Civil Government and Last Things

Belgic Confession · 9.1–9.2

9.1. The Civil Government

We believe that because of the depravity of the human race, our good God has ordained kings, princes, and civil officers. God wants the world to be governed by laws and policies so that human lawlessness may be restrained and that everything may be conducted in good order among human beings. For that purpose God has placed the sword in the hands of the government, to punish evil people and protect the good.

Proof texts

Prov. 8:15 — [15] By me kings reign, and rulers decree what is just;
Dan. 2:21 — [21] He changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings; he gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding;
John 19:11 — [11] Jesus answered him, “You would have no authority over me at all unless it had been given you from above. Therefore he who delivered me over to you has the greater sin.”
Rom. 13:1 — [1] 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.
Ex. 18:20 — [20] and you shall warn them about the statutes and the laws, and make them know the way in which they must walk and what they must do.
Deut. 1:16 — [16] And I charged your judges at that time, ‘Hear the cases between your brothers, and judge righteously between a man and his brother or the alien who is with him.
Deut. 16:19 — [19] You shall not pervert justice. You shall not show partiality, and you shall not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and subverts the cause of the righteous.
Judg. 21:25 — [25] In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.
Ps. 82 — [1] God has taken his place in the divine council; in the midst of the gods he holds judgment: [2] “How long will you judge unjustly and show partiality to the wicked? <i>Selah</i> [3] Give justice to the weak and the fatherless; maintain the right of the afflicted and the destitute. [4] Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.” [5] They have neither knowledge nor understanding, they walk about in darkness; all the foundations of the earth are shaken. [6] I said, “You are gods, sons of the Most High, all of you; [7] nevertheless, like men you shall die, and fall like any prince.” [8] Arise, O God, judge the earth; for you shall inherit all the nations!
Jer. 21:12 — [12] O house of David! Thus says the LORD: “‘Execute justice in the morning, and deliver from the hand of the oppressor him who has been robbed, lest my wrath go forth like fire, and burn with none to quench it, because of your evil deeds.’”
Jer. 22:3 — [3] Thus says the LORD: Do justice and righteousness, and deliver from the hand of the oppressor him who has been robbed. And do no wrong or violence to the resident alien, the fatherless, and the widow, nor shed innocent blood in this place.
1 Pet. 2:13-14 — [13] Be subject for the Lord's sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, [14] or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good.
Ps. 2 — [1] Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? [2] The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD and against his Anointed, saying, [3] “Let us burst their bonds apart and cast away their cords from us.” [4] He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord holds them in derision. [5] Then he will speak to them in his wrath, and terrify them in his fury, saying, [6] “As for me, I have set my King on Zion, my holy hill.” [7] I will tell of the decree: The LORD said to me, “You are my Son; today I have begotten you. [8] Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession. [9] You shall break them with a rod of iron and dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel.” [10] Now therefore, O kings, be wise; be warned, O rulers of the earth. [11] Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling. [12] 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.
Rom. 13:4 — [4] for he is God's servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God's wrath on the wrongdoer.
1 Tim. 2:1-4 — [1] First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, [2] for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. [3] This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, [4] who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
Matt. 17:27 — [27] However, not to give offense to them, go to the sea and cast a hook and take the first fish that comes up, and when you open its mouth you will find a shekel. Take that and give it to them for me and for yourself.”
Matt. 22:21 — [21] They said, “Caesar's.” Then he said to them, “Therefore render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's.”
Rom. 13:7 — [7] Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed.
Titus 3:1 — [1] Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work,
1 Pet. 2:17 — [17] Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor.
Acts 4:19 — [19] But Peter and John answered them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge,
Acts 5:29 — [29] But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men.
2 Pet. 2:10 — [10] and especially those who indulge in the lust of defiling passion and despise authority. Bold and willful, they do not tremble as they blaspheme the glorious ones,
Jude 8 — [8] Yet in like manner these people also, relying on their dreams, defile the flesh, reject authority, and blaspheme the glorious ones.
Rom. 13:4 — [4] for he is God's servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God's wrath on the wrongdoer.
1 Tim. 2:1, 2 — [1] First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, [2] for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way.

For discussion

The Assembly cited Prov. 8:15 in support of this answer. Read it in context — how does it bear on what is claimed here?
26 passages are cited here. Which does the most work, and is anything claimed that the proofs do not obviously carry?

9.2. The Last Judgement

Finally we believe, according to God's Word, that when the time appointed by the Lord is come (which is unknown to all creatures) and the number of the elect is complete, our Lord Jesus Christ will come from heaven, bodily and visibly, as he ascended, with great glory and majesty, to declare himself the judge of the living and the dead. He will burn this old world, in fire and flame, in order to cleanse it. Then all human creatures will appear in person before the great judge- men, women, and children, who have lived from the beginning until the end of the world. They will be summoned there "with the archangel's call and with the sound of God's trumpet." (1 Thess. 4:16) For all those who died before that time will be raised from the earth, their spirits being joined and united with their own bodies in which they lived. And as for those who are still alive, they will not die like the others but will be changed "in the twinkling of an eye" from perishable to imperishable. (1 Cor. 15:51-53) Then the books (that is, the consciences) will be opened, and the dead will be judged according to the things they did in the world, (Rev. 20:12) whether good or evil. Indeed, all people will give account of all the idle words they have spoken, (Matt. 12:36) which the world regards as only playing games. And then the secrets and hypocrisies of all people will be publicly uncovered in the sight of all. Therefore, with good reason the thought of this judgment is horrible and dreadful to wicked and evil people. But it is very pleasant and a great comfort to the righteous and elect, since their total redemption will then be accomplished. They will then receive the fruits of their labor and of the trouble they have suffered; their innocence will be openly recognized by all; and they will see the terrible vengeance that God will bring on the evil ones who tyrannized, oppressed, and tormented them in this world. The evil ones will be convicted by the witness of their own consciences, and shall be made immortal- but only to be tormented in "the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels." (Matt. 25:41) In contrast, the faithful and elect will be crowned with glory and honor. The Son of God will profess their names (Matt. 10:32) before God his Father and the holy and elect angels; all tears will be wiped from their eyes; (Rev. 7:17) and their cause- at present condemned as heretical and evil by many judges and civil officers- will be acknowledged as the cause of the Son of God. And as a gracious reward the Lord will make them possess a glory such as the human heart could never imagine. So we look forward to that great day with longing in order to enjoy fully the promises of God in Christ Jesus, our Lord.

Proof texts

Acts 1:11 — [11] and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”
1 Thess. 4:16 — [16] For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.
Rev. 20:12 — [12] And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done.
2 Cor. 5:10 — [10] For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.
Matt. 12:36 — [36] I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak,
Matt. 25:41 — [41] “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.
1 Cor. 15:51-52 — [51] Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, [52] in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed.
1 Thess. 4:16 — [16] For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.
John 5:28-29 — [28] Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice [29] and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment.
2 Cor. 5:10 — [10] For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.
Rev. 20:11-15 — [11] Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. [12] And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. [13] And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. [14] Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. [15] And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.
Matt. 16:27 — [27] For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay each person according to what he has done.
2 Tim. 2:12 — [12] if we endure, we will also reign with him; if we deny him, he also will deny us;
Rev. 22:12 — [12] “Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay each one for what he has done.

For discussion

The Assembly cited Acts 1:11 in support of this answer. Read it in context — how does it bear on what is claimed here?
14 passages are cited here. Which does the most work, and is anything claimed that the proofs do not obviously carry?