God, Checks and Balances

The Bible doesn’t exactly go into the mechanics of government, other than whatever is done must be to ensure that the government acts an extension of God, reflecting His Goodness and His Commandments. Some may say, in a sense, that Romans 13:1 kicks it off by saying “Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.”

But the actual mechanics of governing, including the system in the U.S. of checks and balances, can be seen as a reflection of the entire Bible, which serves as the Word of God. The Bible is the seed of our checks and balances, but is the implementation of the system itself not a work of man?

The system of checks and balances ensures that not one part of a government body exceeds its authority, for if it does, there is no stopping it from the temptations that may lead to a corruption of morals. America’s founders said that a government should rule with a pen in its hand and God in its heart. And the Bible implores us to be mindful and verify that the people we may trust in are those who have the Spirit of God in their hearts.

Perhaps an early origin of checks and balances may be found in Exodus 18:17-23. There, Moses and the Hebrews are in the wilderness en route to the Promised Land. It is Moses’ job to keep the people together until they enter the Promised Land. So, he exerts a form of government on them, which includes resolving conflicts among the people so that there is no dissent from where they are going.

Seeing that Moses and the few people whom he entrusted try to resolve conflicts by themselves, his father-in-law says to him “What you are doing is not good. You and the people with you will certainly wear yourselves out, for the thing is too heavy for you. You are not able to do it alone... look for able men from all the people, men who fear God, who are trustworthy and hate a bribe, and place such men over the people as chiefs of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens. And let them judge the people at all times. Every great matter they shall bring to you, but any small matter they shall decide themselves. So it will be easier for you, and they will bear the burden with you. If you do this, God will direct you, you will be able to endure, and all this people also will go to their place in peace.”

It seems reasonable to believe that Moses’ father-in-law was concerned that if Moses and the few people wear themselves out, the people would be tempted to go off on their own, worshipping and pursuing golden calves perhaps, so to speak, and not mindful of God. Whoever presides over the people in God’s name must be fully awake, alert as to the behavior and motives of people, and to that, Moses’ father-in-law suggests adding a layer or two, or three, or four, of like-minded people who will preside, so the task is distributed so as to not make it too burdensome for any one individual.

Invariably, those layers act as checks and balances on eachother, so long as the presiders have God in their hearts that they may warn those who may go astray. Any part of government that is unchecked can easily pursue their own interests and become wayward, taking with them those who like what they see. 2 Timothy 4:3-4 warns us that the time may come “when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.”

1 Thessalonians 5:11 could be applied to the idea of checks and balances since it says “Therefore encourage one another and build one another up...” with one part of government to encourage and build up another part, in God’s Name.