“Power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men, even when they exercise influence and not authority: still more when you superadd the tendency or the certainty of corruption by authority.” That’s what Lord Acton wrote in 1887, and his words have inspired and motivated those who seek to divide political power between local, state and Federal levels, as well as to circumscribe government’s scope with written constitutions. And this same jaundiced view of government has led American Christians through the years to proclaim and protect their independence from the state.

But in the nation of Israel, church and state were combined. That’s why we noticed yesterday that its priests served as its appellate judges (17:8-9). In the same way, its kings were responsible for maintaining religious purity, enforcing not only the civil but also the ceremonial parts of the Law of Moses (17:20).

And that means that Moses’ comments about kings apply to leaders in both church and state. So of course it is critical that our pastors and elders and deacons be our “countrymen” (17:15), those who share our faith in Christ. There is nothing more dangerous than a wolf in sheep’s clothing.

Moreover, the leaders of the Church must put their faith in Christ alone, turning away from the avarice and sexual sin that have proven the ruin of too many pastors. Every priest who abuses an altar-boy, every preacher who dips into the collection plate or who runs around with the church secretary not only undermines his own testimony but also casts a cloud of suspicion and skepticism over all Christian ministry.

And if it is wrong for political leaders to put their faith in the weapons of war (17:16), how much more should Christian leaders eschew strong-arm tactics as they seek to shepherd the flock of Christ? And this doesn’t just condemn spectacular abuses of authority like the Spanish Inquisition. For how many pastors appeal to guilt to meet their church’s budget or resort to pressure to keep volunteers running their programs? Is it really right to bully people to the point where they burn out?

No, it is critical for all leaders in both church and state not to think of themselves as better than those whom they serve (17:20). And the best way to keep such a humble perspective is to do what Moses directed all kings to do: to meditate on the Law of God regularly, and to do everything that the Scripture teaches (17:19). For the Word of God is not only an effective mirror, showing leaders any idolatry or pride that remains within us. The Bible is also a lamp to our feet (Psalm 119:105), showing us the godly way to walk – so that others might follow our example, not because they have to, but because they want to be more like Jesus.

Deuteronomy 17:14-20 (NASB)

14 “When you enter the land which the LORD your God gives you, and you possess it and live in it, and you say, ‘I will set a king over me like all the nations who are around me,’
15 you shall surely set a king over you whom the LORD your God chooses, one from among your countrymen you shall set as king over yourselves; you may not put a foreigner over yourselves who is not your countryman.
16 “Moreover, he shall not multiply horses for himself, nor shall he cause the people to return to Egypt to multiply horses, since the LORD has said to you, ‘You shall never again return that way.’
17 “Neither shall he multiply wives for himself, lest his heart turn away; nor shall he greatly increase silver and gold for himself.
18 “Now it shall come about when he sits on the throne of his kingdom, he shall write for himself a copy of this law on a scroll in the presence of the Levitical priests.
19 “And it shall be with him, and he shall read it all the days of his life, that he may learn to fear the LORD his God, by carefully observing all the words of this law and these statutes,
20 that his heart may not be lifted up above his countrymen and that he may not turn aside from the commandment, to the right or the left; in order that he and his sons may continue long in his kingdom in the midst of Israel.