Joel Belz wrote an editorial in World Magazine (Sept. 15, 2018) on this concept, first brought to his attention by a Wall Street Journal article twenty-five years ago. We begin by reflecting on the “ideal” dad – he is strong, dependable, provides for the family, and keeps the home safe. But when, as children, mess up, we want him to be kind and gentle. Strong government, lightly governed.
In the class room, we wanted a teacher who knew her facts, could bring history to life, and explained the lifecycle of the jellyfish in a way that kept us on the edge of our seats. But we also did not want a teacher who embarrassed us or any other student in front of the class. We also did not want a teacher who favored one study over the other and kept bullying out of the classroom. Strong government, lightly governed.
To provide one more example, as citizens of our country, we want a government, whether state or federal, that reflects the mentality of our local police officers. They enforce the law. They make sure everyone is playing by the same rules. But if we are lost in the crowd, we want them to put us on their shoulders so we can find our parents. Strong government, lightly governed.
So it is with God and His word, as well as the church. God is referred to as the “Almighty” 58 times in the Bible (NASV). From the very creation of the world, God has revealed His power and strength to mankind. There are a host of examples in which God punishes man, sometimes severely, for his sins. God does not do so capriciously nor indiscriminately. When His servant, Moses, sinned, God punished him. When His servant, David, sinned, God punished him. Strong government.
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But the grace and mercy of God pours off every page of the Bible as well. God saved one family from the flood. God saved Lot and his family from the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. As wicked as Ahab was, God gave him multiple opportunities to repent and change His ways. The Assyrian nation was infamous for its brutality but when their capital, Nineveh, repented, God spared them destruction. Lightly governed.
We as individual Christians and, collectively, as the church, must enforce the rules that God has laid down. Those are nonnegotiables. There are certain things God defines as sin and we must enforce those definitions. We do not have the liberty to redefine God’s definition of sin. There are certain behaviors God requires of us, individually and collectively, and we must be sure we are fulfilling those expectations. Strong government.
But when a brother or sister is overcome in a sin, we ought to do our best to work with them. Be patient with them. Pray with them. Encourage them. Try to help them find the “way of escape” out of their temptation. We lightly govern one another’s behavior in love, kindness, gentleness, and forbearance.
Paul Holland
