"Everyone must submit to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except from God, and those that exist are instituted by God. 2 So then, the one who resists the authority is opposing God’s command, and those who oppose it will bring judgment on themselves. 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 government 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 government is God’s servant, an avenger that brings wrath on the one who does wrong. 5 Therefore, you must submit, not only because of wrath, but also because of your conscience."
Romans 13:1-5
Good Morning Beloved,
Welcome to worship!
We're so glad you're here with us today
There are many people today, who are confused with what to do with public gatherings and places of worship during this present crisis. There are many people protesting, revolting against the authority of the government, rioting, destroying statues and property. Killing, violence and lawlessness has increased. Defying the police, disobeying laws, moral conduct. All of this in contrast to what the Bible teaches. No matter what the form of government, no matter what the style in which it works, we are called to respond to governmental authority.
Romans 13:1-5 is God's Divine Sanction of government and the Christian’s responsibility to those in authority. And let's face it, there is little more disheartening, more disappointing than hearing the people of God defiantly disobeying the government He has raised up for the day we live in. The Biblically ignorant often put God to the test and mislabel it as faith, expecting God to show up, placing His hand upon them. The Biblically mature seek for the truth found in the whole of Scripture, the entire Word of God.
Romans 15:4 says, "For whatever was written in the past was written for our instruction, so that we may have hope through endurance and through the encouragement from the Scriptures." The writer through the Holy Spirit is giving the Divine Sanction role of government and the Christian’s responsibility to those in authority. The child of God is to submit to the governing authorities.
As in the time of Christ, the Apostles, and today, most people in governmental control are none-believers. Just as it was with Christ it is for Christians today, there is no authority apart from that which God has established. He has delegated authority to those in charge of the public well-being.
Let's bow our heads in prayer.
Heavenly Father,
Father, we thank You for this time together today. We thank You for those You have prompted to join us. Lord, I pray for their relationship with You, that they would not just know of You, but know You personally, the only, One True God, through Jesus Christ Your Son.
We thank You for this portion of Your Word, may we not only hear these truths, but apply them to our lives.
Lord, I pray that as Your Church, Your people, that we might be the instruments to bring about order in this present day, all for Your glory.
In Christs' name
Amen
Turn with me, in your Bibles to Romans chapter 13, following along with me as I read that passage to you and then I want to address some comment with regard to it. Those who function in civil authority are ministers of God. Romans 13:1-5, this is what the first five verses tell us:
"Everyone must submit to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except from God, and those that exist are instituted by God. So then, the one who resists the authority is opposing God’s command, and those who oppose it will bring judgment on themselves. 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. For government 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 government is God’s servant, an avenger that brings wrath on the one who does wrong. Therefore, you must submit, not only because of wrath, but also because of your conscience."
Our Christianity finds its way into every aspect of living. No part of life, no thought, word, deed, or relationship, is divisible. No part of the Christian life is unaffected by our devotion to Jesus Christ our Savior. And one of those areas, one of the most crucial areas where Christianity is lived out is in relation to civil government, those who are in authority over us. Scripture has much to say about this.
In the Old Testament, it is filled with instruction, telling people to obey the law of the land and therefore, those who enforce it. And the New Testament is no different, it is the same. The apostle Paul on numerous occasions instructed believers to submit to the authorities, to honor the ruler, to obey the governor, to respond to those who are in authority over us.
In I Peter chapter 2, the apostle Peter, similarly instructed us, that we can silence those who criticize Christianity by our good citizenship.
In the Christian life, there is no place for rebellion and resistance. God says it's His institution and we are to respond to it, and if we don't we are resisting God. God has ordained government for the protection of life and property. God has ordained government for the repression of evil and crime. And God has ordained government for the rewarding of virtue and good.
In all other circumstances we are called to submit to the government which is over us. That is crystal clear in the opening statement of Romans 13, verse 1 "Everyone must submit to the governing authorities." So what are Christians to do when government comes in direct conflict with the teaching of the Word of God? Obey the government or obey God?
I'd like to share with you a story I once heard.
A government surveyor brought his surveying equipment to a farm to do some work for the state and county by which he was employed. He knocked on the farmhouse door and asked the farmer for permission to go into one of his fields and take some readings. The farmer had no hospitality for any state or county officials so he refused to give the man permission to work in any of his fields. He thought that maybe the government was going to take some of his land for a public project. “I will not give you permission to go onto my land!” said the farmer. The surveyor then produced an official government document that authorized him to do the survey. “I have the authority,” he said, “to enter any field in the entire country to do my work.” Faced with the authority of the county, state, and federal government the farmer unwillingly opened the gate and allowed the surveyor to enter one of his fields. The farmer then went to the far end of the field and opened another gate, through which one of his fiercest bulls came charging. Seeing the bull running toward him, the surveyor dropped his equipment and began to run for his life! The farmer shouted after him, "Show him that paper, show him your authority."
Now, I didn’t share with you that story just to get a laugh. My point in sharing it is, I want you to consider your attitude toward the government. Do we not all have a bit of that farmer in us? In everything from driving the speed limit to paying our taxes our sinful nature resists the government’s control and claim on us.
In the word of God for our message today, the Apostle Paul presents us with a different attitude. The Christian attitude! He describes the God pleasing way followers of Christ will interact with the governing authorities. Instead of rebelling and resisting he says that we will obey and submit to the government. Today, the Holy Spirit will work a change of attitude and action in us through these powerful words from Paul's epistle to the Romans. The commands of God are set before us to show us where we have failed and calls us to repentance. The good news from God, full and free salvation in Jesus Christ, will then supply the motivation for us to Submit to the governing authorities.
In the chapter before these verses the Apostle encouraged his readers to offer themselves as “living sacrifices to God.” God had chosen them to receive forgiveness through Jesus Christ. He brought them to faith through the work of the Holy Spirit in the Word and sacraments. God’s grace was now their motivation for living a new life of service to God and others.
Even in light of those wonderful facts these words must have come as a shock to the Christians in Rome. They were living in the capital city of one of the most wicked and cruel empires ever to rule a large part of the world. The emperor at that time was Nero. He took pleasure in killing Christians. In fact, historians say that he burned many Christians as torches to light up his garden parties. Yet, in spite of its cruelty, immorality, and persecution of Christians, Paul said to submit to the government in Rome. He offered his readers reasons for obeying the government and also specific ways to show that obedience.
These God inspired Words still speak to Christians today. And although we live under the government of the United States and not the government of Rome, and we have a president instead of an emperor, God's command to submit to the governing authorities remains the same. We do that because God is still the one who establishes governments. God still uses the governing authorities to bring blessings to his people. For those reasons the children of God must also continue to meet their obligations to the government.
Three times in two verses, the apostle Paul states the fact that God has established all government authority. If we take a look back into history, which remember is "His-story," we see how true this is. When God wanted to take his people out of Egypt, He broke the will of a hardhearted Pharaoh with ten plagues. In God’s dealings with His people He used the governments of the world to bring blessing or punishment as needed. He used the Assyrians to destroy Israel, those were the ten tribes in the northern part of Palestine.
Later God used Nebuchadnezzar to take His people into captivity in Babylon as punishment for their disobedience to Him. It was there they repented and returned to the Lord. Then He did away with the Babylonian empire and brought in Cyrus, king of the Medes and Persians to set His people free and place them back in the Promised Land. In the Old Testament, we heard how the Lord blessed all people through Cyrus.
And, in the New Testament God’s pulling the strings of kings and governments continued. Was it simply by chance that at the time God’s Son, Jesus Christ was to enter the world, that Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world? Of course not.
God put Caesar Augustus in place and Quirinius, also translated as Cyrenius, as the governor of Syria at that time. Was it just chance that the good news about Jesus’ victory over sin was sent out at time when the world had the best roads in history, an efficient postal service, safe travel, and law and order? No, again those circumstances came about through the plan of the One who establishes all authority.
So, what about the wicked governments? Was God responsible for the power of the communists who tried to stamp out the gospel? And, what about Adolf Hitler? What about Saddam Hussein and others? Yes, God established the authority of those leaders as well. The fact that they as sinful humans took that power and authority and abused it is their responsibility. It is not God’s fault. Or how about those immoral, corrupt, and crooked politicians that are at times found within our own government today? Is God responsible for their position of power? Yes, God gives the authority to them also.
So whether a government is good or bad, whether our candidate is elected or not, whether we agree with the government or not, we are to submit to the governing authorities because they have been established by God.
There are only two exceptions to the universality of this command. The first being, when government commands us to do what God forbids. Should this be the case, we cannot obey the government, because we must obey God. You remember Peter, in Acts 5:29, how he responded when they commanded him not to preach. He said "we have to obey God, rather then men."
The second is, we cannot do what the government forbids, if God has commanded us to do it. At this point, we must be disobedient to man, in obedience to God. And, in doing so we may lose our freedom, as we go to jail or prison, however, realizing we go in obedience to God. And, it may also cost us our lives, therefore we go to death realizing we go there in obedience to God.
In John 19:11, when Jesus was on trial before Pontius Pilate, he corrected Pilate’s false understanding of government authority. Remember that Pilate said, "Don’t you realize I have power either to free you or to crucify you?" Jesus responded, "You would have no power over me at all, if it were not given to you from above." One of the biggest hurdles for us to cross in order to have the attitude that Paul described in these verses from Romans chapter 13 is to first see the governing authorities as being established by God.
When the Holy Spirit works that conviction in us through the law and the gospel then we will want to submit to the governing authorities. With just a glance at history, a look at God’s Word and His commandments, will convince us that God establishes all authority. Then through the attitude changing, life transforming, power of the gospel we submit ourselves to the governing authorities.
In chapter 13, verses 3 through 5, Paul goes on to give us an additional reason for obeying the government under which we live. Not only is all authority established by God but the governing authorities are meant to bring blessings from God, "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. For government 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 government is God’s servant, an avenger that brings wrath on the one who does wrong. Therefore, you must submit, not only because of wrath, but also because of your conscience" Paul takes us another step with these verses. Those in authority are God’s servants to do us good. They bring us blessings from God.
Now, I can imagine your initial reaction to that thought. "Blessings? What blessings? What do you mean by blessings? The government just takes my money, they don't do a thing for me!" However, I encourage you to take a moment and think about what the government does for us. We have state and federal highways. It is the government that provides libraries, schools, and universities. Those in authority provide law and order through various law enforcement departments and the judicial system. We have fire protection. We have freedom of religion, freedom to worship and practice our religion. The government ensures free trade and fair business practices. Those in authority maintain an army to protect our borders from invasion. We submit to the governing authorities because God blesses us through them.
And, although we may not like everything the government does, the fact remains that God uses the authorities He establishes to bless us. In Ephesians 1:22, Paul wrote in his letter to the Ephesians, "And He put everything under His feet and appointed Him as head over everything for the church." Christ is King of all the kings of the earth and Lord of the lords who have authority over people. He uses the governments of the world for the good of His people and His Church.
After setting out reasons for submitting to the governing authorities Paul goes on to tell us, in verses 6-7, how to submit to those authorities, "And for this reason you pay taxes, since the authorities are God’s public servants, continually attending to these tasks. 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." The attitude Paul sets out here is much different from that of the farmer who sent his bull after the surveyor. This attitude toward the governing authorities and these God pleasing actions toward the governing authorities can only be produced in us through the work of the Holy Spirit. With a Christ-like attitude we will meet our obligations to the governing authorities.
What each of us owes the government from the list that Paul gives in these verses will very from person to person. Some may owe very little. While, others may owe a great deal in taxes or service, or revenue.
Paul also points out the other side of the picture. The government can also bring punishment to those who don’t obey. "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." When we break the speed limit or traffic laws we get fined. If we abuse our privileges as citizens the government may take them away from us for our own safety and the safety of others. Prisons and even the death penalty are tools of the government by which God brings blessings to the citizens of the United States.
The Lord promises blessing to any person who lives according to his Word. In a similar way he also says he will use governing authorities, whether they are good or evil, to bless his people. He uses the authority of the government to maintain peace and foster prosperity. Even if a government persecutes Christians God will still use their authority to bless believers.
The first thing that God asks us to do for the governing authorities is to pray for them. Again it doesn’t matter if we like the president, or the governor, or the mayor of our city. We pray that the Lord would bless them and move them to act wisely.
From there the most obvious thing we Americans owe to our government is taxes. We may owe federal and state income taxes, property tax, sales tax, and many other fees. I want to make it clear that I am not debating whether or not taxes are too high or unfair. We have the right to vote to change the tax system. But we are reminded that what the law says we owe the government in taxes is what we owe. We are not to "cook the books" or "fudge the numbers." For those who are self-employed or own their own business there is always the temptation to do cash sales, in order to avoid paying taxes. Because the person can pocket the money leaving no trace or record of the transaction for the IRS to find. When we file our income taxes there are many places where we may be tempted to stretch the laws. As followers of Christ we want to submit to the governing authorities by paying what we owe. We pray for the conviction and strength to do what is right in this area.
The other area where we may struggle to give what we owe to the government is in the area of respect. I know I am as guilty as anyone else, in telling jokes about the President and some of the things he has done. Everyone seems to be doing it. When there is a news story about any of our government officials we tend to automatically think the worst about the person.
However, we are called to respect them, just as we would respect the One from whom they receive their authority. In very precise ways we are told how to submit to the governing authorities. By giving what we owe. "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."
Though many of us can certainly sympathize with the farmer who used a bull to chase the surveyor off his land. Though the government can seem unfair, even repressive at times. In these instructional verses from Romans chapter 13, the apostle Paul brings our thinking about the government in line with the will of God. He helps us see that the governing authorities as being established by God and bringing blessings from God. That encouragement, should lead us to meet our obligation to the government, according to God's will, purposes and plans. Paul reminds us this in verse 2, and beloved, this is very important, "So then, the one who resists the authority is opposing God’s command, and those who oppose it will bring judgment on themselves." or condemnation. Here's the third reason we cannot resist authority. One, it is divinely decreed. Two, if you resist it you're literally resisting God. And three, those who resist are to be punished. Those who resist are to be punished by God's design.
May these commands of God move us to repentance and may the grace of God lead us to new obedience. So that we submit to the governing authorities, as commanded by God, through our Lord Jesus Christ.
And now may the Lord bless you and keep you;
the Lord make His face shine upon you,
And be gracious to you;
The Lord lift up His countenance upon you,
And give you peace.
Now and forever, in Jesus' name
Amen
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