Should Christians trust the government (or the church)?
Americans’ trust in government has steadily declined since the 1960s and is currently at an all time low. While it might be tempting to blame specific politicians or policies for the trend, government is not the only institution that’s lost popular trust. Trust in churches reached an all time low in 2022 along with newspapers, tech companies, big business, and television news. The trend suggests that Americans are increasingly skeptical of the organizations that facilitate our shared life together.
Governments throughout history have done all kinds of things to earn a healthy dose of skepticism- from incompetence to corruption to persecution. Early Christians in the wake of Jesus’ ascension faced their fair share of oppression at the hands of the state. But at the same time those Christians were also building their own institution- the early church- which was deeply flawed in its own way. Both church and government are institutions that bring people together and enable shared life. What does it mean for our country that both of those institutions suffer from extremely low public trust? Is there any hope for our institutions? If not, how can we realistically live together?
Institutional critique is nothing new. What can we learn today from early Christians in the Book of Acts who had to both build the early church while facing government persecution? How do we reconcile Paul’s persecution by the Romans in Acts with his letter to the Romans that instructs Christians to “be subject to governing authorities”? Should Christians trust the government?
It depends on how you view the role of institutions in our society.
How Christians across the political spectrum have answered this question
“Yes, institutions like government and church are necessary for society to function and require our trust in order to work well.”
Acts shows us that institutions are important because they help us to organize ourselves and live in community. The Apostles were institution builders who believed that institutions were necessary.
Paul‘s letter to the Romans instructs us to “be subject to governing authorities” because they were ordained by God for our good.
Church & government facilitate the types of communities illustrated in Acts. Communities cannot function without institutions to organize them.
“No, institutions are corrupt and oppressive and we should be skeptical of them.”
Acts shows us that, from the very beginning, governments have persecuted Christians, and the church has discriminated against people. Institutions are not trustworthy.
Paul‘s letter to the Romans says that “Love therefore is the fulfillment of the law.” Romans 13 is about loving your neighbor, not showing obedience to the government.
Institutions are not necessary to facilitate communities like the ones described in Acts. Communities function best without institutions like government or church.
Acts of the Apostles & Romans 13
Acts of the Apostles describes the events that took place in the aftermath of Jesus’ resurrection and ascension into heaven. The apostles began to carry out Jesus’ Great Commission by spreading his teachings and building the early church. But as they began to do this, they quickly ran into problems. Early Christians had to grapple both with what it meant to build a flawed institution as well as what it meant to be persecuted by one.
The early church started out as a small community that shared all of their possessions with one another. The Pentecost Story recounts how early believers from different nations were miraculously able to speak one another’s languages. These early Christians began to organize church structures that could take care of the marginalized in the community, such as the widows.
But as they began to spread Jesus’ teachings, the apostles disagreed about who they should allow to call themselves Christians and what customs to permit in their movement. Who should they include and who should they exclude? Many early Christians felt strongly that their movement should discriminate against Gentiles and anyone who was uncircumcised. After all, uncircumcised Gentiles were violating the law of Moses and living a sinful lifestyle. Including Gentiles in their movement would tarnish its purity. Peter, on the other hand, felt that everyone should be included. He argued passionately and successfully for Gentile inclusion at the Council of Jerusalem in Acts 15. Philip even went so far as to convert a eunuch to Christianity.
At the same time, early Christians were persecuted by the authorities and were repeatedly arrested for spreading their message. Both the religious establishment as well as various governments seemed determined to quash Christianity before it had a chance to grow.
Not long after Jesus’ ascension, a Pharisee named Saul, who supported stoning early Christians, converted to Christianity and became the leader of the movement to spread Jesus’ teachings far and wide. Known as the Apostle Paul, his story embodies both what it means to build an institution as well as what it means to critique and resist one. Paul was a key figure in shaping the early church, who successfully advocated for the full inclusion of Gentiles as equal members of the Christian faith. But Paul was also repeatedly arrested by the authorities for spreading Christianity and issued harsh critiques both of other Christians as well as governments.
Paul’s letters to early Christians across Europe and Asia comprise 13 of the New Testament’s 27 books. One of these, his letter to the Romans, is frequently cited as proof that Christians should trust and submit to the government. In chapter 13 of his letter to the Romans, Paul instructs the Romans to “be subject to higher authorities, for there is no authority except from God, and those authorities that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore he who resists authority resists what God has appointed.” However, Paul was also arrested by the Romans for spreading the gospel and stood up to the Roman government repeatedly in advocating for his release.
What should we take from this complex story about institution building and institutional critique? What role should institutions play in our society? How should we handle the reality that institutions are flawed? What’s changed since the early church and what hasn’t? As you read these stories of the early church, consider what they tell us about the Apostles’ relationship with institutions and what relevance they have for us today.
Read the New Testament passages
How these passages build on the Old Testament
The Old Testament contains some helpful passages for understanding the apostles’ view of inclusion. Acts of the Apostles puts forward a radical vision for Christian community— one that includes people of all nations and ethnicities. Some Christians think that the Old Testament predicts the eventual inclusion of Gentiles in the Jewish faith through prophecies by Isaiah, Zechariah and Amos. Peter and Paul saw themselves as building on Jewish tradition by advocating for Gentile inclusion and even quote Amos in Acts 15 during the Council of Jerusalem, saying that they will “rebuild David’s fallen tent.” This is a reference to King David’s unification of Israel as a single kingdom. After the death of David and his son, King Solomon, the kingdom of Israel split in two. Amos’ original prophecy predicted that the kingdom would one day be united again, and Peter and Paul see the inclusion of Gentiles as a means of rebuilding that united kingdom.
The Council of Jerusalem during Acts 15 also makes reference to Mosaic laws that the apostles want the Gentiles to follow, including laws about sexual immorality, eating polluted food, and blood. The apostles make clear that these laws are important for Gentiles to follow, even if they do not follow the law about circumcision. Philip’s inclusion of the Ethiopian eunuch is significant because, according to Mosaic law, eunuchs were not permitted to enter the assembly of the Lord. Philip, however, reads the eunuch a passage from Isaiah 53, about the suffering servant— which many Christians interpret as a prophecy about Jesus. That scripture serves as an invitation to the eunuch to join the body of Christ, which was radical.
The Old Testament also includes passages about government and religious institutions. In Deuteronomy, God gives the Israelites guidance for the establishment of a monarchy by laying out the Law of Kings. This passage lends credence to Romans 13, which says that “those authorities that exist have been instituted by God.” However, the Law of Kings places limitations on royal authority and was given specifically to Israel— it’s unclear what relevance this law has for us today. Similarly, while the Old Testament doesn’t speak to the establishment of the church, it does describe the ordination of the first religious leaders. God gives Aaron and his sons the vocation of priesthood. They are tasked with serving as mediators between God and the Israelites by making offerings and performing sacrifices on behalf of the Jewish people.
As you read these passages, consider how they add to our understanding of the role of institutions in modern society.
Read the Old Testament passages
Now that you’ve read the scripture…
Reflect
What are you thinking and feeling right now?
Request
Ask God to open your heart and your mind to a different perspective. Challenge yourself to see another point of view— even if you don’t agree with it.
Respond
Thank God for working through scripture and through the people around you. If you’re about to discuss this section with other people, pray for them and for your time together.
Questions for reflection & discussion
What words or feelings do you associate with “government”? What about with “church”? What makes these institutions similar or different?
Acts describes early Christians engaging in shared life together by sharing their possessions. Do you think that we are called to follow their example and if so, how? Do you see paying taxes is a way of sharing possessions? What about donating to your church?
Do you think that institutions should play a role in facilitating our shared life together? If so, how can we guard against institutional incompetence, corruption, and persecution? If not, what is the alternative?
What do you think the role of government should be? Should government keep us safe? Should it help us to survive? Do you believe that we should come together as a society to have an education system, police force, and military? What about healthcare, food stamps, or social security?
What can we learn from the Apostles’ attempts to build the early church? How did they navigate the challenges of building a new institution? Where did they succeed and where did they fail?
What can we learn from the Apostles’ persecution by the authorities? Where do you see persecution happening today? How do you identify persecution and what can we do to guard against it?
To what extent did the Apostles submit to the authority of the Roman government and to what extent did they resist it by bearing prophetic witness? Under what circumstances do you think that Christians should submit to institutions? When should we stand up and resist them?
While the Apostles were in the minority as Christians, today 63% of Americans are Christian. How are American Christians similar to or different from the Apostles? Do you think we are persecuted for our beliefs?
Do you think it’s possible for Christians to strike a balance between investing in necessary institutions and holding them accountable? How might we do that?
Think back to our other conversations about power in the New Testament. How do these passages add to or change your understanding of Christianity’s relationship with power?
What do you think Paul was attempting to convey in his letter to the Romans? Do you think he wanted people to trust the government? Do you think his view changed after he was arrested by the Romans?
Should Christians trust the government? Should Christians trust church? What does that mean to you?
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