The Bible presents a comprehensive framework for understanding governance, not merely as a human invention but as divinely instituted. When we think of this word, we usually apply it only to civil governance, but the Bible shows us that there’s so much more to it. Let’s start with a basic definition: Governance is directing the affairs of an individual or group under established principles and laws. The opposite of governance can be described as anarchy or chaos, where there is a lack of structure, direction, or control. Anarchy implies the absence of authority or established principles to guide behavior and decision-making. In a biblical sense, the absence of governance often leads to disorder and the breakdown of societal harmony, as seen in instances like the time of the judges when “everyone did what was right in their own eyes” (Judges 21:25). This highlights the necessity of God-ordained governance – linked to his fixed moral law – for maintaining order and flourishing.

At the heart of this framework is the foundational truth that God created humanity to govern the earth under His authority. In Genesis 1:28, God commands Adam and Eve to “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.” Genesis 2:15 highlights their role as stewards: “The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.” This divine mandate establishes humanity’s responsibility to exercise wise and faithful governance over creation. That plays out through four distinct types of governance listed in the Bible: self-government, family government, civil government, and church government. Each plays an important role in God’s design for order and flourishing.

1. Self-Government: The Foundation of All Governance

The concept of self-government is first introduced in Genesis 3, when God places Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden with a clear mandate: to tend the garden and to abstain from eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Genesis 2:16-17). This command required personal responsibility and moral accountability. When Adam and Eve failed to govern themselves, sin entered the world (Genesis 3:6-7), highlighting the critical role of self-governance in maintaining harmony with God and creation.

Self-government is the cornerstone of biblical governance. Proverbs 16:32 emphasizes, “Better a patient person than a warrior, one with self-control than one who takes a city.” The New Testament further underscores the importance of self-governance through the fruit of the Spirit, which includes self-control (Galatians 5:22-23). A society thrives when individuals practice self-discipline and align their lives with God’s moral law.

2. Family Government: The First Institution

The family is the first human institution established by God, beginning with the union of Adam and Eve (Genesis 2:24). In Genesis 4, the narrative of Cain and Abel reveals the dynamics of family relationships and the consequences of failing to uphold familial responsibilities.

The New Testament provides further guidance for family governance. Ephesians 5:22-6:4 outlines roles and responsibilities within the family: husbands are to love their wives as Christ loves the church, wives are to respect their husbands, and parents are to raise their children in the “training and instruction of the Lord.” This structure reflects God’s design for nurturing individuals who can practice self-government and contribute positively to society.

3. Civil Government: God’s Provision for Justice and Order

Civil government is established in Genesis 9, following the flood. God’s covenant with Noah includes the institution of human authority to uphold justice: “Whoever sheds human blood, by humans shall their blood be shed; for in the image of God has God made mankind” (Genesis 9:6). This verse underscores the role of civil government in protecting life and administering justice.

Romans 13:1-7 expands on the purpose of civil government, describing it as God’s servant to do good and to punish wrongdoing. Civil authorities are tasked with maintaining order and ensuring justice, acting as agents of God’s common grace. However, civil government is not autonomous; it is accountable to God and must operate within the bounds of His moral law. In Acts 5:29, Peter says, “We must obey God rather than people” when the rules of this world go against God’s commands. Daniel’s story (Daniel 6) and the brave actions of the Hebrew midwives (Exodus 1) remind us that we should stand up for God’s ways when needed.

4. Church Government: Shepherding God’s People

Church government is instituted to provide spiritual oversight and guidance. Jesus’ declaration in Matthew 16:18, “I will build my church,” establishes the church as a distinct entity under His authority. The early church’s structure is detailed in the New Testament, with roles such as elders, deacons, and pastors outlined in passages like 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1.

The primary role of church government is to shepherd God’s people, ensuring sound teaching, administering sacraments, and fostering spiritual growth. Hebrews 13:17 urges believers to “have confidence in your leaders and submit to their authority, because they keep watch over you as those who must give an account.” Church government operates in partnership with family and civil government, addressing spiritual matters and promoting godly living.

Harmonizing the Four Governments

These four types of government—self, family, civil, and church—are interdependent and must operate in harmony for society to function as God intended. Self-government is foundational, enabling individuals to contribute positively to family, civil, and church governance. Family government nurtures and trains individuals in righteousness. Civil government maintains justice and order, while church government provides spiritual guidance and oversight.

When each sphere respects its God-given boundaries and responsibilities, society flourishes. As believers, understanding and embracing these principles equips us to live faithfully and advocate for a biblically grounded vision of governance in every aspect of life.

Close: Citizenship in Heaven

The Bible teaches that believers are citizens of heaven first. In Philippians 3:20, Paul writes, “But our citizenship is in heaven, and we eagerly wait for our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.” This means our main focus should be living for God. Philippians 1:27 adds, “Whatever happens, live in a way that shows you love Jesus and follow Him.” Knowing we belong to God changes how we live and treat others.

How to Be a Good Citizen

The Bible gives us a few clear ways to be good citizens in our communities:

1. Pray for Leaders: First Timothy 2:1-2 says to pray for “kings and everyone in authority so we can live peaceful, godly lives.” Prayer helps us trust God and support those in charge.
2. Pay Taxes: Jesus said, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s” (Mark 12:17). Paying taxes helps support services that keep things running smoothly.
3. Work for Justice and Peace: When the Israelites were taken into exile in Babylon, God gave them a message through the prophet Jeremiah: “Seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare” (Jeremiah 29:7). Although Babylon was a pagan nation, the Israelites were called to contribute positively by building homes, planting gardens, and raising families there (Jeremiah 29:5-6).

As citizens of both heaven and earth, Christians are called to live with purpose, integrity, and love. By respecting earthly authorities, working for the good of their communities, and prioritizing God’s kingdom above all, believers can be a powerful witness to the world. When we live in this way, we honor God, bless others, and share the hope and light of Jesus Christ wherever we go.

Every human life, from conception to natural death, is inherently valuable and deserving of protection. Life begins at conception, as this marks the start of a unique human organism with its own DNA, potential, and future.

We’re in part 3 of our Kingdom Politics series. 

• Today we’ll answer the question: Q. What Does the Bible Say about Abortion?
• This is an emotionally charged topic
• Maybe some of you want to swipe up, put up walls, run away
• Because you have personal hurts around this topic
• Or because you just want to stick your head in the sand
• I encourage you to resist that temptation
• There’s something here for everyone
• I’ll try to speak the truth in love…
• Such an important topic that I’ve written this episode twice
• I want to make sure I get it right, which means I need to make sure I understand the opposing view
• Why are so many people in favor of this? Even some Christians? 
• Let’s start with…

The Pro-Choice Argument

See the argument for and against pro-life | Lex Fridman Podcast

• Pro-Choice Argument #1: Bodily Autonomy – A fundamental principle of human rights is that individuals have the right to control their own bodies. Pregnancy profoundly affects a person’s body, health, and life, and no one should be compelled to undergo it against their will.
• Pro-Choice Argument #2: Gender Equality – Denying access to abortion disproportionately affects women and those who can become pregnant, limiting their ability to participate equally in society by controlling their reproductive choices and futures.
• Pregnancy changes women in a way that it cannot change men, so it’s a form of sex discrimination to make women go through with an unwanted pregnancy. 
• From an article by a Christian Latina Mom: “Yes, the anti abortion movement has its lens focused solely on birth, but I think they’ve lost Jesus in the process. How are we protecting all God’s creatures beyond gestation? What is being done to help people out of poverty? When will we get mandated paid parental leave? When will we stop aiding wars that lead to the death of many innocent people? When will our maternal health system be fixed so women, especially Black women, don’t have to worry about whether or not they are going to survive childbirth in this country? This fight is not about “protecting life” it is about control — controlling women, to be exact. And that’s a fight I cannot get behind. I think God understands that and loves me just the same.”
• History lesson: In the United States, eugenic sterilization laws were passed in many states (popularized in 1920’s), disproportionately targeting Black women, Indigenous women, and immigrants. These sterilizations were often carried out without informed consent.
• 1907: Indiana passes the first eugenic sterilization law in the United States, targeting those deemed “unfit” to reproduce (e.g., individuals with disabilities or mental illness).
• 1919: Margaret Sanger, the founder of Planned Parenthood, writes about controlling the reproduction of people she considered “unfit,” which included those with mental or physical disabilities, as well as impoverished groups, immigrants, and minorities. Here’s the title of the article: “Birth Control and Racial Betterment” 
• 1925: Hitler’s ideas about racial purity, Aryan superiority, and the need to eliminate “undesirable” traits outlined in his book Mein Kampf.
• 1927: The Supreme Court upholds forced sterilization laws in Buck v. Bell. Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes famously writes, “Three generations of imbeciles are enough.”
• 1933: Hitler implements eugenic policies on a national scale, starting with the Law for the Prevention of Hereditarily Diseased Offspring. This law legalized forced sterilization for individuals with conditions such as mental illness, epilepsy, and physical disabilities.
• 1973: Roe v. Wade legalizes abortion in the U.S., with abortion services often concentrated in low-income and minority communities, raising concerns about systemic targeting.
• Pro-Choice Argument #3: Personhood – Many argue that personhood and the associated rights develop gradually and that early-stage embryos do not yet possess the qualities (e.g., consciousness or viability) that confer full moral status.
• SLED acronym: Pro-choice advocates often argue that personhood is not established until certain criteria are met:
• Size: Some argue that the unborn’s small size makes them less of a person. The idea is that a tiny embryo cannot hold the same moral status as a fully grown human.
• Level of Development: Pro-choice proponents frequently claim that personhood is tied to cognitive development. Since the unborn cannot think, feel pain, or exhibit consciousness in the early stages of pregnancy, they argue that the fetus is not yet a person.
• Environment: It is often asserted that life inside the womb is fundamentally different from life outside it. Until a baby is born and separates from the mother, some argue, it cannot be considered fully human.
• Degree of Dependency: Pro-choice advocates may contend that the unborn’s complete reliance on the mother for survival makes them less than a person. They might equate this dependency with a lack of individual autonomy, which they see as essential for personhood.

The Pro-Life Argument

Pro-Life Argument #1: Intrinsic Value of Human Life – This is the crux of the pro-life argument. Every human life, from conception to natural death, is inherently valuable and deserving of protection. Life begins at conception, as this marks the start of a unique human organism with its own DNA, potential, and future. (Winger – It’s a living, whole human)

Genesis 1:27 Genesis 1:27 (NLT) 27 So God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.

• Pillar 2 of God and Govt from week 1 of this series: God, Not the Government, Gives Rights to Every Human Being.
• That’s why this whole argument hinges on whether babies in the womb are human! 
• They’re not “potential human beings”, but “human beings with potential” 
• Not once in the history of humanity, did a pregnant mother give birth to a monkey or a fish or a tree. Every single time a human being came out! 

Exodus 21:22-25 (NLT) 22 “Now suppose two men are fighting, and in the process they accidentally strike a pregnant woman so she gives birth prematurely. If no further injury results, the man who struck the woman must pay the amount of compensation the woman’s husband demands and the judges approve. 23 But if there is further injury, the punishment must match the injury: a life for a life, 24 an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth….”

• Exodus 21 (New Bible Commentary) In the case of murder the death penalty was invoked, not out of indifference for human life, but rather because each human life is of tremendous value (Gn. 9:6).
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• Exodus 21 (New Bible Commentary) The distinctiveness of the biblical laws is apparent when one compares them with other Ancient Near Eastern laws. In the earlier Laws of Hammurabi, a murderer was required to make only financial compensation to the victim’s family. This contrasts sharply with the biblical insistence of a life for a life. On the other hand, the non-biblical laws apply the death penalty to breaking and entering, looting at a fire, and theft. These examples reveal that in other cultures financial loss was sometimes treated more seriously than loss of life. The biblical laws consistently emphasize that human life is of greater value than material possessions.

Psalms 139:13-16 (NLT) 13 You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb. 14 Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it. 15 You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb. 16 You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.

• Friends, if you’ve bought into the pro-choice narrative, you’ve been gaslit
• “My body, my choice” is a lie
• That baby in the womb has its own body with its own DNA
• To elevate a woman’s right to choose above the level of a baby’s right to live is simply not biblical or logical. 
• This next verse shows us something more…

Luke 1:41 (NLT) 41 At the sound of Mary’s greeting, Elizabeth’s child leaped within her, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.

Pro-Life Argument #2: Moral Responsibility to the Vulnerable The unborn baby, as the most vulnerable and defenseless member of the human family, deserves special protection. Society has an ethical obligation to advocate for those who cannot speak for themselves.

Proverbs 31:8-9 (NLT) 8 Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves; ensure justice for those being crushed. 9 Yes, speak up for the poor and helpless, and see that they get justice.

• Some of you have stayed silent on this issue because it’s unpopular
• Some are silenced because of your empathy for women
• Hear this, please: in the vast majority of cases, women are not the vulnerable ones here
• The unborn are the helpless ones. They are “those being crushed”. 
• The bible commands us to speak up for them. 

Pro-Life Argument #3: Pro-Life, Not Just Pro-Birth – advocating for comprehensive support for the pregnant mother and the child after it’s born 

• Pro-Moms: advocating for the health and support of moms who bear the burden of pregnancy
• Women matter to God just as much as babies in the womb.
• Pro-Family: advocating for mom and a dad in the home
• Pro-Dads: advocating for a return to biblical masculinity
• A culture that devalues life often stems from broken views of manhood. Men must reject the cultural narratives of irresponsibility and self-indulgence. 
• One of the greatest tragedies in the abortion debate is the silence of men. While women bear the physical burden of pregnancy, men often bear moral and relational responsibility. Research consistently shows that a significant percentage of women who have abortions feel unsupported or pressured by the men in their lives. When men fail to step up, women are left to make heart-wrenching decisions alone.
• The abortion issue is not just a women’s issue; it is a human issue and, more importantly, a gospel issue. Men need to take the lead, but every follower of Jesus has a part to play. 
• Moses’ final words to the Israelites on their way in to the Promised Land:
• Deuteronomy 30:19 (NLT) “Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, so that you and your descendants might live!”

The Takeaway:

Last week we learned that we are citizens of heaven first, and that should impact our participation in this great country (where we are foreigners and exiles). We’re not meant to stand back and let America wander away from the biblical principles it was founded on. Here’s the takeaway for this issue, three practical steps that I hope you’ll pray about so you can honor God in this area: 

1. Adopt: Some of you will be led to take this life-long leap of faith. This is one of the most practical ways to be a light on this dark issue.
2. Support: Partner with organizations that provide emotional, financial, and practical support to pregnant women.
3. Disciple: Walk with someone who’s struggling to understand a biblical worldview on this. Parents: disciple your kids on this topic, or the world will. Remember the first two types of governance we talked about last week: self-governance and family governance. If we lead in this, policies in civil government will follow.