In My Honest Opinion…

In his book, “The Law”, Frederick Bastiat, a French writer outlined the basic principles of the right of governments. He begins with the individuals and concludes with the society:

1. Everyone has the right to live, for life is granted to us by God.
2. Since we have the right to live, we also have the right to labor for those things necessary for life: food, clothing, and shelter.
3. Since the individual right to live comes from God, no other individual has the right to take our lives.
4. Nor do other individuals have the right to deprive an individual the right of the personal property labored for survival.
5. Therefore the right of self defense is a God given right of self preservation.
6. Of course, if they do not have the right to take an individual’s life and property, neither do we as individuals have the right to take the life and property of another.
7. If this right exists individually, then it is a logical extension that individuals have the right to band together collectively to form governments that protect the right to life collectively.
8. However, just as an individual does not have the right to deprive life and property of another, neither do governments have the right to deprive the right of life and property from the individual or another collective government.

Bastiat does not say that governments exist because God creates government. Rather God gave the right to life to people, and people have the right to create governments to preserve that life. Governments are ordained by God, but God gives the responsibility of forming governments to man. In other words, God does not form the governments. And because all men are sinners we naturally corrupt what we do. Therefore, it is natural for men in governments to abuse their authority. Abuses by government are not sanctioned by God.

Natural Law is understanding that there are universal truths that are held by all people everywhere in some form or another. The Natural Law is the universal recognition of the laws of God inscribed in our hearts and conscience (Rom. 2:15). Common Law is a part of our English Heritage as a former colony. Common Laws are a body of laws that were understood by the Parliament. These rights were imported and understood as part of the government judicial system.

The individual sovereignty of man is the basis of Equity Law. As individual sovereigns we have the right to enter into contractual relations with other sovereign men. It is the right of mutual agreement between men. Statutory Law is based in the same root of sovereignty. If a people decide to create a government, as a people they also have the right, through mutual agreement, in the enactment of statutes to regulate their society.

So, where does the right of government exist? From God? No, not from God, although God oversees all the nations since the Earth belongs to the Lord twice fold. First by right of creation, and second by right of redemption. As such He does take down governments and exalts righteous governments. But He gave the right of government to men. We create governments. Either we are responsible with the government we have created and see that it remains a righteous government that God will exalt (Prov. 14:34), or we let our governments become corrupt and allow destruction to ensue (Prov. 10:29).

We are to influence the governments to righteousness, but not use the governments to create a theocracy. Our control of the Earth’s governments will be when Christ returns. Our influence upon our nation is only as much as Christ is an influence through us. God does call people in to politics and every sphere of life. If God is calling you into the political arena, then you have the ability to influence the political world through Jesus Christ. But if God is not directing you there, then your influence will be of your own strength and will accomplish very little. The Lord is still using people to manage His Earth. Wherever God leads you, that is where you will do the most good.

The command of God through Jesus Christ still stands: Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness (Matt. 6:33). Christ governing the individual lives of the nation is the only hope for a righteous government before His return. Christ will direct the right people to bring righteousness to the nation if they obey His lead. But we must understand that we are responsible for the creation of governments, not God, and just because the government makes a "law", that does not mean they are either genuine laws, or statutes that reflect the sovereign wills of the people.

Adapted from an article “By What Rights Do Governments Exist?”. You can read the full article here.