One man who demonstrated and taught this in a great way was the Dutch pastor Abraham Kuyper (1837-1920). Kuyper was a theologian, scholar, journalist, educator, and from 1901 to 1905, prime minister of the Netherlands. He taught that the Bible forges a distinctive worldview where Christ is Lord of all. His most famous saying summed up his understanding of the Lordship of Christ: “There is not a square inch in the whole domain of our human existence over which Christ, who is Sovereign over all, does not cry: ‘Mine!’”
This is a mandate we all have. Is that characteristic of your life today, or is there an area of your life that you have compartmentalized away from God? Jesus Christ wants to be God in every area of your life — your family, your vocation, every area.
Submission
The second word that defines the relationship between biblical faith and human government is submission.
Jesus said to them, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” And they marveled at him (Mark 12:17).
In Mark, the religious leaders wanted to trip up Jesus in this area. But Jesus said to render unto Caesar what is his and to God the things that are His. As the Son of God, Jesus was obedient. He only did what the Father wanted Him to do. Jesus was obedient to His parents and grew in wisdom, in stature, and in favor with God and with men. Jesus was submissive even to human governments.
Paul was teaching the same thing in Romans 13. There we read, “Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment” (Romans 13:1-2).
Human government is an institution of God.
“Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed” (Romans 13:7).
Even though the Roman Empire was an oppressive agent, Paul sought to work within the system to get the gospel out.
The Word of God clearly teaches that God has established human authorities and that, as believers, we are to submit to those authorities. The family is our first governor, and we are to obey our parents. The church is an authority that requires obedience to the gospel. And according to Paul, human government is an authority. Nowhere in the Bible do we get the idea of anarchy. To be a Christian is to be aslave to Christ, a slave to others for the sake of Christ.
