The Christian's Duty To Government

A Christian’s Duty to Government

Romans 13:1-10

Jesus was once tempted with the question whether it was lawful to pay taxes to Caesar. The Pharisees had carefully collected both Herodians who supported paying taxes to Rome and Zealots who thought that paying taxes to Caesar was treason against the state of Israel. They were thinking to themselves: “We’ve got him now!” But they did not get Him. Jesus told them to give Caesar what belonged to Caesar, but no more. God was to be given what was rightfully His. The relationship that we as Christians have with government is always a dilemma of sorts. We would like to have the wisdom of Jesus on this matter. Thankfully, both Peter and Paul help us greatly in this matter.

This morning we will look at Paul’s teaching on our relationship to secular government in the 13th chapter of Romans. The first thing we need to understand is that at the time Romans was written, Nero was the Emperor. He killed his own mother to solidify his rule. He, along with Caligula, were two of the most evil men of the first century. Nero was in every way a moral deviant. He also thought himself to be a god and desired divine worship. He had his tutor Seneca commit suicide in lieu of being executed. If any person deserved to be despised, it was Nero. Nero would later falsely accuse the Christians in Rome of setting the city on fire. Christians were crucified, burnt, thrown to the animals and suffered torture.

There was a pragmatic aspect for the Christians not to rise up against Nero and Rome. Many of the early Christians were slaves. They could look back to the way Rome dealt with Spartacus and the slave revolt. The Jews could remember what happened to a Judas who led a tax revolt against Rome. Rome could be most brutal when it needed. Active resistance against such power would have resulted in disaster to the movement. The Christians were under enough suspicion by Jew and Roman alike. So, walking circumspectly was certainly good policy.

But Paul chooses a different argument why the Christian should be subject to the authorities over them. His argument is based upon the sovereignty of God. Despite all appearances, Paul says that there is no authority except by the will of God. God is ruler over all potentates, good and evil. He is not responsible for the evils of government, but God rules. He will hold those in power accountable for their administration of the states they rule over.

Paul being by saying that every soul is to be subject to the authorities over them. “Every soul” is placed first in his sentence which emphasizes that every single person without exception is to be subject to this authority. This is a decree of God. These authorities rule by the will of God. Anyone who resists them is resisting God. In principal, the rulers are appointed by God to punish evildoers and not those who are good. It is obvious that on many occasions that the wicked are rewarded and the good punished. But the Christian is not to actively withstand government, even when it does evil. A Christian has to set is or her sights upon the return of Jesus and the establishment of His Kingdom. There will be an accounting for those who have ruled poorly. Vengeance belongs to God alone. If we suffer wrongfully for doing good, God takes account of this also. The wrongs we suffer for Jesus’ sake will be made right. Without this eternal perspective, remaining physically passive in the face of evil would make no sense at all.

God grants authorities the use of the sword. Therefore, they are to be rightly feared. If one does evil, the government is there to punish them. Peter adds to this when he says that there is no thank for a Christian who suffers punishment before secular authorities. If it is necessary to suffer for being good, so be it. The emphasis for the Christian is that our conduct must be blameless. This means we show proper respect for our secular leaders. This includes the payment of taxes. In every way, Christians should be the example of good citizens. We should be engaged in making the world we live in better, as much as it lies within us. We should be honest in our dealings with those outside, even though dishonesty is rampant. We should be examples of moral purity in a land which seems to be devoid of them. The work which we do in society is unto the Lord and not unto man. It is a form of witness to a world which is in the dark. We should not expect accolades for this. Jesus did all sorts of good, and we see what happened to Him. But we anticipate in all that we do the coming of Christ’s Kingdom where there shall be justice and peace.