The Role of Government

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What is the biblical role of government?

I talked a lot about the role of government in my previous article concerning welfare. In that we saw how it is not the role of government to provide for the poor. Which leads us to a question, what exactly is the biblical role of government?

If we go back and read Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy we can see the original form of Government and laws that God ordained and out in place. If we continue to read on up to the point where Kings were established, we can see that in their reigns they still followed the basic principles and laws already established. Of course, most of the kings became corrupt at some point in their reigns; however that still doesn’t negate the fact that the role of government is in the Old Testament as well as New.
A few examples of the biblical role of government include:

Lev 24:22Ye shall have one manner of law, as well for the stranger, as for one of your own country: for I [am] the LORD your God.
Deu 16:18Judges and officers shalt thou make thee in all thy gates, which the LORD thy God giveth thee, throughout thy tribes: and they shall judge the people with just judgment.
Deu 16:19Thou shalt not wrest judgment; thou shalt not respect persons, neither take a gift: for a gift doth blind the eyes of the wise, and pervert the words of the righteous.
Jer 22:3Thus saith the LORD; Execute ye judgment and righteousness, and deliver the spoiled out of the hand of the oppressor: and do no wrong, do no violence to the stranger, the fatherless, nor the widow, neither shed innocent blood in this place.

According to those verses, a government should have a set of laws that everyone has to obey, a just court system, and authority to punish evil.
The Hebrew word for Law in Lev. 24:22 and Judgment in Jer. 22:3 is the word mishpat {mish-pawt'} which comes from the root word shaphat {shaw-fat'}. Shaphat means:

1) to judge, govern, vindicate, punish
a) (Qal) 1) to act as law-giver or judge or governor (of God, man)
1) to rule, govern, judge
2) to decide controversy (of God, man)
3) to execute judgment
a) discriminating (of man)
b) vindicating
c) condemning and punishing
d) at theophanic advent for final judgment
(to find the blue letter bible definitions, click here )

And Mishpat means:

1) judgment, justice, ordinance

a) judgment

1) act of deciding a case

2) place, court, seat of judgment

3) process, procedure, litigation (before judges)

4) case, cause (presented for judgment)

5) sentence, decision (of judgment)

6) execution (of judgment)

7) time (of judgment)

So those definitions are talking primarily about judging and law enforcement. The question may arise, HOW does this relate to government’s role?

In Leviticus, God was laying the framework for the government system, and gave the Israelites instructions on what things to do, how to do it, and how everything will work. Even though Israel did not stay a Theocracy, those principles established, such as making laws and having judges, were still in place.

In Jeremiah, the prophet was telling the king of Israel to execute judgment and righteousness but not to harm certain types of people. That word Judgment is the same as the word law (mishpat) in Leviticus. The principles established there for executing judgment are don’t kill innocent blood, take away the goods from the oppressor (or let the oppressed go free), have compassion on the fatherless and widows, and do no wrong.

These principles are still seen active in wars today, depending on what side you’re on. I know that in America these principles are held dear to almost everyone. The last thing we want to see is innocent blood shed because it is unjust, we want to see the oppressor suffer and the oppressed go free, we can’t stand it when someone harms the orphans and helpless, and we strive to do right.


God set the basis of laws that almost everyone knows as the 10 commandments. Most societies have some of these laws as well. For instance, don’t steal, don’t murder, and don’t lie are rules that can be found almost any where in the world. Not all people follow those laws, but the governments that have them established usually punish the violators.

This brings us to Romans 13: 3-4 which states:

For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same:
For he is the 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 the minister of God, a revenger to [execute] wrath upon him that doeth evil.

One thing that is very interesting is how each of the different aspects are intertwined. If you don’t have a set of laws, you cannot effectively punish evil, without a just “court system” you cannot effectively enforce laws OR punish evil. All three elements are needed in order for the system to be effective and just.
Now the question is: has America effectively put those principles into practice? Or haven't we?