Understanding the authority of government is essential—not merely for civic engagement, but for discerning the moral trajectory of a society. One common view is that government derives its authority from a social contract: individuals relinquish certain freedoms in exchange for protection and the preservation of rights. In democratic systems, this exchange is more explicit, as citizens elect their leaders, seemingly tethering governmental authority directly to the will of the people.
Yet this view, while appealing, leads us down a precarious path.
History reveals that societies have often embraced beliefs now recognized as deeply immoral. If government authority is merely the product of societal consensus, then as values shift, so too does the moral compass of the state. Progressives may argue that this is evidence of moral evolution—that humanity is steadily improving in its ethical understanding. But how can we be sure that our direction is truly upward?
Consensus alone cannot guarantee moral improvement. It can be engineered—through activism, popularity, or appeals to scientific authority. Without a fixed standard, “progress” becomes indistinguishable from mere change. And change, untethered from truth, is not inherently good.
So where do we find a reliable standard of morality?
We cannot look to society, for it is the very thing in question. Nor can we rely solely on moral philosophies, which are themselves products of cultural context. If consensus is unreliable, then the moral standard must lie outside of society.
This leads us to a deeper claim: that governmental authority is divinely given.
This does not imply a direct delegation from heaven to rulers, but rather that moral standards are divinely imprinted on individuals. Through conscience and reason, we can discern right from wrong—not because the majority agrees, but because truth exists independently of the majority. This allows reformers to challenge the status quo, not through coercion or popularity, but through persuasion grounded in moral clarity.
In this view, progress is not defined by shifting norms, but by alignment with transcendent truth. And government, regardless of its form—democracy, monarchy, or dictatorship—is ultimately answerable to God.
As Christians, we affirm that it is God who sets rulers in place. Their legitimacy does not rest solely on popular vote or historical accident, but on their stewardship of justice, mercy, and truth. They will be held accountable—not by the masses, but by the One who judges all nations.
Apologetics in the Lion City 