Augsburg Confession Series, Part 16
Civil government, despite sometimes letting us down, is a gift from God to us. Just as God gave us our parents, so He gives us other authorities in life...
Augsburg Confession, Article XVI: “Civil Government”
1 Our churches teach that lawful civil regulations are good works of God. 2 They teach that it is right for Christians to hold political office, to serve as judges, to judge matters by imperial laws and other existing laws, to impose just punishments, to engage in just wars, to serve as soldiers, to make legal contracts, to hold property, to take oaths when required by the magistrates, for a man to marry a wife, or a woman to be given in marriage [Romans 13; 1 Corinthians 7:2].
3 Our churches condemn the Anabaptists who forbid these political offices to Christians. 4 They also condemn those who do not locate evangelical perfection in the fear of God and in faith, but place it in forsaking political offices. 5 For the Gospel teaches an eternal righteousness of the heart (Romans 10:10). At the same time, it does not require the destruction of the civil state or the family. The Gospel very much requires that they be preserved as God’s ordinances and that love be practiced in such ordinances.
6 Therefore, it is necessary for Christians to be obedient to their rulers and laws. 7 The only exception is when they are commanded to sin. Then they ought to obey God rather than men (Acts 5:29).
[From Concordia: The Lutheran Confessions. 2005 (P. T. McCain, Ed., CPH)]
Civil government is one of God’s good gifts – “good works of God” – to the nations and families of the earth. The civil government, even when it acts contrary to God’s express will in Holy Scripture, is given from God, and so demands our honor and respect, acting in parentis locis as an authority in our life under the fourth commandment. Yet, when commands of the civil authority cannot be obeyed without sin, “we must obey God rather than men.” (Acts 5:29)
God has established governments and rulers in order to preserve and protect man’s life on earth and society. They are to defend and to commend those who do what is right, and to punish criminals. The state is simply the arm of the law for the preservation of order. Thus it is not concerned about the preaching of the Gospel and dispensing the forgiveness of sins, which is the eternal aim of the Holy Christian Church.
Yet, the Christian is a citizen of the church and the state at the same time. Christians can and should serve in government offices. Christians can and should advocate that their rulers rule justly and in accord with God’s Word. “Christians may legitimately make use of civil ordinances and laws” (Ap XVI, 12). “Christians may without sin exercise political authority; be princes and judges; pass sentences and administer justice according to imperial and other existing laws; punish evildoers with the sword; wage just wars; serve as soldiers; buy and sell; take required oaths; possess property; be married; etc.”
So, while the state should never be expected to or asked to preach the Gospel or administer the Sacraments, nevertheless, those who serve in the civil government should be expected to be Christians and act according to the Word of God within their office – everyone, no matter what vocation, should manifest Christian love and genuine good works for the sake of the neighbor in their various stations in life.
Lastly, we note the Augsburg Confession is pretty clear in its assumption about marriage: “for a man to marry a wife, or a woman to be given in marriage.” The family as ordained by God, one man and one woman in a lifelong bond is the central unit of society, and cannot be forsaken.
