designed to be a terror to evil-doers. Here is the inspired statement for this: “Let every soul be in subjection to the higher powers: for there is no power but of God; and the powers that be are ordained of God. Therefore he that resisteth the power, withstandeth the ordinance of God: and they that withstand shall receive to themselves judgment. 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.” The genius of civil government is of God. The people may, under the overruling providence of God, select the individual who shall occupy the seat of power, but inasmuch as he is “a minister of God,” he is primarily responsible to God for the administration of his office. He is, of course, responsible to the people as one who has been chosen to be, under God, a servant of the people, and he is in duty bound to conserve the interests of all the people. He who attempts to favor a majority of the body politic through whose suffrages he obtained office, at the expense of the minority whose first choice fell upon some other man, is a mere political partizan, and is utterly unworthy of the title of a statesman. He is a spoiler of the people, rather than a ruler of the people. Sacred history furnishes striking examples of the principles herein set forth. Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, became a universal ruler by the direct providence of God. Through the prophet Jeremiah Jehovah said: “I have made the earth, the men and the beasts that are upon the face of the earth, by my great power and by my outstretched arm; and I give it unto whom it seemeth right unto me. And now have I given all these lands into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, my servant; and the beasts of the field also have I given him to serve him. And all the nations shall serve him, and his son, and his son’s son.” Jehovah called Nebuchadnezzar “My servant.” Although Nebuchadnezzar conducted the usual campaigns of conquest against the surrounding nations, yet Jehovah declares that it was he who gave these nations into the hand of the king of Babylon. Jehovah then held Nebuchadnezzar responsible to himself for the right use of the power placed in his hands. As God’s servant he was to rule the people wisely in their temporal affairs, leaving God himself to deal with them in spiritual things. When he attempted to usurp the prerogatives of God by issuing a royal edict governing the object and manner of the people’s worship, the Ruler of heaven interfered, and by delivering his worshipers from the burning fiery furnace, he wrought into history the principle which Jesus of Nazareth afterward enunciated in words, “Render therefore unto Cæsar the things that are Cæsar’s; and unto God the things that are God’s.” When Nebuchadnezzar’s heart was lifted up because of his greatness and the extent of his kingdom, and he refused to recognize that he was God’s servant, responsible to him for the conduct of the affairs of the kingdom, those godlike faculties which enabled him to rule among men were taken from him, and he became as a beast of the field. This was done that he might know “that the Most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will.” The same lesson concerning the legitimate sphere of the authority of civil rulers and their responsibility to the King of heaven is taught in the experience of Darius the Mede, who commanded Daniel the prophet to be cast into the den of lions because he prayed to God contrary to the decree of the king. When the earthly king disregarded his responsibility to the heavenly King, he was made to know that the power which ordained civil government was to be reckoned with in the administration of that government. These lessons were left on record for the benefit of succeeding generations. They apply with equal force at the present time. Irresponsible power has not been committed to those who occupy positions of authority in the government. The sphere of their authority has been clearly defined by the very Ruler who ordained civil government. In temporal affairs they are supreme, subject always to those principles of right and justice which the God of heaven has established. With spiritual affairs they have nothing whatsoever to do, except that as men they are under obligation to lead the Christian life, as other men. As servants of God they will discharge their official duties by making or administering, in the fear of God, just laws within the legitimate sphere of civil authority, in matters which lie between man and man, and not by attempting to interfere in matters of faith and worship, which lie wholly between man and his God. And for the right discharge of these duties every servant of the people is primarily responsible to him whose throne is in heaven, and whose kingdom ruleth over all. The downfall of those kingdoms whose6rulers have failed to recognize their responsibility to the King of heaven is the voice of history to this generation, emphasizing the message of the prophet Daniel to the king of Babylon: “The Most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will.” Fortunate will it be for the “minister of God” who heeds this lesson of the ages.