What is the Christian’s responsibility to the state?

First and foremost, every Christian needs to recognize that we are ambassadors of another kingdom. Even our giving should reflect a sacrifice to spread the message of the gospel that we love. But there are a number of other needs in the world, and Christians should be known as givers not only to our own causes, but also to various other causes in society. This might mean helping with community projects of various kinds.

No government can survive without supporting at least the last six of the Ten Commandments. It was no accident that God wrote the Ten Commandments on two tables of stone. Jewish tradition tells us that the Lord divided it this way: The first four, which deal with our relationship to God, are on the first table of stone; the last six, which deal with our relationships with our fellow man, are on the second table of stone.

I often hear religious leaders talk about “America returning to God” and that we need to require that people keep the Ten Commandments. That scares me, because if the government dictates that we’re supposed to keep the first four, they’re going to tell us what God to worship, what day to worship Him, how to worship Him, what His name is, and so on. The government should never be involved in enforcing the first four with civil penalties or laws.

On the other hand, if the government does not endorse the last six, you have anarchy. That’s where I draw the line. There is a misconception in which people talk about Thomas Jefferson’s reference to the wall of separation of church and state. He wasn’t saying that religion and Christian principles should have no influence on government; he was saying that government should never dictate what the denomination of the state should be, which is what happened in Europe. But the morals of Christianity and Judeo-Christian ethics must influence government, because they encompass the foundational morals that are essential for the survival of any society.

Key Bible Texts

And Jesus answering said unto them, Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s. And they marvelled at him. (Mark 12:17 KJV)