Previously we looked at John Frame’s scriptural argument that government should offer protection from theft, not be an agent of redistribution.

I agree with this vision of justice. Scripture doesn’t support the modern idea of “social justice.”

Here I’m going to summarize theologian John Frame’s views on Christianity and government.

It’s helpful to recognize that a respected theologian shares the basics of the view I’m advocating and to see how he derives his view from Scripture. His discussion makes a good starting point to orient us to what Scripture says on the issue.

What questions does the free-market view face?

Here are the normal objections:

•    What will happen to the kids who can’t afford school?
•    What about all the poor and aged? How will they survive?
•    Isn’t your version of a society rather harsh to the needy? How can we let them suffer?

If the government’s only role is to define force and to stop it, then what about everything else the government does right now?

In this series I’m explaining my view of a just government.
To read from the beginning click here.

How does a government reduce force in human life? There are two main ways: a legal system (the legislature and the law courts), and a defense system (the police and the military).

A proper government has only these two functions: to define what constitutes the initiation of force, and to stop those who initiate it, be they criminals or invaders.