Pastor: Darrin Waldroup 766-8908
WHAT BAPTISTS BELIEVE
18. CIVIL GOVERNMENT
We believe that civil government is of divine appointment, for the interest and good order of
human society; that those in authority are to be prayed for, conscientiously honored and obeyed;
except in those things that are contrary to the Word of God and opposed to the will of our Lord
Jesus Christ; that the church and state should be separate and that the church should not resort to
civil power or authority to carry on it’s work; that the Christian ideal is a free church in a free
state; that the church has the right to form and propagate opinions in the sphere of religion
without interference by any civil power. (Rom 13:1-7; Deut 16:18; II Sam 23:3; Matt 22:21; Tit
3:1; I Pet 2:13; I Tim 2:1-8; Acts 5:29; Matt 10:28; Dan 3:15-18; Dan 6:7-10; Matt 23:10; Rom
14:4; Rev 19:16; Ps 72:11).
Christians have a dual citizenship 1) Heavenly/ with resp to God 2) Earthly with resp to government
1) Civil government is of divine appointment
Rom 13:1-7 “There is no power but of God”
We are to submit to the authority God has allowed in our lives. (I Pet 2:13,17)
Officials are subject to appointment from God and are to be servants of God in their office
Human government is to uphold the good and punish evil. (Deut 16:18, II Sam 23:3)
We are to respect rulers who enforce the law, we are to support good government. (Tit 3:1)
We are to pay our taxes, even though we may not agree how it is used. (Matt 22:17-21)
In the army, salute the uniform, though you may not agree with man in uniform, salute anyway
· David & Saul I Sam 24:6,10 I Sam 26:9 II Sam 1:14 David would not touch God’s annointed
2) Government Leaders are to be prayed for
I Tim 2:1-8 Christians are to pray for public officials
Christian Democrats are to pray for Republicans, Christian Republicans are to pray for Democrats
We are to pray for a good government or a corrupt one
3) “We ought to obey God rather than man”
This does not sanction civil disobedience, but if contrary to God’s Word, we must stand
Acts 5:29 obey God and even suffer consequences of man (See also Matt 10:28)
· God is on the throne of glory and He rules all, our first allegiance is to His government.
We are not to submit to the laws of man when it opposes the Word of God or the Will of Christ
Dan 3:15-18 worship the image said the king , but the Hebrew children would have no other god
Dan 6:7-10 Daniel not to pray, but prayed anyway and was cast into lions den, yet was delivered
4) The church and state separation
The body of Christ should not resort to civil authority to carry on it’s work (I Cor 6:1-12)
ie Christians against Christians airing differences before unbelievers is wrong
but there may be times when Christians have to use the law with unbelievers
The church should be allowed the freedom to hold worship service by state gov’t
The church should not be told by the state what it can or can’t preach and teach
The church should not dictate or dominate the state neither should the state control the church