November 2024
The Civil Magistrate
INTO THE WORD
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Among the most important matters addressed in Christian ethics is the civil magistrate’s duty and the believer’s responsibility to state government. Some theologians say that Christians must completely disengage from politics and the civil government. Others advocate such a close relationship between church and state that the church becomes an arm of the state or the state an arm of the church. Many other perspectives fall somewhere between those extremes.
The Protestant Reformers held a high view of the civil magistrate and argued that it has God-ordained responsibilities. They argued that church and state must fulfill their respective duties and that Christians have obligations to both, often arguing from Acts 24–26, the subject of our study this month. These chapters tell us much about our engaging the state, for they show us how Paul responded to civil authorities and made use of his rights under the civil law.
Scripture has much to say about the civil magistrate and its relationship to the church. Dr. R.C. Sproul’s teaching series Church and State will help us better understand the biblical teaching on this subject.
These verses parallel the themes of the studies each week. We encourage you to hide them in your heart so that you may not sin against the Lord:
Abiding in the Word
- 1 Corinthians 15:3–4
- Acts 25:12
- 1 Timothy 2:1–2
- Proverbs 16:9