⏱️ Estimated Reading Time: 3 min read
Government Under God: A Biblical Worldview of Authority
Host: Dave Jenkins
Show: Contending for the Word Q&A
Episode Summary
What role should government play in our lives? Some believe government should be minimal, while others look to it as the solution to nearly every problem. Behind these competing views are deeper questions about authority, justice, truth, and worldview.
In this episode of Contending for the Word Q&A, Dave Jenkins explains what Scripture teaches about the purpose and limits of government. Romans 13:1 teaches that governing authorities are established by God. Government therefore has a legitimate responsibility to maintain order, restrain evil, and promote justice in a fallen world.
Government possesses real authority, but it is never the ultimate authority. Every ruler, law, and political institution remains accountable to God and subject to His Word. Christians are called to respect governing authorities, pray for their leaders, engage public life wisely, and remember that their highest allegiance belongs to Jesus Christ.
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Episode Highlights
- Government is established by God and serves a legitimate purpose.
- Governing authorities are responsible for maintaining order and restraining evil.
- Government possesses real authority, but its authority is limited.
- God remains sovereign over every ruler, nation, and political institution.
- Different worldviews produce different expectations of government.
- Christians should evaluate political ideas through the truth of Scripture.
- Believers must respect authority while maintaining their ultimate allegiance to Christ.
A Biblical Worldview of Government
Romans 13:1 declares, “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.” This passage establishes an essential biblical truth: government is not random or autonomous. Governing authority exists under the sovereign rule of God.
God has established government to promote justice, restrain wrongdoing, and maintain order within a fallen world. This gives government an important role in society, but it does not give government unlimited authority. Human rulers are not the creators of truth, morality, justice, or human dignity. They remain accountable to the God who established their authority.
A person’s worldview will shape how he understands government. Those who reject God’s authority may elevate the state as the highest authority and expect it to solve every human problem. When objective moral truth is abandoned, justice can be redefined according to cultural preferences, political power, or personal ideology.
Christians are called to honor lawful authority, pray for those who govern, and participate wisely in public life. At the same time, believers must remember that obedience to God takes priority whenever human commands contradict Scripture. Government has an important place, but it cannot provide ultimate truth, establish human identity, or accomplish redemption. Those belong to God alone.
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Contending for the Word Q&A helps Christians think biblically about theology, discernment, cultural issues, and everyday life. Explore more episodes and learn how the truth of God’s Word applies to the questions facing Christians today.
Dave Jenkins is happily married to his wife, Sarah, and lives in beautiful Southern Oregon. He is a writer, editor, and speaker who loves Christ, His people, the Church, and sound theology.
Dave serves as the Executive Director of Servants of Grace Ministries and the Executive Editor of Theology for Life Magazine. He is the Host and Producer of the Equipping You in Grace Podcast and a contributor to and producer of Contending for the Word.
He is the author of The War of Worldviews: Truth, Lies, and the Battle for the Christian Mind (Theology for Life, 2026), Contentment: The Journey of a Lifetime (Theology for Life, 2024), The Word Matters: Defending Biblical Authority Against the Spirit of the Age (G3 Press, 2022), and The Word Explored: The Problem of Biblical Illiteracy and What To Do About It (House to House, 2021).
You can connect with Dave on Facebook, X (Twitter), Instagram, YouTube, or subscribe to his newsletter.
When he is not engaged in ministry work, Dave enjoys spending time with his wife, going to movies, sharing a meal at a favorite restaurant, or playing a round of golf with friends. He is also a voracious reader, particularly of Reformed theology and the Puritans, and is often found working through a stack of new books from a wide range of Christian publishers.
Dave earned his M.A.R. and M.Div. from Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary.
