The Ancient Word...

Like any other good thing, governmental power can be perverted and misused in ways contrary to God's will. Amos, for example, condemned the leaders of his day:

You oppress the righteous and take bribes, and you deprive the poor of justice in the courts. (Amos 5:12, NIV)

And the Sanhedrin used its authority to persecute and kill both Christ and his followers (see Matthew 26:57-68; Acts 5:17-42).

However, the Lord intends the institutions of government to function as a good gift that benefits the human community. The laws should restrain evil and preserve the good (see Romans 13:3; Deuteronomy 4:40). The courts should protect the innocent and punish the guilty (see Proverb 17:15; Deuteronomy 25:1-3). And the police and military should guard the nation and maintain order, delivering citizens from the perils of anarchy (described in Judges 17-21; see 21:25).

The Apostle Paul explains God's intent:

The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and he will commend you. For he is God's servant to do you good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword for nothing. He is God's servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. (Romans 13:1b-4)

Some of the suffering in the world results from violating just laws, which invites penalties from the governing authorities. Peter reminds us that the Sword of Justice is the Sword of the Lord, so Christians should respect it:

How is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong? (1 Peter 2:20)

Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every authority instituted among men: whether to the king, as the supreme authority, or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right...Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God. (1 Peter 2:13-14, 16)

... for Today

We see institutional injustice everywhere. Warlords in Somalia oppress people with violence and threats. Sectarian militias and secretly sanctioned death squads maraud throughout Iraq. Authorities in Zimbabwe create food shortages as a political weapon. The suffering they inflict is better understood in terms of last week's discussion of "Harming One Another."

But what about good government (at local, state, or federal levels) that seeks to protect us by enforcing laws and applying penalties for violations?

When a man receives a $375 fine for speeding through a school zone, it may produce suffering and hardship for his family. But he invites this pain by choosing to violate rules that guard public safety.

When a woman goes to jail for defrauding her employer, it hurts not only that woman, but also her family and friends. However, she could avoid such difficulties simply by observing the law of the land. Those laws are not immoral, unethical, or contrary to Christian principles. Thus, when the Sword of Justice is fairly applied, how can we complain?

Discuss...

1. Different governments apply the Sword of Justice in very different ways, whether in the form of fines or loss of rights, beatings or imprisonment, mutilation or even the death penalty. How do such variations in practice affect our view of the offender's suffering?
   
2. How can we show mercy and grace as we administer justice? Are these ideas mutually exclusive?

Chris Davis, PhD & David Timms, PhD
Hope International University
Fullerton, California

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