A. A young boy, who wanted $100.00 very badly, prayed for two weeks but nothing happened.
1. Then he decided to write God a letter requesting $100.00.
2. When the postal authorities received the boy’s letter to God, they decided to send it to the President of the United States.
3. The President was so amused that he instructed his secretary to send the boy $50.00 from God.
4. The President thought that this would be a lot of money to the little boy and thus satisfy him.
5. The little boy was delighted with the $50.00 and immediately wrote a thank you note to GOD that read: “Dear God, Thank you very much for sending me money. However, I noticed that for some reason you had to send it through Washington, D.C., and, as usual, those politicians took half of it.”
B. Politics and government are very important and are volatile subjects, not only in our day, but throughout history.
1. We joke that the only two constants in life are death and taxes, and nobody likes either of those two things.
2. Today, as we continue in our sermon series from Paul’s letter to the Christians in Rome, we come to a section where Paul focuses on a single point: the need for Christians to submit themselves to government authorities.
3. As we will see, Paul issues that demand at the beginning of this section and then he gives three reasons why believers must do so.
4. Then in verse 5, Paul repeats the demand to submit to authorities and then briefly mentions again the two of the reasons for submission to authorities.
5. Finally, Paul concludes the paragraph on a practical note where he urges the Roman Christians to continue to pay their taxes.
C. Paul’s sweeping and apparently unqualified demand that believers obey governing authorities has generated a lot of discussion and debate over the centuries.
1. I want us to explore the key issues Paul addressed in this section and then work to apply them to our lives as we live in the year 2020 and reside in the United States of America.
2. But before we get to those things, there is another question that needs to be answered: Why does Paul include this teaching at this point in this letter to the Romans?
3. To some people, this paragraph doesn’t seem to belong at this place in this letter.
4. Last week, we were blessed to study the large section of chapter 12, where Paul spends a good amount of time describing what sincere love looks like.
5. And interestingly enough, the section that follows the section we are examining today about our relationship to government also addresses the subject of love.
6. So why would Paul stick this subject of submission to government right in the middle of addressing the subject of love?
7. Some people have argued that this paragraph must have been written and inserted by someone else after Paul wrote this letter, but we have no evidence that the letter to the Romans was ever without this paragraph.
D. So, how then does this section fit with what Paul has been addressing since the beginning of chapter 12? I think there are some good ways to see how it fits.
1. First, in the section beginning in chapter 12, Paul has been describing the transformed life expected of followers of Christ.
2. This goal of transformation and “non-conformity to the world” caused some believers to adopt extreme positions.
3. Some concluded that living the spiritual life as Christ followers meant that everything in the world needed to be avoided by truly “spiritual” Christians – including things like the institutions of marriage and the government.
a. Paul and the other apostles had to combat that kind of extremism by pointing out that such institutions were, in fact, appointed by God for the good of human beings.
b. Christians should not think that their faith requires them to consider the institutions of marriage and government as inherently evil and unspiritual.
c. That’s why Paul felt the need to balance his demand that believers not “conform to this world” with a reminder that government authorities were in fact servants of God, doing God’s will.
4. A second connection of this section with the previous section has to do with Paul’s command not to take vengeance, but to allow God to be the judge.
a. One reason why we can do that is that God has ordained government as the institution to carry out his judgment in this world.
E. With that introduction, let’s move through Romans 13:1-7.
1. The basic point of the section is summed up in its opening words: Let everyone submit to the governing authorities, since there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are instituted by God. (Romans 13:1)
2. Two important questions arise from the first phrase: Who are the governing authorities and what does it mean to submit to them?
3. Who are the governing authorities?
a. They are any person who represents the power of the state: from local bureaucrats right up to the emperor, king or queen, president or prime minister.
b. God wants us to understand that those in government have been placed over us - whether federal, state or local - and we need to acknowledge that and live in a manner that reflects our understanding of it.
4. What does it mean to submit to them?
a. The word “submit” is used over fifty times in the New Testament.
b. It means to voluntarily follow the direction of those in authority over you.
c. To “submit” or “be subject” is to take a proper rank or place under authority.
d. Submission is not the same as obedience, though the two are related.
e. Obedience relates to outward performance while submission touches the attitude of the heart toward those who are over us.
f. This distinction is critical because we may not always be able to obey those who are over us, but we can always have a heart attitude of submission.
5. Let me a share a simple definition that may help us that Ray Pritchard offers: Submission means believing that God is able to accomplish His will in my life through those he has placed in authority over me.
a. That’s helpful because it focuses the attention on God, not on the person over us.
b. Sometimes we have to contend with unsaved husbands, mean-spirited parents, cranky bosses, or teachers who can’t wait for the end of the semester.
c. Sometimes we’ll work for people we don’t like and maybe can’t stand.
d. Sometimes we have to live with people who treat us cruelly, or have to suffer under a government that consistently promotes evil.
6. What can we do when we find ourselves in those situations?
a. We do have options and some options are more spiritual than others. We might rebel. We might fight back. We might suffer in silence. We might complain to others. We might get angry and try to get even. We might appeal to the authority over us asking for a redress of our grievances. Or we might take action to change our situation.
b. But the most important thing as we face this is the submissive attitude of our hearts.
c. We must submit to the one in authority in the sense that we believe that God has put that person in our lives for a purpose and that God’s will is somehow being done in us through that person even if we don’t see it and don’t understand it – that’s submissive faith.
5. And Paul makes it clear that this goes for all of us – “everyone”.
a. No Christian should ever consider himself or herself to be above the law.
b. Every Christian should submit and why should we? Let’s look at the reasons Paul gives.
F. Paul says that we should submit to governing authorities because they are appointed by God.
1. Paul wants to be absolutely sure we understand this point so he issues it from both a negative and positive position.
a. Negatively: “there is no authority except from God.”
b. Positively: “the authorities that exist are instituted by God.”
2. This is a truth found throughout the Bible.
a. Whatever process is followed by countries or empires to choose human rulers, they are ultimately placed in their positions by God.
b. We must understand that this is true for the vilest of them as well as the most virtuous.
c. The prophet Daniel made that very clear: “the Most High is ruler over human kingdoms.
He gives them to anyone he wants and sets the lowliest of people over them.” (Daniel 4:17)
d. He changes the times and seasons; he removes kings and establishes kings (Dan. 2:21).
e. Psalm 75:6-7 says: Exaltation does not come from the east, the west, or the desert, for God is the Judge: He brings down one and exalts another.
f. There is no question about it - the “powers that be” are ordained of God.
3. And it doesn’t matter what kind of government we’re referring to.
a. Contrary to what many Christians think, the Bible does not espouse any one form of human government above others.
b. Most of us are convinced that democracy allows for the greatest human freedom and best protection of human dignity and human rights (and we may be correct about that).
c. But the Bible nowhere establishes democracy as the one God-ordained system of government.
d. Nor does the Bible favor communism, or socialism, or monarchy, or oligarchy, or any other one system of government.
4. This truth that the authorities that exist are instituted by God is a hard truth for most of us to swallow.
a. Does this include rulers like Adolf Hitler, Joseph Stalin and Saddam Hussein?
b. Let me remind us that the government that was in power when Paul wrote this letter to Rome, the capital of the Roman Empire, was led by a dictator and emperor.
c. Most of the people throughout the empire lived as conquered nations occupied by Roman troops and sixty million human beings were held in slavery.
d. The emperors of the Roman Empire were no model of morality and righteousness.
e. And one of the worst was Nero, who was a cruel Roman Emperor from 54 AD to 68 AD, and he was in power when Paul wrote this letter.
f. Nero hated Christians, had them rounded up, dipped in tallow, tied to stakes and burned like candles in his garden.
g. He ordered Rome set on fire and then blamed the Christians, setting off the first wave of official persecution.
h. We’ve mostly forgotten how wicked and pagan ancient Rome really was: Abortion flourished. Homosexuality was accepted as normal. The masses worshipped Caesar as Lord. Sorcery and black magic abounded.
i. No government in America has ever been as pagan as the government of ancient Rome.
j. For 2000 years Christians have had to live out their Christianity in all kinds of countries with all kinds of forms of government, some better and more benevolent than others.
k. Christians in our country have been trying to do that for a 10th of that time – perspective!
l. Millions and millions of Christians around the world are trying to obey this command while living under other world governments; whether China, Iraq, South Africa, or Russia.
5. Just like us, they are living with this truth from Paul: there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are instituted by God. (Romans 13:1)
G. So, Paul wants us to understand that whatever government is in power is appointed by God, and therefore, resisting the government, in general, means resisting God.
1. Paul wrote: So then, the one who resists the authority is opposing God’s command, and those who oppose it will bring judgment on themselves. (Romans 13:2)
2. Those who resist the government (and therefore resist God) will face punishment.
3. The punishment they bring on themselves may be inflicted by the government, or by the Lord, or by both.
4. Either way, Paul wants us to know that resistance will not go unpunished.
H. Which leads to the second reason that Paul gives for submitting to government: to avoid that punishment.
1. Paul wrote: 3 For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have its approval. 4 For it is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, because it does not carry the sword for no reason. For it is God’s servant, an avenger that brings wrath on the one who does wrong. (Romans 13:3-4)
2. Paul is speaking in generalities here when he says that rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad.
a. The norm is for rulers to maintain law and order and to punish evildoers.
b. Even the worst of the Roman emperors tried to do that.
c. I think we would all agree that the worst governments in existence today are still better than total anarchy.
d. Tragically, there have been mad rulers who have exterminated innocent people.
e. There have been some rulers who were a terror to people who do good.
f. We may be facing that more and more in our time as evil is called good and good evil.
3. So, in general, if we are doing what is right then we have nothing to fear.
a. The way to eliminate fear of that flashing light and siren behind us is to obey the laws.
b. The way to eliminate fear of a letter from the IRS is to fill out our tax forms properly and pay the taxes we owe.
c. The way to eliminate fear of the guard at the mall is not to walk off with merchandise that we haven’t paid for.
d. Most of the time, if we keep the law, then we have no reason to be afraid of the person in authority – I know there are exceptions to that rule, but they are the exceptions.
I. Paul then makes an interesting point by calling governmental authorities servants of God.
1 Twice in verse 4 he says that rulers are “servants” of God.
a. He doesn’t mean that they are necessarily spiritual people or that they are saved, but that human authorities serve the purpose of God on earth.
2. Government leaders should be God’s servants bringing about our good.
a. The police officer who patrols our neighborhood is God’s servant.
b. The IRS agent who audits our returns is God’s servant.
c. Our president and vice president, the speaker of the house, and the mayor of our city, they are all God’s servants.
3. And this, by the way, is one of the reasons why we should treat our leaders with respect.
a. We Christians ought to lead the way in showing honor to human authorities because we understand they are appointed by God.
b. I know it is very hard for us to control ourselves and act appropriately, when we see acting in ungodly ways and when leaders make decisions and policies that seem to be clearly evil.
c. There are times when as a Christian, we must speak out in favor of what is right and against what is wrong.
d. But no matter how stirred up we may be about these things, when we are speaking to those in authority or when we are speaking about those in authority, we must treat them with respect–without regard to how we feel about their decisions and actions–because they are God’s servants.
e. God has appointed them to a high position and we must not treat that lightly.
f. Do you remember how David treated King Saul with such respect because Saul was the Lord’s anointed, even though Saul was evil and was trying to murder David?
g. In this age of social media where we can get our words and ideas out there in cyberspace, let’s be especially careful of how we express ourselves about people in authority
4. Rulers are tools of God to accomplish things that He wants done.
a. Paul experienced the positive benefits of government, even bad government.
b. For one thing, government protects us and our property.
1. The Romans had eliminated most of the bandits from the hills and the pirates from the seas so that Paul could travel freely to preach the gospel.
c. Government also arbitrates when there are disputes and punishes the guilty.
1. Paul had seen that work for his good as well when a Roman official named Gallio dismissed a case that the Jews brought against him (Acts 18:12-17).
d. Additionally, the government provides services that benefit us all.
1. Roman roads and ships aided the advance of the gospel throughout the known world.
5. We may not be happy with everything our government does, but we benefit from the good it does - like the fire and police protection we enjoy, and the power, water and sewage service to our homes, as well as roads, parks, schools, mail service, relief agencies, courts and judges to hear our grievances, a military to guard us from outside threats, and so much more.
a. Hopefully, we understand what Paul is saying: Our government, with all its faults, is God’s servant to us for good and if we do what is right, then we have nothing to fear from it.
6. But Paul gives us a warning: But if you do wrong, be afraid, because it does not carry the sword for no reason. (Rom. 13:4b)
a. The sword may refer simply to government’s right to bear arms, or it may be a reference to capital punishment.
b. But in either case, we have nothing to fear if we submit to properly constituted authority and do what’s right.
J. Paul has one more reason why we should submit to government authorities: it is to enjoy a clear conscience.
1. Paul wrote: Therefore, you must submit, not only because of wrath but also because of your conscience. (Romans 13:5)
2. The unbeliever may obey simply for fear of punishment, and possibly because he appreciates the benefits he enjoys.
3. But we, Christian have this additional reason: we know God’s command and we understand the place of government in God’s sovereign purposes, and we know that we must submit in order to maintain a clear conscience before God.
4. Most of us know what Paul is talking about.
a. If we park in a handicapped space, when we shouldn’t, then we feel guilty about it.
b. If we fudge on our tax return, then our conscience bothers us.
c. If we work under the table and don’t pay taxes on it, we may try to justify it in different ways, but we know it is wrong and our conscience is affected by it.
d. If we get stopped for speeding, we look around to see if anybody we know is watching.
e. God knows and sees all these things and we are aware of that and feel guilty because of it.
f. Therefore, we should do what we’re supposed to do, because we want to be able to look God in the eye without shame.
K. Paul ends this section giving us the practical commands for showing proper submission to authorities and they include: paying our obligations of taxes, respect and honor.
1. Paul wrote: 6 And for this reason you pay taxes, since the authorities are God’s servants, continually attending to these tasks. 7 Pay your obligations to everyone: taxes to those you owe taxes, tolls to those you owe tolls, respect to those you owe respect, and honor to those you owe honor. (Romans 13:6-7)
2. The Roman historian Tacitus tells us that there was considerable resistance to paying taxes in the middle AD 50s which culminated in the tax revolt of AD 58.
a. Keep in mind the church in Rome was in the capital city of the Empire and was made up of Jews and Gentiles, perhaps some Jewish Zealots, and others who opposed paying taxes.
3. Paul reminded them: taxes are the means governments have for carrying out its responsibilities.
a. As much as we hate to admit it, the state cannot function without taxes.
b. Since government authorities are God’s servants, and since they give their full time to the work of governing, we must support them with our taxes.
c. Incidentally, the word minister or servant in verse 6 (leitourgos) is different from the one used twice in verse 4 (diakonos).
d. The first word referred to any lowly service and the second word usually refers to priestly service, the service of God.
e. When we pay our taxes, it is like giving a gift to support God’s priests.
f. To withhold our taxes would be like an ancient worshipper refusing to give what was due the priests in worship - In other words, if we don’t pay our taxes, we’re robbing God.
g. And if God wants us to pay our taxes, then He obviously wants us to do it without grumbling and complaining – Because He wants us to do everything without complaining.
h So, paying the required taxes is one way we submit to our government and to God.
3. But it’s not enough just to pay taxes and say, “Now you’ve got your money; get off my back.”
a. God also wants us to give the proper respect and honor to the office that people hold.
b. We may not agree with everything they do, and we can tell them so, in gracious ways, through the channels made available to us in our society.
c. But as Christians who are supposed to model sincere love, we have no right to belittle leaders with sarcasm and put-downs and make them the butt of cutting humor (as so many in our culture are prone to do).
d. We must show proper respect as another way we submit to God and to God’s authorities.
L. Let me briefly address one thing that Paul does not address in this passage: when and how should a Christian disobey the governing authorities.
1. When does God give us permission to disobey the government?
2. The answer is: when our government tries to make us disobey God’s clearly revealed Word.
3. And there are a number of Biblical examples that that fall into three general areas.
4. We can disobey in matters of worship – Daniel and his three friends (Daniel 1, 2, 6).
5. We can disobey in matters of witness – Apostles were told not to preach (Acts 5:29).
6. We can disobey in matters of morality – The Hebrew midwives refused to kill baby boys (Ex. 1:15-17; Jonathan refused to kill David (1 Sam. 19).
7. Before we disobey a law, we better make sure we have a valid biblical reason for doing so and we had better be ready to suffer the consequences for doing so.
M. But one thing is abundantly clear from today’s passage: God commands us to submit to governing authorities.
1. Ultimately and generally, Christians should strive to be law-abiding citizens, who humbly respect those in authority, who are careful in their attitudes and speech, who pay their taxes without complaining, and who pray for their leaders and their country.
2. Undergirding all that we have discussed today is our understanding that our most important citizenship is in heaven, not our citizenship on earth.
3. Regardless of the country we live in the rulers of the country we live in, as Christians, we are citizens of another kingdom, and God is our King, and we are foreigners and strangers in this world.
Resources:
Romans, The NIV Application Commentary, by Douglas Moo
You and Your Government, by Richard Strauss
How to be a Godly Rebel, by Ray Pritchard
