Chapter 39

A Crash Course In Christian Citizenship

Romans 13:1-7

 

 

The Holy Spirit has timed so that we have arrived at Romans 13 just 16 days before the first general election of the 21st century.  The first seven verses of Romans 13 are instructions regarding the Christian's relationship to civil government.  Thus, I am calling this a Crash Course In Christian Citizenship.

 

It makes sense that Paul, having just written about our relationships with unbelievers in general and especially those who are overtly hostile to Christianity, would comment on our duties as citizens.

 

The world into which the church was born was evil and pagan.  A world of domination and persecution and slavery and high taxes.  Paul and the other apostles knew what it was like to be mistreated by government.  He was threatened by government officials, mobbed by groups of vigilantes, arrested and tried unjustly, left to rot in prison at the whims of governors who were motivated by political popularity rather than by any sense of justice.  Indeed, as he wrote in Philippians 2:15, it was "in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation" that Paul lived.

 

And yet, in spite of his mistreatment by government, in spite of the hostility and injustice that he endured just because of his faith in Christ, Paul did not advocate political revolution.  Paul did not feel as though a Christian's energies and efforts should be put into political change but into evangelism and soul winning.  His advice was not to store supplies and ammo, and prepare to fight, not to picket the government institutions with our agenda.  What Paul says is that we should (Philippians 2:15-16a) "be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world  Holding forth the word of life ..."  Titus 3:1-2  Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates, to be ready to every good work,  To speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, but gentle, showing all meekness unto all men.

 

This is consistent with the teaching of the other apostles.  For example, Peter says (read I Peter 2:13-17).  It is also consistent with the words of Christ.  Luke 20:25   And he said unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which be Caesar's, and unto God the things which be God's.

 

The whole of Scripture is for Christians to be model citizens for evangelistic purposes.  So how should we vote?  We are privileged that in this country we have a voice and a system through which we can express our convictions and choose our leaders.  I definitely believe that you should vote.  People don't vote for strange reasons I think.  Because if they register to vote, they may get summons for jury duty and miss work.  (Does money mean that much to you?)  Refusing to vote is their way of protesting against government that they don't like or don't trust.  The only way things can be improved is if the citizenry participates.  And I do not think that you should vote according to your political party loyalties.  Get informed on the issues and the positions of the candidates so that you can vote for those candidates who hold your position.  I want to say one thing about issues.  It concerns me that so many people vote almost entirely on the basis of economic concerns.  Which candidate's promises do I most believe will give me financial prosperity and security?  That's how most people vote.  The truth is that there are economic cycles.  As Christians we should casting our vote about something more than the dollar.  What about moral issues?  What about abortion and euthanasia?  How can a Christian vote for a candidate who believes that it ought to be a legally protected right for doctors to kill unborn babies?  Find the most moral candidate who holds to those core Christian values of right and wrong and vote that that person.  And write your representatives to let them know where you stand on particular issues and why.  Christians are to live in society as model and moral citizens whose goal is to evangelize the watching world.  As C.S. Lewis reminds us in Mere Christianity, human beings last forever while national states are all temporal.  So we must always guard our attitudes toward government.

 

It is here where Romans 13 is important.  The focus in this text is in our attitude toward government.  The text contains two requirements and numerous reasons for our obedience to those two requirements. 

 

 

Two Requirements

 

Requirement #1 - Submission, v. 1a.  "Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers."  "Wherefore ye must needs be subject..." (v. 5a).  This requirement is unqualified, unlimited and unconditional.  It is the principal of authority and submission.  Every person is commanded to be in submission to governing authorities.  It is the same thing that Peter said in I Peter 2:13-14a - "Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme;  Or unto governors ..."  There is only one exception to this rule.  The only circumstance under which a Christian is not required to obey ordinances of government is when a law is passed that would require the Christian to sin.    Acts 5:29  Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.  This exception is illustrated in the life of Daniel (1, 6), the three Hebrew children (Daniel 3) and the church at Jerusalem (Acts 4:18-20).  When disobedience is required, the proper procedure is to offer a workable alternative and to suffer the consequences.

 

As Christians, we don't get to pick and choose as to which laws we will or will not obey, nor which governmental authorities we will or will not submit to.  Unless there is a direct solicitation to sin, then we are required by God to obey.

 

 

Requirement #2 - Paying Taxes, v. 7.  Nobody likes to pay taxes.  They seem to be way too much and frankly, I certainly don't like where and how the government spends my money.  But, as a Christian, I do not have the option of refusing to pay taxes.  When Jesus was asked specifically about paying taxes, He said, "Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's."  And Paul says the very same thing in verse 7.  In fact, Paul goes on to list the various forms in which taxes came in that ancient Roman world.  Tribute is the equivalent of our income tax.  Custom is like our sales tax.  Not only are you required to give them the money but you are also required to give it with the right attitude - "fear" = respect and "honour."

 

So our responsibility to government is to obey the laws and to pay our taxes with an attitude of respect and honor.  We are to submit to government and support the government.

 

 

The Reasons

 

Paul, in this case, does not simply state what is required.  He also explains the reasons why we are to obey and pay.

 

Reason #1 - God's Chain Of Command, v. 1b-2.   There is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.  You see, God works through a chain of command.  It's that way in your home.  It's God, parents children.  It's God, husband, wife.  It's that way in church.  It's God (the chief shepherd), the pastor (under shepherd), the congregation (the flock).  It's that way at work.  It's God, the employer, the supervisor, you.  And it's that way in society.  It's God, government, you.  Human government is an institution of God established by God in Genesis 9  (where we find the first mention of nations and the implementation of punishment for crime) just like the family and the church.  This is one of the ways in which God reveals His will to us.  Verse 2 says that when you resist authority you are resisting God and that when you resist God you should expect punishment.  So the first reason for obedience is because it is how God reveals his will to us - it is God's  chain of command.

 

Reason #2 - Government Restrains Evil and Promotes Good, vv. 3-4.  Government is designed by God to put terror in the heart of evildoers, and thus, to promote good.  Deter evil and promote good.  Now, the logic of Paul is as follows: if you are afraid of government then which side are you on, the side of evil or the side of good?  If you do what it right, the one in authority will commend you.  Good government acts without pity (Deuteronomy 19:13), without partiality (Deuteronomy 13:6-10) and without delay (Deuteronomy 25:2-3).

 

According to verse 4, government officials which would include both the legislative and the judicial officials (those who make the laws - lawmakers -  and those who enforce the laws - judges, prosecutors, policemen) are ministers of God.  That is, they are doing the work of the Lord!  So if you are a good citizen, you need not be afraid.  Our desire as Christians in society should be to live a "quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty" (I Timothy 2:2).  But if you are a lawbreaker, you should be afraid.  He does not carry the sword in vain but to execute wrath upon evildoers.  The sword is not about rehabilitation!  It is about punishment even capital punishment which is clearly taught in the Bible in both Old and New Testaments!  Paul acknowledges here that government has the God-ordained right to bear arms (which includes military, police and penal systems).

 

Reason #3 - For Conscience Sake, v. 5.  Fear isn't the only factor that motivates submission to government.  We are also motivated by conscience, that is, by a strong sense of right and wrong.  Obeying and paying is the right thing to do.  As Christians this is the highest and noblest guiding principle.  We obey because it is the right thing to do.