At the outset it is important to understand that the Bible is a very large book. This has implications. It means that more than man’s salvation is revealed within its pages. If this were not the case there would be no need for more than 90% its content. Scripture defines the way of salvation, the path of faithfulness (which leads to maturity), and how we are to fight the holy war (against the serpent). In the New Covenant we possess the full revealed will of God in the person of Jesus Christ (Jn 1 ). In Him we can find all of the hidden treasures of “wisdom and knowledge” (Col 2 ). As members of the Church, the Bride, we are to walk in the footsteps of our Head and Husband, the Lord Jesus Christ. In other words the Christian life ought to be patterned after the life of Christ. This is a life of humility and suffering. However, the story does not end there. Death and suffering are not victorious. Death and suffering lead to glory and dominion. Pain, death and suffering are not the summation of the Christian life. Resurrection and victory, through self-denial/longsuffering, are. Dominion is gained via servitude. It is often a painful job to slay the dragon or stand on his head. Everything Jesus went through on earth was a prelude to the glory set before Him in the resurrection and ascension (Phil 2:1-11 , Heb 12:2 ). 

With Saturday’s federal election looming it is important for all Christians to pause and take stock of who to entrust their vote to. There are some weighty issues to consider. The “big ticket” issues; including marriage, abortion, sodomite rights and many others are all important to consider. However, underlying all issues is the concept of godly government. In other words, worldview presuppositions underscore the issues we have with government decisions. This is important to remember. Government structure and policies are not religiously neutral. They cannot be, all things can be done to God’s glory or not. Politicians, their policies and our government system do not operate in a void; religious convictions are the foundations upon which all of life and society is built. More than this, those running for office are bound to the worldview that undergirds their party. I believe this is an important area into which the light of God’s Word needs to shine. Those running for election stand upon the values and goals of the political ideology that their party holds near and dear. Yes, there are conscience votes but all candidates are bonded to their party’s values at a fundamental level. Christians need to understand that individual politicians operate largely within the worldview framework designed by their party. Australia’s law is firmly grounded in British Common Law, which can be traced back to King Alfred the Great’s (9th century) Law Code. In this code King Alfred confirmed the relevance and binding nature of God’s Law in the civil realm. Alfred upheld, in the civil realm, the validity of the Ten Commandments and the general equity of the Exodus case laws. He affirmed the perpetual validity of the Ten Words and the essence of the Mosaic case laws in establishing what became the Common Law of England and then Australia. He believed the case laws of Exodus to be an exposition and illustration of the Ten Words. In other words, King Alfred codified the Ten Commandments and the general equity of the Case Laws of Exodus into British Common Law. This is the law upon which our Constitution and Common Law is founded. Whether we like it or not Australia’s legal heritage is one of the Law of God.[1] We have moved a long way from our heritage.  

Through this series on government (one, two, three) I commenced building a foundation for assessing and understanding government across all of life. I have sought to illustrate how a right understanding of government flows from a right understanding and application of the covenant. It has also been argued that government is broader than deliberations in Canberra. God has ordained the governing institutions of the individual, family, church and state. Each of these institutions exercises their interdependent authority under the sovereignty of God. Further than that; authority, roles and responsibilities allocated to and within these institutions are defined in the pages of Scripture. We do not go to natural law or any other source to understand our duties toward God in any of these capacities. The revealed Law/Word of God speaks to all of faith and life. There is a pattern woven through the Bible, consisting of a rich tapestry of types and anti types. The story is recapitulated over and over again, as the water washes up the seashore. Throughout we read of the covenant keeping God who delights in His people. Last time I asserted that when we understand the covenantal model/flow of the Bible we see that the Law of God reflects His moral character in context of individuality and corporality. In other words, the flow of the Bible is covenantal and this is from God (i.e. 1. the sovereign/transcendent) to us (His people) in order that we might be individually and socially redeemed and re-structured (i.e. 2. hierarchy) to live lives of sanctified obedience (i.e. 3. ethics) to the revealed Law/Word of God in order to glorify and enjoy Him (i.e. 4. mandates) and continually raise up godly offspring (i.e. 5. continuity).[1]

I commenced to build a covenantal foundation for governance in my last two government articles (part one, two). In those articles I commenced the foundation. This article stands on that foundation. What we must remember is that “God is a Person. He is interested in everything He has made. God is love, and He loves everything He has made. Thus, we are told in Matthew that God feeds the birds (6:26) and that not one little bird dies but that the Father takes note of it (10: 29). God even cares for the grass of the field (6:30). God has a personal interest in these things, and thus so should His image, man. This should teach us to treat God’s world with care and respect, for we shall have to answer for it if we do not.”[1]God is also the only, ultimate and transcendent law-maker. He has redeemed a people for Himself and it is He who has laid down roles, responsibilities and order for the individual and society. The church (God’s people) is commissioned to take His Word and immerse the nations of the world in it – teaching them to love their Creator, Redeemer and King across the spectrum of life (Matthew 28 ).Hence, God established His Word as the only basis for holy lifestyles and societies. He has mandated covenantal blessing for obedience and covenantal cursing for disobedience. Within this framework God makes covenant with parents and their children (i.e. the family) to pursue intergenerational covenant continuity. With this in mind I highlighted that God instituted the individual, family, church and state as the institutions to re-order His redeemed world. Through the church’s work of preaching the Gospel the whole creation is being beautified. This was the duty of the first Adam. He was to glorify and beautify the creation, taking dominion over it unto the Lord. From the Garden of Eden, Adam and his descendants were to go into the land (of Eden) and to the ends of the earth taking dominion over the creation. We know he failed. However, the second Adam will not fail.

Last week I commenced a series on government. When we think of government it is often assumed that the word simply encapsulates what occurs in Canberra or within the hallowed walls of our State parliaments. This is not the case. Historically government has been a broader concept. In western nations it followed the covenantal flow of Scripture. We find an extensive governmental blueprint within the pages of the Bible. This Biblical blueprint is more extensive than simply; “the political direction and control exercised over the actions of the members, citizens, or inhabitants of communities, societies, and states; [and] direction of the affairs of a state, community.”[1] As this series unfolds I will explore the Biblical mandate for self, family, church and state government. It is important to recognise that government is not to be associated simply or solely with the state. Biblically the concept goes beyond the civil realm and encompasses all of life, highlighting diverse roles and responsibilities for the different institutions. Associating government purely with the state is dangerous. In fact to recognise the state as the only governing institution is “destructive of liberty and of life.[2]

The Australian Rudd government would like us to believe that their education, health and hospital policies are a revolution in thinking. This is a somewhat grandiose statement that cannot be left unchallenged. In their recent Labor Connect (an E-News letter) we were informed that the incumbent party will, “put in place the most significant reforms to Australia’s health and hospitals system since the introduction of Medicare – to create a National Health and Hospitals Network that is funded nationally.” You can read all about how Mr Rudd promises to further centralise federal government power and authority through health and hospitals here. In recent weeks our government has also announced a super tax for the mining sector. The questions that have been filling my head include: is this simply a socialistic regression; what are the Biblical responsibilities of governments; and why is the church not speaking to these centralisation matters? These questions are important and need to be addressed. The Bible speaks to both of the scenarios and thus we ought to take note of the blue prints provided by the “ruler of the kings of the earth” (Revelation 1:5 ).