For most of the world’s day, national sovereignty was the highest recognized authority in the civil sphere. Each nation’s leaders were then responsible for those within their boundaries. And the scriptures resonate with the order. Those given authority were responsible to God for the care of their people. Those under such authority were to submit to those leaders unless called to do something that God forbids.
But in our day, talk of global responsibility is quite common. We must come together. We are all one. Someone has to do something.
Leaving those statements purposely unchallenged, here is my question. Who has the responsibility to do these things? Who has been been given authority at that level to act? Oh, there are different answers suggested. Some suggest that the nation (or those nations) recognized as “superpowers†have a special responsibility to act. But how do we know who is super enough to have this responsibility. Others suggest some multilateral organization like the UN or NATO must act. But they have not truly been given any authority to govern globally either. Truth is. No one have been given such power and therefore in one sense, when anyone acts they act without the necessary mandate to be respected. They proceed to exercise authority in a realm not given to them by God.
In order to act globally, it seems to me that there must be global governance. And I am not sure that that is a good idea at all. It concentrates too much power in one area. The plurality of nation provides a good system of checks and balances among the nation especially in a globally aware world.
So, when the murderer massacres his own people, do we just sit idly by if our nation itself is not effected? I am not sure. But I do know that I am not sure by what authority we would do otherwise. Oh to be sure, we should pray for those affected and reach out with aid as individuals and organizations, but one governing body cannot assume authority not given to it by man or God. Perhaps we must act solely as neighbors, but not rulers.
(Please comment. I am truly thinking this through politically and theologically and covet your help in thinking through this question.)
