There has been so much opposition to governmental authority in our country in recent weeks. But, what does the Scripture have to say about how the Christian should relate to government? Paul deals with that exact subject in our text – Romans 13:1-7.
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Submit To Governing Authorities
Romans 13:1-7
In our nation today, there is an anti-authority mood perhaps like never before. It seems as if authority is being challenged everywhere, from the President of the United States, to the teacher in the classroom to the husband and father in the family. We don’t want anyone to tell us what to do, and will submit only when we think it is in our best interests to do so.
Brothers and sisters, that spirit is not in line with the Word of God. Paul begins his entire discussion of the Christian’s responsibility to governing authorities by saying, “Every person is to be in subjection to the governing authorities.” The thrust of Paul’s message here is that we are to submit to governing authorities.
Now, before we dive in to the text, let’s back up and get the big picture. Paul has concluded the doctrinal portion of this letter, and has begun the practical section. Here he is teaching believers how they are to live out the gospel. Paul has told us in 12:1-2 how to live out the gospel in relationship to God. In 12:3-16 he tells us how to live out the gospel in relationship to other believers. In 12:17-21 he tells us how to live out the gospel in relationship to our enemies. And now, in Romans 13:1-7 he tells us how to live out the gospel in relationship to government.
Is there any relationship between Paul’s discussion here in Romans 13:1-7, and what he wrote in chapter 12? I think there is. Last week we saw that are never to personally retaliate and take revenge on our enemies. So, does that mean that we must give up forever the hope that justice will be served? No, absolutely not! We are not permitted to take justice into our own hands. Rather, we are to submit to our governing authorities. It is their responsibility to bring about justice.
This morning I’m going to raise three questions about our attitude towards government, and then seek to answer them. Why should we submit to government? How should we submit to government? When should we refuse to submit to government?
1. Why Should We Submit To Government?
Because God Has Established It. “For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God” (13:1). Daniel 2:21 says, “It is He who changes the times and the epochs; He removes kings and establishes kings; He gives wisdom to wise men and knowledge to men of understanding.” Psalm 75:6 says, “For not from the east, nor from the west, nor from the desert comes exaltation; but God is the Judge; He puts down one and exalts another.”
King Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, was a wicked man. He was responsible for destroying Jerusalem, and killing many thousands of Jews. However in Jeremiah 27:6 it says, “Now I have given all these lands into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, My servant, and I have given him also the wild animals of the field to serve him.” God calls this wicked king His servant! Paul uses that same expression “servant of God” to refer to the governing authorities.
Then take Pilate. Again, he was a wicked man, more concerned about trying to keep the peace than administering justice. Moreover, he executed the only perfect man who ever lived. Jesus said to him in John 19:11, “You would have no authority over Me, unless it had been given you from above; for this reason he who delivered Me to you has the greater sin.”
Think about it from this angle? Who was the emperor when Paul wrote the book of Romans? It was Caesar Nero! He had ascended the throne three years earlier as a 16 year old. Nero would go on to become one of the most cruel and wicked emperors of Rome. It was this same Nero who later would sew Christians up in wild animal hides and let wild dogs loose on them. He would light them on fire as human torches while he raced around in his chariot like a maniac.
You would think that Paul would never command Christians to submit to wicked leaders! Think again. That’s exactly what he did in Romans 13. Scholars believe it was also Nero who was in power when Peter wrote these words in 1 Peter 2:13-17, “Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether to a king as the one in authority, or to governors as sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and the praise of those who do right. For such is the will of God that by doing right you may silence the ignorance of foolish men. Act as free men, and do not use your freedom as a covering for evil, but use it as bondslaves of God. Honor all people, love the brotherhood, fear God, honor the king.”
Many will tell you that we don’t have to submit to government when the government is evil and corrupted. However, the government was evil and corrupted when Paul and Peter penned these words! Peter and Paul are clear. It is God’s will that Christians submit to civil governing authorities. They are to be models of law-abiding citizens.
The Word of God teaches us that God has established the governing authorities that are in the world. No government could come into existence except for God’s sovereign permission.
How Many Governing Authorities Has God Established? All of them. “There is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God.” That means that all the various governing authorities on the earth are established by God – whether they are democratic, republican, communistic, parliamentary, or dictatorships. I’m glad that I live in a nation which is democratic, but if I lived in a communistic country I would still have to obey Romans 13 and be subject to the governing authorities. And this would include all levels of government, from the President to the laws established by congress, to our governor and mayors, to our police officers. I know that is a real hot button right now, but it’s true.
For Conscience’ Sake – 13:5. Because governmental authority is established by God, your obedience to government is linked to your obedience to God. When you resist authority, you oppose the ordinance of God. If you want to live with a clear conscience, you must be subject to governing authorities.
It Is For Our Good. “It is a minister of God to you for good” (13:4). God has ordained government for our good. What massive evil would cover the land if there were no civil government to restrain it?! There would be anarchy. Wherever there is a void of power, something will fill it, and usually it will be an evil power. If there were no government to restrain evil, corrupt and violent men would take control, and things would be much worse than they are now.
It Has The Authority To Punish Us. Notice how Paul puts it.
13:2 – “those who have opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves.”
13:3 – “For rulers are not a cause of fear for good behavior, but for evil. Do you want to have no fear of authority? Do what is good and you will have praise from the same”
13:4 – “But if you do what is evil, be afraid; for it does not bear the sword for nothing; for it is a minister of God, an avenger who brings wrath on the one who practices evil.”
13:5 “Therefore it is necessary to be in subjection… because of wrath”
These passages are teaching us that the State has the authority to bring condemnation on those who break its laws. It has the power to punish those who break its laws. That’s what Paul means by “it does not bear the sword for nothing.” In the first century, the sword was used at times to execute lawbreakers. It had the power to bring wrath on those who practiced evil. That’s why we are to fear, and obey the governing authorities. So, not only should we be subject to government because that is God’s will for us, and because it is good for us, but also because we will be condemned, and receive wrath and punishment if we don’t.
2. How Do We Submit To Government?
By Paying Taxes. When Paul says that government is for our good, he must also be thinking of the benefits that we enjoy because of the taxes we pay. Now, I know, no one enjoys paying taxes! And I get it, we all feel like the taxes we pay are much too high. However, think of it this way. If there were no taxes paid, there would be no police and fire protection. Everyone is on edge because of some recent police brutality, and I get that. We need reforms in our police system. But, on the other hand, try to imagine a world where there was no law enforcement! I am not in favor of defunding all police. If there were no taxes there would be no public schools, or mail service, or roads, or social services, or relief agencies, or public libraries, or parks or army, navy, air force and coast guard to protect us. It is wrong for us to receive these benefits without paying for them. It is a sin for you or I to lie on our income tax reports so that we don’t have to pay as much in taxes. I know nobody wants to hear these things, but it is true.
I don’t have to pay taxes, because the whole tax structure is corrupt! Maybe you don’t agree with how the government is spending your tax payments. Does that exempt you? Not at all. In Jesus’ day, the priesthood was supported through the tithes of the Israelites. However, the priesthood was corrupt. In fact, often it was the priests and the Sadducees that opposed Jesus the most. However, Jesus taught in Matthew 23:23 that those in His day ought to pay tithes. So, sorry about that, but you’re not off the hook, even if you disagree with how your tax payments are being spent.
By Respecting and Honoring Your Rulers. Just obeying the laws of the land and paying taxes is not enough. We must submit in our attitudes and words as well as our actions. When Paul tells us to give fear to whom fear is due, he is talking about reverence or respect. Now, you and I may totally disagree with the kind of life our leader has lived or the decisions they have made, but we still must show respect and honor for the sake of the office they hold. It is wrong for us to malign and slander public officials. We shouldn’t refer to police as “cops” or “pigs.” The same is true when speaking about the President, whoever he happens to be. When the apostle Paul was brought before the Council in Acts 23, the high priest ordered him to be struck. Paul responded, “God is going to strike you, you whitewashed wall!” However, Paul didn’t know who it was that ordered him to be struck. When someone pointed out to him that he had reviled God’s high priest, Paul responded, “I was not aware, brethren, that he was high priest; for it is written, ‘You shall not speak evil of a ruler of your people” (Acts 23:5).
3. When Should We Refuse To Submit To Government?
Not When You Feel Government Is Corrupt. I say that because when Paul wrote the epistle to the Romans, the Roman empire had been in the hands of a group of Caesars whose public lives were a public scandal. It has been reported that 14 out of the first 16 emperors of Rome were homosexuals. At the time Paul wrote this, Nero was the emperor. Nero was cruel, lustful and murderously vicious. It is commonly believed that Nero set Rome on fire, so he could rebuild it in a much grander fashion. He needed someone to blame, and the Christians were a perfect scapegoat. This led to Nero persecuting and killing large numbers of believers. Because man is fallen, government will always be led by fallen sinners. Thus, a certain amount of corruption will always be present in government. That doesn’t change the Word of God.
Not When You Feel Your Personal Rights Are Being Violated. Many say that they will submit to government as long as they agree with the decisions being made, or they feel their best interests are being served, or as long as none of their rights are being violated.
Only When Government Is Requiring You To Disobey God. Is it ever okay to refuse to submit to government? The short answer is “Yes”. A wife is called by God to submit to her husband. A child is commanded to obey his parents. However, if a husband requires his wife to sin, or if a parent requires his/her child to sin against God, at that point the wife or the child must refuse to submit, and obey God instead. God is our supreme authority. Yes, He has called us ordinarily to submit to government or husband or father/mother. However, we must always obey God rather than man, if man is requiring us to disobey God.
Sometimes that disobedience may come when the government does not permit you to do what God has commanded. Sometimes it will come when the government requires you to do something God has forbidden. In either case, you must obey God rather than man, and accept the consequences, whatever they may be.
Government Requiring You To Do Something God Has Forbidden. In Daniel 3, Nebuchadnezzar required all the world to worship an image of gold. The three Hebrew youth refused. Why? Because God had clearly commanded them not to bow down and worship images.
In Exodus 1, the Pharaoh commanded the Hebrew midwives to throw every baby boy into the Nile but to keep every baby girl alive. The midwives would have to disobey the Pharaoh in order to obey God, who said, “You shall not murder.”
Dr. James Dobson in one of his broadcasts on Focus On The Family told this story. A Christian high school student was in a class entitled, “Sex Education.” The self-styled “progressive” teacher of the class brought a pornographic videotape to show the class as part of the curriculum. What was the Christian student to do? Because he wanted to be true to his Christian principles, he raised his hand. Gently but persistently, he voiced his conscientious objection to the showing of the pornographic film. He wasn’t rude, contentious, abrasive, or insulting to the teacher. Rather, he was gentle and respectful, for he was seeking to project the gentleness and humility of his Lord. The teacher persisted in showing the film, and so the student then persisted in his objections. “I would like to be excused from this class,” he said “because my Christian conscience does not permit me to view this film.” The teacher again refused and proceeded with the showing of the videotape. The student objected again. By now of course, the teacher was highly annoyed if not downright livid with the young man. He said, “All right! If you want out of this class, then go to the principal’s office. But understand that if you walk out that door, you get an automatic F in this class.” The student replied, “Thank you for excusing me from the class. I’ll go to the principal’s office and I’ll accept whatever grade or discipline you decide to give me. But I continue to insist that what you are doing is wrong, and I can’t be a part of it.” It may be hard to believe, but this actually happened.
Government Is Prohibiting You From Doing What God Has Commanded. That’s what we have in Daniel 6. There Darius enacted a law that no one could make a petition to anyone except him for thirty days. The penalty for breaking this law was to be thrown into a lion’s den. As soon as the King signed the injunction into Law, Daniel went into his house and prayed three times a day. Why? Because God had commanded His people to pray. 1 Chronicles 16:11, “Seek the Lord and His strength; seek His face continually.”
We find a similar situation in the New Testament. Jesus had commanded His people to teach and preach the gospel to every creature. However, the Jewish religious leaders forbade them to speak any more in His name. How did Peter respond? Acts 4:19-20, “But Peter and John answered and said to them, ‘Whether it is right in the sight of God to give heed to you rather than to God, you be the judge; for we cannot stop speaking about what we have seen and heard.” Then in Acts 5:29 Peter said, “We must obey God rather than men.”
Does this mean that if there is something wrong in our government that we do nothing, as long as they are not requiring us to disobey God? Folks, we are so blessed to live in a land where we can openly disagree with our government authorities. If there is something wrong that needs to change, I believe we should use the freedoms we enjoy in this country to seek to bring about change. There are many countries of the world that would not allow you to speak out against the government. If you did, you would probably find yourself arrested and punished. So, when it comes to our responsibility toward police, I do not believe we should disobey the Law, or burn down their stations or actively oppose them. I do believe we should use peaceful and nonviolent means to seek to bring about reforms so that police brutality will come to an end.
Conclusion
So, what does all this mean in practical terms?
If the government forbade us from evangelizing, praying, or meeting, we would have to disobey and accept the consequences. If the government forbade us from teaching what the Bible says about homosexuality or any other subject, we would have to disobey.
If the government required us to or accept those in a same sex marriage as members of the church, we would have to disobey.
If the government required that we abort our children to maintain population control, we would have to resist.
But until or unless something along those lines takes place here in the good old US of A, as Christians we are bound to obey the law, pay our taxes, and show respect for our governmental leaders, regardless of whether we agree with all their decisions or not.
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