What is the Purpose of Government According to the Bible?

The purpose of government is seen in three scriptures.

Government is related to authority and all authority is from God.

For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God (Romans 13:1). Scripture declares God has established governmental authority.

Why? What are the purposes of government? And why am I addressing this question?

I’m writing because one young man recently stated as he wrote to me, “I hate government.”

I’m also writing because there is a greater need to understand government and it’s God-given purposes. We need to know the purpose of government, its extent and limitations.

I’m writing because not many others are addressing government from a Biblical point of view.

What is the Purpose of Government?

The one explicitly stated purpose of government in the Bible is to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good (1 Peter 2:14).

Some see punish and praise as the only Biblical purpose of government. There are however, other inferred purposes for civil government.

Let’s go back to the garden. God set Adam in the garden to cultivate it and keep it (Gen 2:15 NASB) Or to work it and watch over it (ESV). The Hebrew word for work or cultivate is abad. Abad is translated 227 times out of 290 occurrences in the King James Bible as to serve.

It may seem strange to consider the Garden of Eden as the initial government that God ordained. I am not the first to think this, however. Dispensationalists, as well as others, consider the garden as the original government of God on earth.

The view of government as “servant” or “minister” aligns closely with the New Testament reference in Romans 13:4. Here the Holy Spirit declares through the apostle Paul For the government is God’s servant to you for good (ESV).

Therefore, I conclude the first purpose of government that God established was “to serve.”

The Hebrew word for keep or watch is shamar, which means to keep, to watch, to guard, to protect.

Notice that these passages do not tell exactly how government is to serve or protect. That can change in various circumstances or times. These passages give a lot of leeway in what governments can or cannot do. The Scriptures offer many opportunities for people of all political persuasions to implement government policies.

1 Tim 2:1-8 shows a third intention of God’s plan for government: that you may lead a quiet and peaceful life with all Godliness and dignity. God ordained government to help keep peace and quiet in society, to keep the populace undisturbed and undisturbing of others. The governments job is to protect and defend people.

Godliness (eusébeia) means piety toward God, reverence and respect. The job of governors and those in authority is to operate in an attitude of fear of God.

Honesty (semnótēs), sometimes translated gravity or respect, is a necessary characteristic of a servant of God.

In Summary, What are the Purposes of Government?

According to the Bible, our source of truth and the revelation of the mind of God, the purpose of government is to serve; to punish evil and praise good; to guard and defend; and to promote peace and quiet, Godliness and honesty.

It seems to me that any other purpose can be included in the above.

If you see otherwise, please let me know and include the Scripture reference to go with it.