Do you ever listen to the news and find it hard to believe that God has ordained all governments? Whatever ouropinions about governments around the world, the Bible tells us that God has appointed all governing authorities and wemust submit to them.

The Bible teaches three truths about government that our founding fathers clearly understood, but which todayhave been blurred and obscured. If we understand these truths, we will place government in its appropriate place as Godhas ordained. The first truth is this: Government is under God and separate from the Church. The early founders knewnothing about a secular state (except for one caused by the ghastly French Revolution). They knew only about a nationunder God. They knew that God Himself is above government, and that God, not the government, grants us our rights. Thesecond truth is this: The purpose of government is justice. God has commissioned governments to legislate and administerlaws for fairness among the people. Today the government has departed from this concept and attempts to practicebenevolence. Governmental benevolence is incredibly wasteful, ineffectual, and harmful. The third truth is this: Government is a terror to evil works and not to good. God has ordained governments to punish evil deeds. Unfortunately,today we often see that, because humankind is basically sinful, government is becoming a terror to good works as well.We see the government beginning to direct oppressive tendencies toward the Church and its schools.

The government is a fearful master, but God is a faithful master. Today pray for those who run your local, state,and national governments; pray that God will use them for His glory and His will.