Sin and the State

In recent years, hostility toward law enforcement has moved from criticism of misconduct to rejection of the institution itself. This opposition extends to local police, border enforcement, and federal agents. What was once framed as reform in years prior has become delegitimization.

And that posture has bled into the church. Some Christians are increasingly adopting the language and instincts of movements that view law enforcement as inherently oppressive, morally suspect, or incompatible with love of neighbor. The argument is often emotional rather than theological.

This confusion must be addressed at the root.

Before asking how law enforcement should act, or where it may err, a prior question must be answered: Why does law enforcement exist at all? The Christian answer does not begin with politics or policy. It begins with God, creation, sin, and order.

Authority, Order, and a God Who Judges

Scripture is clear that God creates order. From the opening chapters of Genesis, God brings structure out of chaos, sets boundaries, assigns responsibilities, and judges what violates His design. This concern for order reflects God’s character.

The biblical witness consistently affirms that God governs the world not only through direct action, but through delegated authority. Human institutions exist under God’s sovereignty, not outside it. This includes civil authority.

Civil authority, as Scripture presents it, consists of those offices and institutions charged with maintaining public order and enforcing law. Romans 13 states plainly that governing authorities are established by God and that they bear the sword for a reason: to restrain wrongdoing and to punish evil. Law enforcement, thus, is the visible arm of that authority. Where law exists, enforcement necessarily follows.

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The Reality of Sin and the Need for Coercive Force

The necessity of law enforcement is inseparable from the doctrine of sin.

Scripture does not describe humanity as morally neutral or naturally inclined toward justice. It describes the human heart as disordered, self-serving, and prone to violence when unrestrained. The biblical narrative assumes that without restraint, wrongdoing multiplies.

This is why the state does not exist merely to coordinate shared interests, but to restrain evil. Coercive authority is not an ideal solution; it is a necessary one in a fallen world. The use of force by the state is a concession to the reality of human depravity.

Law enforcement exists because sin exists.

Enforcement Is Not Injustice

A major error in current thinking is the assumption that enforcement itself is immoral. Not all harm is injustice. Not all discomfort is oppression. Consequences are not cruelty by default.

This does not excuse abuse. Bad actors within law enforcement must be prosecuted and removed. Justice demands accountability. But the existence of abuse does not negate the legitimacy of the institution any more than false teaching nullifies the church.

To argue otherwise is to reason selectively.

Enforcement and Moral Clarity

For many, the enforcement of certain laws is assumed to be immoral simply because it causes pain. But pain alone does not determine moral status.

The relevant question is whether the law itself is unjust, and whether its enforcement exceeds its rightful bounds. That determination cannot be made by outrage, political alignment, or pressure campaigns. It must be made through careful moral reasoning grounded in Scripture.

The state has a legitimate interest in social order. Enforcement of those laws is not inherently cruel or evil. It may be misapplied. It may be abused. But it is not illegitimate by nature.

Law Enforcement as Servant, Not Savior

Law enforcement is not redemptive. It cannot transform the heart. It does not sanctify. Its task is limited and provisional: to restrain evil and preserve social order so that life may continue.

This limitation is crucial. The state is not the kingdom of God. Its agents are not priests. They are servants charged with a specific task in a fallen world. Their authority is real, but bounded. Their power is necessary, but dangerous if unchecked.

Recognizing this prevents two equal errors: demonizing law enforcement on one hand, and idolizing it on the other.

Law enforcement agents cannot be expected to operate primarily on compassion and mercy, because that is not the purpose of their office. Yet, depending on the situation, officers may choose to act with restraint, dignity, and humanity. That discretion does not negate their duty. When lawful commands are refused and threats persist, coercive force is not only permitted, it is expected.

A Necessary Foundation

Christians cannot think clearly about justice, protest, reform, or respect and compliance unless they first understand why law enforcement exists at all. Without this foundation, reactions will be governed by emotion, social pressure, or political allegiance rather than truth.

The state exists because sin persists. Law exists because order matters. Law enforcement exists because restraint is necessary. These are not modern inventions. They are ancient realities acknowledged by Scripture and confirmed by history.

The real question is not whether enforcement should exist. It is whether Christians will think and speak about it with theological clarity or surrender their judgment to the spirit of the age.

The rest of this series will build on this foundation—examining force, conscience, abuse, resistance, and the Christian’s posture toward authority. But none of it makes sense unless this first truth is settled.

Law enforcement exists because the world is fallen. And until the final judgment, restraint is not optional.