Overview

This chapter confesses that civil government is ordained by God for His glory and the public good, that Christians may lawfully hold office and the magistrate may wield the sword, and that subjects owe lawful authorities honor, obedience, prayer, and taxes. It is one of the chapters most significantly revised by the American church in 1788 to reflect the separation of church and state and freedom of religion.

Edition note: The original (1646) 23.3 charged the civil magistrate with power and duty to suppress heresy, reform worship, and call church synods. The American revision (1788) — the text followed here (PCA/OPC) — removed the magistrate’s authority over the church and conscience, affirming instead that he must protect the church of every denomination without preference or persecution, and may not interfere in matters of faith. This is one of the three chapters (with 20 and 31) where the American and original editions notably differ.

The Confession, Section by Section

23.1 — Civil government ordained by God

God, the supreme Lord and King of all the world, hath ordained civil magistrates to be under him over the people, for his own glory, and the public good; and, to this end, hath armed them with the power of the sword, for the defence and encouragement of them that are good, and for the punishment of evildoers.

Scripture Proofs (ESV):

“…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.” (Rom. 13:4, ESV)

Further proofs: Rom. 13:1–3; 1 Pet. 2:13–14; Prov. 8:15–16.

Exposition: Civil authority is not a human accident or a necessary evil but a divine ordinance: magistrates are “God’s servant for your good,” appointed under God for His glory and the public good, and armed with the sword to restrain and punish evil. This grounds both the legitimacy of government and the limits of its purpose.

23.2 — Christians may hold office and wage just war

It is lawful for Christians to accept and execute the office of a magistrate, when called thereunto: in the managing whereof, as they ought especially to maintain piety, justice, and peace, according to the wholesome laws of each commonwealth; so, for that end, they may lawfully, now under the New Testament, wage war, upon just and necessary occasion.

Scripture Proofs (ESV):

“Let every person be subject to the governing authorities… rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad.” (Rom. 13:1, 3, ESV)

Further proofs: Luke 3:14 (soldiers not told to leave their post); Acts 10:1–2 (Cornelius); 2 Sam. 23:3; Ps. 82:3–4.

Exposition: Christians may rightly serve as magistrates, soldiers, and officers, maintaining “piety, justice, and peace.” Against pacifist objections, the chapter affirms the lawfulness of just and necessary war under the New Testament — consistent with the magistrate’s God-given sword.

23.3 — The magistrate and the church (American revision)

Civil magistrates may not assume to themselves the administration of the Word and sacraments, or the power of the keys of the kingdom of heaven… yet, as nursing fathers, it is the duty of civil magistrates to protect the church of our common Lord, without giving the preference to any denomination of Christians above the rest, in such a manner, that all ecclesiastical persons whatever shall enjoy the full, free, and unquestioned liberty of discharging every part of their sacred functions, without violence or danger.

Scripture Proofs (ESV):

“…that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way.” (1 Tim. 2:1–2, ESV)

Further proofs: Isa. 49:23; Rom. 13:4; Acts 18:14–16.

Exposition: This revised section draws a clear line: the magistrate has no spiritual authority — he may not administer Word, sacraments, or the keys. His duty is to protect the church (all denominations alike), securing religious liberty so that ministers may freely fulfill their calling “without violence or danger.” Church and state have distinct spheres; the state guards the outward peace in which the church does its spiritual work.

23.4 — The subject’s duty to the magistrate

It is the duty of people to pray for magistrates, to honour their persons, to pay them tribute and other dues, to obey their lawful commands, and to be subject to their authority, for conscience’ sake.

Scripture Proofs (ESV):

“Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God’s wrath but also for the sake of conscience. For because of this you also pay taxes…” (Rom. 13:5–7, ESV)

“First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions.” (1 Tim. 2:1–2, ESV)

Further proofs: 1 Pet. 2:17; Titus 3:1; Matt. 22:21; Eph. 6:5–7.

Exposition: Subjects owe magistrates prayer, honor, taxes, and obedience to their lawful commands — “for conscience’ sake,” because civil authority is God’s ordinance. This obedience is not unlimited: it extends to “lawful commands,” and where the state commands sin, the Christian must “obey God rather than men” (Acts 5:29; cf. 20.4). But the default posture is honor and subjection, even toward rulers we dislike. The chapter notably teaches that “infidelity, or difference in religion” does not free people from their due obedience to the magistrate.

Doctrinal Summary

God, supreme Lord of all, ordains civil magistrates under Him for His glory and the public good, arming them with the sword to reward good and punish evil. Christians may lawfully hold civil office and wage just war. The magistrate has no authority over Word, sacrament, or the keys, but is to protect the church of every denomination and secure religious liberty. Subjects owe their rulers prayer, honor, taxes, and obedience to all lawful commands, for conscience’ sake — limited only where obedience to man would require disobedience to God.

Connections

• WLC Q124–133 — the fifth commandment: the honor due to superiors, inferiors, and equals, including rulers and subjects.
• WSC Q63–66 — the fifth commandment: “Honour thy father and thy mother,” embracing all in authority.
• WCF 20 (Christian liberty and the limits of obedience), WCF 31 (synods and councils — the church’s distinct authority), WCF 19 (the moral law, fifth commandment).
• Loci: Civil government; church and state; the fifth commandment; just war.

Pastoral & Practical Significance

This chapter steers between two errors. Against those who despise authority, it teaches that government is God’s good ordinance and that honoring rulers, paying taxes, and obeying lawful commands is a matter of conscience before God — even when those rulers are flawed or unbelieving. Christians are to be known as peaceable, dutiful citizens who pray for their leaders (1 Tim. 2:1–2), not cynics or rebels. Against those who would merge church and state, the American revision wisely guards the church’s freedom and the conscience’s liberty: the magistrate protects but does not govern the church, and faith is not to be coerced by the sword. For believers living under governments of every kind, the chapter offers a settled posture: honor authority as God’s servant, obey it in all that is lawful, refuse it only where it commands sin, and entrust the whole to the “supreme Lord and King of all the world,” under whom every magistrate finally stands.

For Reflection

• Do I honor and pray for those in authority, even rulers I disagree with, as the chapter commands?
• Where is the line between submitting “for conscience’ sake” and the duty to “obey God rather than men”?
• The state protects but cannot govern the conscience. How does this guard both good citizenship and true religious freedom?