Romans 13:1-7 *
In the name of Christ Jesus, dear friends:
The Ten Commandments contain 297 words. The Bill of Rights is stated in 463 words. Abraham Lincoln delivered the entire Gettysburg Address in 266 words. And a recent federal directive to regulate the price of cabbage is briefly stated in 26,911 words.
Maybe we have a right to be skeptical. Maybe the bureaucracy is just too big and bulky to be effective. Perhaps it is an easy target, a target that few people can pass up the chance to take aim at. Whether it is fair or not, the government has been made the scapegoat for just about every evil in society.
The voting scandal that delayed the results of the 2000
presidential campaign had
And we love it, or at least we love to complain about it. Where would T.V. talk show hosts get most of their jokes without the government? What would talk radio talk about if there were no government? Who would we have to blame for all of our problems in the absence of the government?
Because of sin in the world, there are no perfect
people. Because of sin in the world,
there are no perfect governments either.
Paul knew that. He was a Roman
citizen. The Romans were pagans. The Romans exalted their leaders as
gods. And that put the Christians who
lived in the
As followers of Jesus and subjects of the government, Christians are really citizens of two kingdoms. The problem is that those kingdoms did not always see eye to eye. In fact, there are times when they seem to be pulling us in opposite directions.
In our text Paul addresses the specific concerns of the Roman Christians, but his inspired words give guidance to all believers who live in a secular society. Even though Paul was subjected to physical persecution at the hands of an ungodly government, his counsel for Christian citizens can be summarized like this…
GIVE THANKS FOR GOD’S LEADERS
I. They are God’s
representatives
II.
They are God’s servants
Winston Churchill once said that democracy is the worst form of government in the world…except for the rest of them. Implied in that statement is the idea that government is a necessary evil. We have to put up with it because we have no choice. What a difference there is between that kind of attitude and Paul’s perspective.
“Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God” (1). In case you missed it the first time, Paul says it again. God himself has established the government. It was not an accident. It was not the next logical step in the development of
civilization. The governing authorities can trace their power directly back to the Creator.
It is also important to note what Paul does not say in this
verse. Government comes from God, but
that does not mean that the government will always agree with God. Sometimes earthly authorities are unknowing
agents of God’s will. Sometimes
governmental policies are directly opposed to God’s will. In those cases “we must obey God rather than men” (Acts
For example, God worked through the rise and fall of several
nations to carry forward his plan of salvation. The Assyrians thought they were in control
when they conquered
The Lord has been charting the course of history since the beginning of time, but he doesn’t put Christians in charge of everything either. One Bible scholar explains it this way: “It is the Lord’s way that he rules and keeps the world, which is full of wicked scoundrels, in check through wicked scoundrels.” We may not be able to understand how God works. We might even be tempted to ask why God works the way he does. By faith, we trust that God is in control. By faith, we believe that all governments ultimately work for him.
That last statement is very important. The fact that God empowers earthly governments impacts our relationship with our leaders. “Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves” (2). Rebellion against government is rebellion against God. When people disobey God’s representatives, they disobey God. And when people defy the authorities God has placed over them, they bring judgment on themselves.
So what constitutes “rebellion?” Do people have to take up arms to be considered rebels? Is rebellion limited to acts of death and destruction like flying planes into buildings? Or is our definition broader than that?
When we constantly grumble and complain about our leaders, we dishonor our God. When we don’t report all of our income on our tax return (and reason that our money would just get mismanaged anyway), we disrespect the authorities God has placed over us. When our own laziness and apathy keeps us from exercising our rights and responsibilities as citizens, we show little respect for God and his representatives. Even if we have never fired a single bullet, even if we have never raised our voices in anger, we rebel against God and bring judgment on ourselves.
What if Jesus was like that? What if Jesus would have given in to the
pressure? What if Jesus would have led
the rebellion against
Contrary to the misguided ideas of some, Jesus didn’t come
to earth to start a revolution. Instead,
he willingly obeyed his earthly leaders.
He told the Pharisees: “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s” (Matthew
When the Jewish courts framed him, when the Roman courts failed him, when the world’s only completely innocent man was sentenced to death, Jesus did not lash out in anger. He didn’t appeal. He didn’t demand justice. He was led like a lamb to the slaughter, but he did not open his mouth. Why? Because he knew. He knew that his death would give life to others. He knew that his humble obedience was God’s way to forgive all of our wickedness and rebellion and sin.
The gospel motivates us to honor our leaders (as imperfect as they may be). Jesus gives us everything we need to respect our authorities. We give thanks for God’s leaders because they are his representatives.
Normally we think of the government as being up there and we are down here. People in government are the ones with the authority, not the ones under authority. But in three different places Paul uses the word “servant” to describe earthly leaders.
“For he is God’s servant to do you good” (4). The government serves God when it serves God’s people. And according to Paul, the government looks out for the good of its citizens.
Maybe some of the Roman Christians were confused when they
read those words. The Roman emperor at
that time was Nero, not exactly a friend of the Christian cause. In fact, during his reign there was an
intense persecution of Jesus’ followers.
Secular sources describe the some of the atrocities (and I will spare
you the details), but suffice it to say that being a Christian in the Nero’s
Maybe some Christians are still confused when they read these words. The government is looking out for our good? What about the laws that legalize the killing of unborn children? What about the government programs that promote “safe sex” over abstinence? How is that doing Christians (or anybody else) any good?
It is no secret that our government is not a Christian institution. It is no secret that we have our work cut out for us. In spite of all of the challenges, there are still many blessings that come to us through our authorities. In this country, we have the freedom to worship where and when and how we please. As American citizens, we have the right to express our faith openly. And we enjoy the benefits of peace and stability that allow us to share the gospel without fear.
In those ways the government does serve our good. The government also acts as God’s servant
when it protects God’s people from evil.
“But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword for
nothing. He is God’s servant, an agent
of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer” (4).
Just a few days ago we were reminded of this important service our government provides. From the top on down, President of the United States, foot soldiers, fighter pilots, police officers, firefighters, inspectors and security personnel, all of these people are God’s servants who put themselves in harm’s way to protect the innocent and punish the guilty.
So how do we respond? How can we thank God for the blessings of good government? This is what Paul said to the Roman Christians: “Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also because of conscience” (5). One reason people obey the laws of the land is because they have to. They don’t want to get in trouble, so they pay taxes. They don’t want to spend the rest of their lives in prison, so they don’t murder or steal.
But the Lord wants more from his people. He wants Christians to recognize that government is a gift from God, not a burden imposed by man. He wants Christians to obey their leaders because those leaders are his servants. He wants us to understand that when we honor our authorities we also give him glory.
They say that the only two things a person can count on in life are death and taxes. Not many people can honestly say that they look forward to either of them. They are inescapable. They are just part of life. For the Christian though, death is not a negative. A funeral is a sad occasion for loved ones left behind, but it is a joy for the departed believer because death is the door to eternal life.
With a clear understanding of the role God has assigned to it, Christians can have the same attitude about government. I am not saying that you have to put a smile on your face every time you write out a check to the United States Treasury. But when you as a Christian pay your taxes, remember that you are supporting the leaders that God himself provides.
As citizens of two kingdoms on earth, as American citizens awaiting your true citizenship in heaven, give thanks. Give thanks for God’s leaders. Amen.