Church Quote by John MacArthur
“God has established three institutions within human society: the family, the state, and the church. Each institution has a sphere of authority with jurisdictional limits that must be respected.”
About This Quote
Source Book: The Gospel According to John, John MacArthur, 1990
Human society is organized into three distinct institutions—family, state, and church—each with its own limited authority that must be respected.
In simple terms: Society has three main institutions with separate roles.
Key Takeaway
Respect each institution’s proper domain.
Themes
family
government
religion
authority
order
Mood
reflective
serious
Type
theoretical
practical
When to use this quote
- marriage counseling
- political policy
- church governance
- community building
Key Concepts
social contract
jurisdiction
institutional balance
Questions to Reflect On
- How do we determine the proper limits of each institution?
- What happens when one oversteps its authority?
A Different Perspective
Institutions often overlap, causing conflict over boundaries.
![“T]he church is not a place. It's not a building. It's not a preaching point. It's not a spiritual service provider. It's a people - the new covenant, blood-bought people of God. That's why Paul said, 'Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her' (Eph. 5:25). He didn't give himself up for a…” quote by Mark Dever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/7a4/mark-dever-3175_blood_t-he-church-is-not-a-place-it-s-not-a-bu_3297.jpg)
