Duty of a Lawmaker: Government, Liberty, and the Christian Duty to Act by Daryl Groves is a brief catechism for Christ-followers and a call to action. Groves establishes the basis for authority, which is grounded in Christ and the law of God. God sovereignly delegates authority and expects creatures to govern according to his holy standards. As such, no person or institution can jettison the authority which rightly belongs to the Lord Jesus Christ.
The author sets forth the purpose of government. Groves writes, “Civil government exists to uphold public justice: protect the innocent, punish wrongdoing, defend the nation, preserve order, and create lawful conditions where people, families, churches, and communities can live faithfully before God.” The law and gospel are carefully distinguished. Indeed, as the author writes, “The state does not carry the keys of the kingdom. It carries the sword.”
Finally, the limits of civil government are explored. Groves alerts readers to the four spheres that God has set up, including the individual, the family, the church, and the state. He rightly argues, “When one sphere invades another, tyranny begins.” Government, then, must adhere to the limitations that God has established by refusing to impose on the other spheres. “Justice, Groves writes, “must not be confused with grace; each belongs to a different authority.”
Duty of a Lawmaker offers a brief, yet powerful primer on a subject that many have overlooked for too long. One can envision figures like Karl Marx, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and Bernie Sanders responding vehemently to the content of this book. But one can also envision heroes like Abraham Lincoln, Ronald Reagan, and Abraham Kuyper offering their steadfast thanks and appreciation for such a well-written book.
Conservative Christians should read Duty of Lawmaker to establish their principles and Christ-centered trajectory. Liberals should read this book for a full-orbed education with the hope that they will turn back to the founding principles of our nation.