For readers, here is the transcript of the video.
The church and the state, so many questions arise out of the roles and responsibilities of these two institutions. Where does the family fit in? What about the economy? Who should care for the poor and jobless? What about medicine and health care? Who’s responsible for justice? What about the care of the elderly or education? Who defines marriage or sexuality? How do we answer these questions biblically?
This is where the theological concept of Sphere Sovereignty helps us out. What is Sphere Sovereignty? For that we must begin with the highest sovereign, the authority above all earthly forms of governance.
The King over All
Jesus said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me” (Matthew 28:18) In Ephesians 1:20–21 the Scriptures tell us that the Father “seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named.” In Colossians 1:16 it tells us that “by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him.” In fact, Jesus is repeatedly called, “the only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords” (1 Tim 6:15; cf. Rev 17:14; 19:16).
You see, Jesus is not just Lord over his followers, he is Lord over all—his rule extends over all the nations.
Psalm 2, speaking of the Messiah, the Lord Jesus, deserves to be read in full. The Scriptures say,
Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord and against his Anointed, saying, “Let us burst their bonds apart and cast away their cords from us.”
He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord holds them in derision. Then he will speak to them in his wrath, and terrify them in his fury, saying, “As for me, I have set my King on Zion, my holy hill.”
I will tell of the decree: The Lord said to me, “You are my Son; today I have begotten you. Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession. You shall break them with a rod of iron and dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.”
Now therefore, O kings, be wise; be warned, O rulers of the earth. Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and you perish in the way, for his wrath is quickly kindled. Blessed are all who take refuge in him.
It is therefore clear, in these passages and many others, that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is King over all his creation—over every nation, individual, and institution. All owe their allegiance and obedience to Jesus Christ.
So if Christ is King, what does this mean for institutions like the family, the church, the civil government, and the individual? All come under his rule. But what does this look like?
The Individual
Let’s start with the individual. The Bible tells us that men and women are created in the image of God (Gen 1:27). Therefore every person has inherent dignity, value, and worth. Also, as ones who image God, we all possess inherent accountability and responsibility. The Bible is clear, we will all give an account to God for our words, thoughts, and actions (2 Cor 5:11; Acts 24:15–16; Heb 9:27; Rom 14:1–10; 1 Cor 4:1–5). Along with our responsibility comes liberty. Our liberty is rooted in the image of God. This is why murder, rape, and abuse are wrong. They violate the liberty of an image-bearer. This is also why compelled speech and compelled belief are wrong. Every person has accountability, responsibility, and liberty under the lordship of Christ.
The Family
Next, we consider the family. The family is a kind of government. The husband serves as head and his wife serves as his suitable helper (Col 3:19; Eph 5:25–33). The Bible is clear that a husband lovingly leads like Christ while his wife respectfully submits to her own husband as to the Lord (Gen 2:18; Col 3:18; Eph 5:22–24). The children are called to honor and respect their parents in the Lord (Col 3:20; Eph 6:1). That is, the family government stands directly accountable to the King of kings, the Lord Jesus Christ. And under the rule of Christ, so much responsibility is given to the family. In Scripture, the caring of elderly parents is clearly commanded. We see that the family is the center of business and ownership. The family is the biblical source of welfare, inheritance, and support. The family also has responsibilities for health, provision, and the education of their children.
The Church
Next we have the church. Christ is Lord over the church and he gifts the church with leaders who give an account to Christ on how they lead (Heb 13:17). The church is given a mandate to preach the truth of God’s word; to celebrate the ordinances of baptism and the Lord’s Supper; and to shepherd the flock as they make disciples of the nations and teach them to obey all that Christ has commanded. The church is entrusted with the truth and the task of protecting and promoting the truth.
The Civil Government
Lastly, we have the civil government. The primary function of civil government that we see in Scripture is to be God’s servant who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer (Rom 13:1–7). That is, civil magistrates are to “punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good” (1 Pet 2:13–17). Governments that do not understand that they are God’s servants inevitably use the power of the sword to take responsibility and freedom away from the individual, family, and the church. Only when we understand the biblical place of these institutions do we see how they all are directly responsible to God and used of God to restrain evil and to promote human flourishing for his glory and praise.
Why is this idea of Sphere Sovereignty so useful?
First, sphere sovereignty clarifies our responsibility in serving King Jesus. As a father, I will give an account to the Lord on how I’ve led my wife and children. As a pastor, I will give an account of how I’ve led the church. As a citizen of Canada, I will give an account of how I’ve respected and honored the civil magistrate. As an individual, I will give an account for all my thoughts, words, and actions to Christ. I am saved by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. And that salvation must be worked out in every sphere of my life.
Second, sphere sovereignty clarifies the jurisdiction of earthly authorities. A frequent question we face is this: When is it prudent or permissible to disobey an earthly authority in obedience to Jesus? Clearly, this would be when (1) an authority forbids what God commands. This might include a civil government forbidding the preaching of the gospel. This might include an unbelieving husband forbidding a wife to worship Christ. In these cases, we must obey God rather than men.
Similarly, we must obey God when (2) an authority commands what God forbids. We are to abstain from evil, even if we are commanded by an earthly authority. There is a higher authority who calls us to holiness.
Lastly, and often forgotten, we obey Jesus rather than men when (3) an earthly authority commands what is not theirs to command. A wife is not under the authority of any man except her husband. She is not bound to follow any other except her husband. Likewise, the government cannot rule in matters given to the family, it has overstepped its God-given role. For example, a child’s education falls under the jurisdiction of the family and not the state. For the state to use its power of coercion in areas of health, like forced sterilization, vaccination, or other medical orders is clearly outside their sphere of responsibility given by Christ. Therefore it is permissible, and maybe prudent, even necessary, for a family, individual, or church to disobey that earthly authority in obedience to Christ and his design for human flourishing.