Hello Friends!
Welcome Back! Let’s continue our journey through the book of Romans – “The Romans Road to Righteousness.”
Welcome Back! Let’s continue our journey through the book of Romans – “The Romans Road to Righteousness.”
The Roman’s Road to Righteousness (Chapter 13:1-7)
This
week we will begin reading chapter 13, verses
1-7 as we consider our Biblical responsibility of Submission to Government…
These
seven verses that we will be considering this week outline the Christian's
responsibility to God-ordained “government.” This
is the most clear, direct, straightforward and precise passage in all of the
New Testament on this subject and is an extremely important one for us
to understand. Christians have always had to face this issue – and often struggle
with it. The true church has found itself in all kinds of “places,” in all kinds of “governments,” under all kinds of “rulers,” with all kinds of perspectives
and forms of “leading” and “ruling.”
Historically
in America we have had less trouble with this issue than many other countries
have faced, such as our brethren living in China, Russia or the Middle East.
Because we have lived in a somewhat Christian influenced society we've had –
for the most part – the best of situations and the most benevolent of “governments.” But it hasn't always been
that way for Christians as it wasn't for those in the New Testament time when
this epistle was written by the Apostle Paul. Especially for the “believers” in Rome who received this very
important and critical letter…
Government is by Divine Decree!
To
begin with here in our passages, the Apostle Paul establishes a basic principle
for the Christian’s response to all “governing authorities” appointed by
“God”
and he begins to lay out for us the reasons for submission to the “ordinance”
of God:
Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves – Romans 13:1-2
Paul
states that it is strictly a matter of “obedience”
to the plan of “God” in which
He has “appointed”
governmental “authority”
which “exists”
for the purpose of protection of life and property. Civil “government” – in whatever form or rule –
was “determined”
by God “before to be done”
and is to be “obeyed” and “submitted” to by Christians. As hard as it
may be to accept, the “believer”
has this duty to his nation – even if his “ruler”
is a Nero or a Hitler:
For truly against Your holy Servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, were gathered together to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose determined before to be done. Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word – Acts 4:27-29
HOWEVER: If this governmental “authority”
countermands the specific instructions of the Scriptures, we are then
and only then to “disobey” by the “authority” of God’s Word!
So they called them and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John answered and said to them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to God, you judge – Acts 4:18-19
But Peter and the other apostles answered and said: “We ought to obey God rather than men – Acts 5:29
Even
if it should cost us much “suffering”
and “shame” for the “name” of Jesus Christ – we are “counted” as
“worthy”
of Him:
…and when they had called for the apostles and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. So they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name. And daily in the temple, and in every house, they did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ – Acts 5:40-42
Otherwise,
Paul tells us we are to be “subject”
to the “ordinance”
of God. And those who “resist”
God’s governing “authority”
will actually bring “judgment”
upon “themselves”
not only from the “government”
but – The Lord as well!
To
further expound on this point we find in Peter's first epistle that he's also
writing to “believers” who are
at the precipice of a major persecution under the Roman Emperor
Nero. Peter is encouraging them to “submit”
to the “king as supreme”
or to “governors”
and be ready for whatever “persecution”
they're going to face. The Spirit of God gives Peter “wisdom” and “insight” to “know”
that the “persecution” already
beginning on an individual level is going to become a
full-scale assault on the church itself! Remember, Peter
is writing to the “brethren”
who are living in a time of severe “persecution” under the wicked “ordinance”
of Rome…
Therefore submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake, whether to the king as supreme, or to governors, as to those who are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and for the praise of those who do good – 1 Peter 2:13-14
Although
the onslaught of full “persecution”
hadn’t yet broken out, there was a soft “persecution” that had already began and
Peter knew they must be ready when it arrived!
PACIFISM? Not in the Bible!
Next
we see that Paul’s instructions pertaining to “authority” indeed reinforce Peter’s
thoughts:
For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same. For he is God’s minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God’s minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil – Romans 13:3-4
GOD GIVES GOVERNMENT A SWORD! The “evil” people in society who are “unafraid of the authority”
of their “government” system
of which “does not bear the
sword in vain” are those who “practice” much “evil” and violate the civil “law” – creating chaos. These unruly
and “wicked” people must
indeed “be afraid” because
they will experienced the “wrath”
of God’s governing “authority”
to punish all dissidence.
Here
in these verses Paul tells us that “government”
was designed as “God’s
minister to you for good” and an “avenger” to put “fear” into the hearts of the people who do
“evil” things – not
those who do “good” things.
This earthly “authority”
is God’s “chosen” instrument
to “execute”
His “wrath”
and does not “bear the sword
in vain” to him that “practices” evil – This is a very important understanding!
If
you do what is “evil” you must
be “afraid.” Why?
Because God has given to “government”
the right to “bear the sword.”
And the Apostle Paul says they have a very good reason to “be afraid” – for “rulers” are to “execute wrath” on those who do “evil” things! In other words, the “government” must put “fear” in the hearts of evildoers. The word
“fear” is the word phobos of
which we get “phobia” – having a certain terror. Paul tells us that
“fear” is not
to people who do “good works”
but to those who “practice”
wicked works. This is reflected in the “authority” that God has set for the
protection and preservation of mankind – Thank you Lord!
IMPORTANT QUESTIONS TO PONDER: What if “government” treats us unjustly? What
if “government” takes away our
freedoms? What if “government”
encroaches upon us in ways that we feel are unfair or inequitable?
– Good questions!
The
pattern that we must look to would be the example of the Apostle Paul. In Acts chapter 16 When Paul and Silas were thrown in
the Philippi jail, they didn’t do anything to deserve it! The governing “magistrates“
had “laid many stripes on them”
and “threw them into prison”
then “charged” the jailer to “keep them securely” under arrest. And what
were Paul and Silas heard doing at midnight? – Singing praises to God!
But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them – Acts 16:25
Yes,
Paul and Silas were indeed treated unfairly and unjustly by the “government” at hand. And this is the same
Paul who also said that we're to “submit”
to the “government.” The
apostle Paul knew what it was to “endure”
injustice. In fact, he endured it rather frequently from place to
place!
HOWEVER: On the other hand… in Acts chapter 22 Paul said to the one in “authority” who was going to lead him into
a “scourging”:
Is it lawful for you to scourge a man who is a Roman, and uncondemned? – Acts 22:25
Here
Paul actually reached out for his “Roman”
citizenship as a protection against what the “authorities” were going to “unlawfully” do to him! Therefore,
whether “government” is protecting
us or overstepping its bounds and acting unjustly toward
us, we are “charged”
to be “submissive” – By the grace of God!
Paul
then says we “must” also to be
“subject”
to the government for “conscience”
sake:
Therefore you must be subject, not only because of wrath but also for conscience sake – Romans 13:5
We
must be “subject” in
submission, not only to the “ordinance
of God” and for “wrath's”
sake but also for “conscience”
sake. Why? Because we “know”
it is “just” behavior and we
as “believers” in Jesus Christ
must hold a high regard for the civil “law”
and a “conscience” commitment
to “obey” God’s Word – This is our Biblical mandate and motive!
Pay Your Taxes!
Paul
then finishes this important section of Scripture with the command to
also support the “government”
by “paying” our “taxes” because they are “attending continually” as “ministers’
of God:
For because of this you also pay taxes, for they are God’s ministers attending continually to this very thing. Render therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor – Romans 13:6-7
The
“government” is ordained by
God for the preservation of life and property. Those who “serve” us in it collect our “taxes” to keep the “government” in operation as “ministers” of God. Now that isn't to
say they're all Christians or that they do everything they ought
to do. But, in God’s design of “government,”
they “serve” His
“divine” purposes.
We
must also “render” appropriate
“fear” and “honor” to those in “authority” over us. “Render” is an interesting word. It's
the word apodidÅmi which means to give back something that you
owe. That's what we do when we “pay”
our “taxes” that are “due.” It isn't a gift! We owe
a debt and we must “pay”
it! Paul is essentially saying "Pay your taxes, your duties and your
customs. Have proper respect for and show honor to your leaders" – It's our Christian obligation!
In
fact, even Jesus Christ addressed this important subject matter of “Rendering to Caesar” in the Gospel
accounts:
They said to Him, "Caesar's." Then He said to them, "Then render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's; and to God the things that are God's." – Matthew 22:21
And Jesus said to them, "Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's." And they were amazed at Him – Mark 12:17
That
is to be the Christian's attitude from a Biblical
worldview! We “render’ our “worship” to God but we are “subject“ to our “government” as well. So we must be “faithful” citizens who “submit” – as unto the
Lord. The true church in our day and its pastors must not
seek political reform, but rather – call
for better men and women of Jesus Christ!
In
closing:
Even
though Christians have struggled to answer the question of what their
relationship to “government”
should be, they have not always addressed it Biblically.
And throughout the history of the church, there have been revolutions in the
name of “Christianity” where people decided that the “Christian” thing to do
was to revolt militarily against the “government” in power and demand their
“rights.” There have even been world-wars in the name of Christianity.
Throughout
history there have been violations of civil “law”
in the name of Christianity. In fact, there has even been civil “disobedience” and subversive attempts to overthrow
the “powers” that be on a
local, state or national level that in some cases were led by people who claimed
to be Christians – all in the name of Jesus
Christ! In fact, there are
even some Christians I know of personally who refuse to “pay” their “taxes”
because they “feel” it violates their “freedoms” – and they are now in prison… Foolishness!
Many
“Christian” leaders today are calling on other “faiths” to become a part of a
political lobby using high pressure tactics and Marxist “social actions” to
stir up anger in protest for a revolution against our own “government.” These cobelligerents are coming
together on issues of civil “authority”
and civil “rights” – but would never find any “common
ground” on the issue of Biblical “truth.” For
example, many Protestant/Evangelicals are now aligned with the Roman Catholic
religion because they have a “common cause” for “religious freedom” or “Social
Justice” concerns. The co-opting of these two antithetical faiths and
worldviews demonstrates the utopian preoccupation with various Jesuitical
agendas where theology, doctrine and Biblical
truth are set aside for the sake of a false
“unity” and fleeting “freedom” – leading to spiritual bondage!
There
are also many self-professing “Christians” linking arms with various
spiritual charlatans, frauds and false “prophets” for the sake of “religious
freedom” to do the political lobbying that many wrongly believe will
promote the “kingdom of God” here on earth. However, this is NOT
the New Testament mandate for the true Bride of Jesus Christ. The Christian is NOT
called anywhere in the Scriptures to “change the culture” or to preach a
“Social Gospel” of “felt-needs” or “dominioism” of sorts. Our Biblical mandate
is to “preach” the true saving “Gospel”
of Jesus Christ, to show “compassion”
for the “lost” and to “feed” His “sheep”
– AMEN!
Other
than the fact that we're to be model citizens, the Bible says nothing at
all about Christians engaging in civil “change” – that is not our
priority. However, that doesn't
mean we're not to be involved as citizens where we can be! It's simply a
question of priority… “Submit to the government” and “pay your taxes” – That's our civil
Christian “duty.” Beyond
that, we ought to be busy doing God’s work for
His glory – that which is eternally
valuable! Again, this isn't to say the other things are not important.
They simply pale in comparison with the true
work of the King’s Kingdom… That's the issue!
We are not guaranteed tomorrow – tomorrow may be too late! If you haven't yet made that most important decision of your life, won't you make Jesus Christ your personal Lord and Savior today - before it's too late? Today is the day of Salvation!
If you have been blessed by this message or have a specific question, prayer request or testimony, please send me a note to: encouragingconcepts@live.com
I love hearing from you. Keep reading Encouraging Concepts!
Blessings!
Shane K. Morin <><
Encouraging Concepts
Truth for Today
"Living Life From a Biblical Worldview"Lighthouse Publications <><
