The Relation of Law to Government
By Cyrus Simmons
THE LAW AND THE GOSPEL. No. 3.
The Relation of Law to Government.
GOVERNMENT is the act of ruling or governing according to the forms or usages of law. The authoritative administration of the affairs of State, and the physical and moral control, must be in obedience to some law. Without law as an expression of what is right and a prohibition of what is wrong, there can be no government. All kinds of governments, therefore, must have a law by which their affairs are directed. The governments of the world and the kingdom of God are alike in this particular. The Powers.—“There is no power but of God.” Rom. 13:1. He is “upholding all things by the word of His power.” Heb. 1:3. “Power belongeth unto God.” Ps. 62:11. In fact, by Jesus all “powers” were created. Col. 1:16. “The power of God” for salvation is the Gospel. Rom. 1:16. And the “power of God” is Christ. 1 Cor. 1:24. When we preach the Gospel, we preach Christ; and when we preach Christ, we preach the Gospel. Gal. 3:8. In opposition to the “power of God” is the “power of darkness.” Luke 22:53. “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” Eph. 6:12. The kingdoms, empires, republics, and other forms of governmental powers regulating the affairs of State in an organized capacity, may be denominated “the powers that be.” These powers are ordered, or “ordained, of God.” Rom. 13:1. Notwithstanding the Machiavellism of politicians, the conquests of kings, the acquisitions of emperors, and the usurpation of tyrants, the Lord has a hand in the government of the world. “He ruleth by His power forever; His eyes behold the nations.” Ps. 66:7. Even the heathen are not exempt from His sovereignty. “And rulest not Thou over all the kingdoms of the heathen?” 2 Chron. 20:6. When “the angel of the Lord went out and smote in the camp of the Assyrians an hundred fourscore and five thousand” (2 Kings 19:35), Sennacherib was taught, and all reigning monarchs, kings, and rulers are made to know, that “Thou art the God, even Thou alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth.” Verse 15. The Lord made Nebuchadnezzar’s kingdom universal and mighty. The king attributed all his greatness to the might of his power and for the honor of his majesty. Dan. 4:30. “While the word was in the king’s mouth, there fell a voice from heaven” condemning his self-exaltation, and separating him from his kingdom, and sentencing him “to eat grass as oxen.” Verses 31, 32. This experience was given the king that he might “know that the Most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever He will.” Verse 25. About twenty-three years before this event the king had an opportunity to learn this selfsame lesson from the mouth of Daniel, the servant of God. “Wisdom and might are His: . . . He removeth kings, and setteth up kings; He giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding.” Dan. 2:21, 22. It was necessary to abase him to the level of a beast before Nebuchadnezzar was willing to extol and to honor the King of heaven. Dan. 4:34-37. The words of Jesus are, “All power is given unto Me in heaven and in earth.” Matt. 28:18. The conferring of the power of government upon man is a sacred trust, for the righteous and equitable exercise of which God holds the trustee responsible. When rulers and potentates recognize that they are but agents of a divine Principal, they will be very careful that they do not transcend the authority delegated to them. They will pause before they essay to make or uphold laws which purport to regulate the liberty of conscience with the same impunity as they make laws to regulate the affairs of the State. Subjection.—If the powers that be are ordained of God, it is in harmony with the divine will for every soul to “be subject unto the higher powers.” Rom. 13:1. This is a logical sequence. The same word that enjoins the subjection defines in what the subjection consists: “Render therefore to all their dues.” Only such obligations are due from one to another as are rightfully owing. The Roman letter proceeds to prescribe these duties: “Tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honor to whom honor.” Verse 7. The reader is then directed to the law of God. He is shown that the divine law will not be fulfilled by a formal obedience of one’s duty as a Christian to the State. To satisfy God this subjection must not only demand an obedience of the hand, but it must enter the precincts of the heart. It finds its expression in love. “Owe no man anything, but to love one another; for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.” Verse 8. What law? That none may misunderstand the writer, he quotes from the law spoken by God on Sinai’s trembling peak (Ex. 20:1-17); that law which its Author wants to write on “the fleshy tables” of the heart: “For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment [regulating our duty to our fellows], it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.” Rom. 13:9. Subjection to the “higher powers” is not in contravention to, but it is, in fulfilment of, the law of God. Any statutory requirement in violation of God’s law demands a subjection that God does not require. The custom, the tribute, the fear, and the honor that are due the State, the Christian should render. But in the doing he should not neglect the fear and the honor he owes his God. The Saviour paid tribute. Matt. 17:24-27. The miraculous way in which the coin was produced evidenced to all that He was the Creator of the very powers He was obeying. This example, and other scriptural teachings, show that it is the duty of every Christian to recognize governmental powers as of divine institution. If it were not for the protection that the Christian receives by virtue of these powers, he would be unable to enjoy what religious and personal liberties he has. When the “fear of God” does not sway the conscience and constrain one to do good, the fear of the law of the land restrains him from doing many things in violation of personal rights and privileges that he otherwise would do. We are told to pray “for kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness.” 1 Tim. 2:1-3. The Two Legislations.—There are two law-making powers with which the Christian comes in contact. The one is the Legislature of the government under which he lives; the other is the Lord “our Lawgiver.” Isa. 33:22. The laws of the State are inscribed in statute-books subject to amendment and repeal. God puts His unchangeable and everlasting law in the mind and writes it in the heart. Jer. 31:33; Heb. 8:10. The spiritual administration of the law of God, or the Ten Commandments, in the hearts of His children is the foundation of the everlasting or the new covenant. This is “the better covenant, which was established upon better promises.” Heb. 8:6. The “better promises” are all made by God. The old covenant was faulty, because it was established upon the promises of man. God spake the Ten Commandments to the children of Israel from heaven. Ex. 20:1, 22. They were written by Moses in the book of the covenant. Ex. 24:4, 7. The people promised, “All that the Lord hath said will we do, and be obedient.” Verses 3, 7. In other words, the people promised to keep the Ten Commandments. Fifteen hundred years’ trial proved their utter inability to do so. He therefore found fault with them,—the people, not His law. So He says, “I will make a new covenant with them,” established on “better promises;” “I will put My laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts.” Heb. 8:8-11. The “better promises” rest upon the Word and the power of God: “I will put My laws into their mind,” etc. “I will put My Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in My statutes.” Eze. 36:27. To become a party to this new and everlasting covenant is simply to believe that God will do what He says. The epistles of Christ, the recipients of the spiritual administration of the law in the fleshy tables of the heart, are those who rest from their own works and allow God to work in them both to will and to do of His good pleasure. Part of that law which God wants to write on the heart reads thus: “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.” “The seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God.” Ex. 20:8, 10. This is one legislation. The State says, “Remember Sunday, the first day, to keep it holy; in it thou shalt not do any secular labor; it is the Lord’s day.” This is the other legislation. Here is evidently a great conflict. Which authority better knows which is the Lord’s day, the Creator, who made the day, or the creature? Salvation depends upon becoming parties to the covenantal conditions. These conditions are to let God put His law in our mind and write it in our hearts. Can we keep Sunday, the first day, and be parties in the new covenant? Can we do this and let God write, “The seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God”? We are told, “One jot or one tittle shall in nowise pass from the law.” Matt. 5:18. If we keep Sunday, are we not breaking the law of God? Are we not refusing to accept the “better promises” of the new covenant? Are we not endangering our salvation? Between these two legislations we must choose which we will obey. When Peter and the other apostles were arraigned for teaching in the name of Jesus contrary to the commandment of those in authority, they said, “We must obey God rather than men.” Acts 5:29, R.V. CYRUS SIMMONS.