How should a Christian view the government? Throughout history, believers have often swung between two dangerous extremes: either idolizing the state (treating politics as the ultimate savior) or completely withdrawing from it (viewing all government as inherently demonic).
In Chapter 23, the Westminster Confession charts a biblical middle course. Drawing heavily on Romans 13, the divines unpack the origin, purpose, and limits of civil government. They affirm that while the state is not the church, it is a divine institution designed to promote human flourishing and restrain evil in a fallen world.
(Note: The text analyzed for this article is the original 1646 version of the Confession, which reflects a 17th-century European understanding of the relationship between church and state. We will explore this historical context below. However, please note that the author of this series affirms the 1788 American revision, not the 1646 original. An upcoming excursus will further discuss the 1788 revision used by major modern Presbyterian denominations).
The Confession teaches that God has ordained civil government for His glory and the public good; that Christians may lawfully serve in public office and wage just wars; that the state must not interfere with the spiritual administration of the church; and that citizens are bound to pray for, honor, and obey their lawful rulers, even if those rulers are not Christians.
The Origin and Purpose of Government (WCF 23.1)
Where does human government come from? It is not merely a man-made social contract. The Confession declares that “God, the supreme Lord and King of all the world, hath ordained civil magistrates.”
Every president, prime minister, king, and local judge derives their authority from God. They are “under Him,” meaning they are not absolute sovereigns; they are accountable to the Supreme Lord. God ordained government for two main reasons: “His own glory, and the public good.”
To accomplish this public good in a world corrupted by sin, God has armed the magistrate with “the power of the sword.” This is the right to use physical force and coercion to defend the good and punish evildoers. Unlike the church, which only wields the spiritual sword of the Word, the state is authorized by God to use physical punishment, up to and including lethal force, to maintain justice.
Christians in the Public Square (WCF 23.2)
During the Reformation, radical Anabaptist groups taught that Christians must completely separate from the world. They argued that a Christian could not be a politician, a judge, or a soldier, because those roles require the use of force.
The Westminster divines strongly disagreed. “It is lawful for Christians to accept and execute the office of a magistrate.” Because government is an honorable institution ordained by God, godly men and women should engage in it. When they do, their primary duty is “to maintain piety, justice, and peace.”
Furthermore, because the magistrate is tasked with defending the public good, the Confession affirms the classic Christian doctrine of Just War. Under the New Testament, magistrates “may lawfully… wage war, upon just and necessary occasion.” Pacifism is rejected; defending the innocent from violent aggression is an act of justice.
The Church and the State (WCF 23.3)
How do the church and the state interact? The Confession establishes a vital distinction: the state has the power of the sword, but the church has the power of the keys.
The civil magistrate “may not assume to himself the administration of the Word and sacraments, or the power of the keys of the kingdom of heaven.” A king cannot preach the sermon, baptize a child, or excommunicate a church member. Church and state are distinct spheres of authority.
Understanding the 1646 Context: Modern readers will be shocked by the second half of paragraph 3. The original 1646 text grants the civil magistrate the duty to suppress heresies, reform worship, and call church synods to ensure unity and truth. This reflects the 17th-century Establishment Principle, the belief that a nation should have one legally established state church, protected and enforced by the king.
(Historical Note: More than a century later, when American Presbyterians adopted the Confession in 1788, they revised WCF 23.3 to reflect the separation of church and state. The American revision removed the magistrate’s power to punish heresy or call synods, stating instead that the magistrate must protect the religious liberty of all denominations equally without preference. As noted above, the author of this series affirms this 1788 American revision as the more biblically accurate position. We will publish a follow-up excursus discussing this 1788 revision, which is the standard used today by major modern Presbyterian denominations like the PCA and OPC).
The Duty of the Citizen (WCF 23.4)
If government is instituted by God, how must Christians respond to it? We have four primary duties to our civil leaders:
- Pray for them: Lifting them up to God (1 Tim. 2:1–2).
- Honour their persons: Speaking of them with respect, regardless of political disagreements (1 Peter 2:17).
- Pay taxes: Rendering “tribute and other dues” (Rom. 13:6-7).
- Obey lawful commands: Submitting to their authority “for conscience’ sake.”
Crucially, the Confession addresses the reality of bad rulers. What if the magistrate is an unbeliever, or belongs to a different religion? “Infidelity, or difference in religion, doth not make void the magistrates’ just and legal authority.” You cannot refuse to pay your taxes or obey the speed limit simply because the governor is not a Christian.
Finally, the divines take a parting shot at the Roman Catholic papacy. The Pope has no jurisdiction over civil kings, and he certainly has no right to “deprive them of their dominions, or lives” if he judges them to be heretics. The civil magistrate answers directly to God, not to the Pope.
Conclusion
The Reformed view of government is profoundly realistic. It recognizes that because human beings are entirely depraved, we need civil magistrates armed with the sword to prevent society from devolving into violent anarchy. Yet, it also recognizes that the state is not our Savior. We participate in the political process, we pray for our leaders, and we obey the law, but we do so knowing that our ultimate citizenship is in heaven, and our ultimate King is Jesus Christ.
Key Terms
- Civil Magistrate: Any human authority in civil government, ranging from a local mayor or police officer to a king or president.
- Power of the Sword: The God-given authority of the civil government to use physical force, coercion, and punishment to maintain justice and order in society (Rom. 13:4).
- Power of the Keys: The spiritual authority given by Christ exclusively to the Church to preach the Gospel, administer the sacraments, and exercise church discipline (Matt. 16:19).
- Just War Theory: The traditional Christian doctrine that going to war is morally permissible (and even necessary) under specific, strict conditions, primarily for the defense of life and the punishment of severe injustice.
- Establishment Principle: The historical 17th-century view (reflected in the original 1646 text) that the state should officially recognize, fund, and protect one specific Christian denomination as the national church, suppressing public heresy.