Worksheet
• God’s authority is supreme above human government (Daniel 2:21)
• Believers are citizens of heaven and children of God (1 Peter 2:9)
• Submitted and peaceable to authority whenever possible (Romans 13:1-7)
• Endure personal injustice, oppressiveness, or blasphemy (Matthew 5:38-42)
• Resist in the case of injustice, oppressiveness, or blasphemy (1 Peter 4:12-19, Acts 4:18-21)
• Be willing to die rather than compromise essentials of the faith (Mark 13:9-13)
• We have a desire to be good members of the societies in which they live and work while maintaining our allegiance to the Word of God that states that Jesus Christ is Lord of Heaven and earth, and we are citizens of His Kingdom (Romans 13:1-6, 1 Timothy 2:1-2, 1 Peter 2:13-16, John 18:36).
• We seek to be above all faithful citizens of Christ’s kingdom. Neither blind submission nor a rebellious attitude is the posture Christians are to have toward civil government (Phil 3:20).
• We understand the biblical values of human dignity, freedom, equality, justice, and the responsibility of the Body of Christ to give voice to the oppressed. In all things within society, we seek to love mercy, do justice, and walk humbly with our God (Micah 6:8)
• We want to embody Jesus’ compassion for the hurting, poor and broken. describes giving shelter to those in need, welcoming the stranger, feeding, and clothing the poor (Matthew 25:31-46).
• We should be peaceable, law-abiding citizens who do not have blind submission or a rebellious attitude.
• “We want to be known as peaceable, law-abiding citizens whose character of life points to the power of Christ to tame our rebellious natures” (FLCG, p. 114).
• 1 Pet. 2:17
ARTICLE XVII: CIVIL GOVERNMENT (pink polka dot)
We believe that the civil government is of divine appointment, for the interests and good order of human society; and that governors and rulers should be prayed for, obeyed, and upheld at all times except only in things opposed to the will of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is the ruler of the conscience of His people, the King of Kings, and the Lord of Lords. (Rom. 13:1,3; Deut. 15:18; 2 Sam. 23:3; Ex. 18:21-23; Jer. 30:21)
Take a few minutes to write you own sentence.
Questions and Scripture
How would you describe the central idea of the doctrine of Civil Government, and why is it biblically important to you personally (Romans 13:1-6, 1 Timothy 2:1-2, 1 Peter 2:13-16, John 18:36, Phil 2:11)?
What are the ways the church can be both a faithful witness to the Gospel and a prophetic witness to do justice, love mercy and walk humbly with God (Micah 6:8)?
Read Matthew 25:31-46. What is the specific areas Jesus said will be criteria for the judgment of nations?
How do you see Jesus doing this when He walked the earth? How can we do what Jesus did?