Introduction

We have come to the practical section of the book of Romans (12-16). Paul roots the various injunctions in the mercy of God and structures them all within two bedrock demands of mercy. In 12:1-2, he tells us that mercy demands worship (the presentation of our very bodies to God, v. 1) and mercy demands godliness (the presentation of our minds to the will of God, v. 2). It is mercy undeserved and centered on the death and resurrection of Christ.

One of the duties that has this structure imposed on it is our duty to government. With all the talk and reality of dirty government not withstanding, we must think back to the sovereignty of God expressed in sovereign mercy and apply it to our social standing before the powers that be. Our relationship to the President of the United States, to Congress, to state governors, local police, and so forth is a matter of worship and godliness. This set a tone that Paul will fine tune in 13:1-7. (We will cover the areas not yet covered in chapter 12 after we spend a couple of weeks on this text and theme of governing authorities).

There is much said about the separation of church and state but this text tells us that Christians who make up the church of Christ have a duty to the state and, conversely, the state has a duty to Christ. This is a difficult topic so we will spend more than one week on it.

Today we ask this question: what are the basic principles of our duty to government? Romans 13:1-7 will help us answer this question. Here we have our duty affirmed, grounded, and applied.

1A. Our duty to government affirmed

"Everyone must subject himself to the governing authorities" (v. 1a). We can consider what this involves if we discuss the subjection called for in terms of its nature, its scope, its object, and its limits.

1B. Its nature

Subjection to the government could be a touchy issue. It involves recognition and will. You are called to recognize a structure of the social ladder in which you are subordinate. There needs to be recognition of your subordination to the leaders of the land. It also involves your will. You are to subject yourself, Paul says. It is an active willing subservience that is required.

Comparison can be made (and should be made) with various analogous relationships, church to pastor, wives to husbands, husbands to elders, children to parents, etc. We will be looking at all authority structures in principle as we view the particular structure of political leadership (Each helps explain the others).

Thus, by comparison, wives are to be subject to their husbands not because the husband demands but because God commands. Thus, subjection is not forced or coerced. Just as wives are to willingly submit themselves to their husbands, likewise, citizens are to willingly submit themselves to the state. As to its essential nature, the duty we have to government is that of actively participating in a subordinate role.

2B. Its scope

Every person must do this. There is no privileged class that can ignore this duty. No one can feel so special or independent so as to feel free to violate the laws of the land at will (Such action is arrogant and autonomous before the Lord).

3B. Its object

This is stated in a general way: be in subjection to the governing authorities, which is literally "the existing authorities," "the powers that be." Reference is made to those in actual functional existence. For Paul this was Roman rule. For us it is American government on federal, state, and local levels.

4B. Its emphasis

The language is absolute and unqualified. Therefore, the duty is basic, normal, across the board. There are exceptions that arise in extreme and abnormal conditions. We can see this in Paul when we compare this submission with that of wives and children. Wives are to be subject to their husbands in everything (Eph. 5:24) and children are to obey their parents in everything (Col. 3:20).

There is a spirit of things cultivated here. Obviously, this does not mean blind obedience to the extent that children are required to steal if their parents insist on it. Nor does it mean that wives are to commit adultery if their husbands want to engage in wife swapping or some other marriage degrading practice. But outside such extremes, a tone is set: submission in all these areas including submission to government is right and proper, commendable, and a matter of worship and godliness.

Civil disobedience cannot be thought of lightly. It must be founded on necessity and based on good reasons. Much that is fallible, many failures, and many sins have to be winked at in all these relationships. We are not in glory yet so even a Christian home must be built on the premise that we are all sinners who must subject ourselves to human frailty in the issue of authority structures. Our forefathers furnish an example of a balanced principle in this regard in the Declaration of Independence. They refer to the toleration of evils that are "sufferable" and do not lend themselves as grounds for changing a government. Then they balance this endurance of wrongs with the following:

"But, when a long train of abuse and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same object, evinces a design to reduce them under absolute despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such government, and to provide new guards for their future security" (followed by a list of thirty-one grievances).

Simply but not glibly put we can say that much evil must be endured by those under authority but tyrannical rule calls for radical change. This means that we will bend over backwards and put up with many unpleasant things in willing submission to those in authority over us. And it is as a sub-point that we note, when necessary, that there are limits and extremes.

But the extremes are not the main dish on this table. Willing subjection is called for. On the whole, across the board, in normal circumstances this duty is forcefully affirmed. You are to voluntarily subject yourself in willing compliance to your government. (cf. this is a huge red dot in the center of a target where there is more to the target but this is the bull’s eye to aim at).

And it helps to remember that subjection to authority is a double-edged sword (what respect you want as a mother from your children you are to give as a wife to your husband; what respect you want as a husband from your wife, you are to give to the leaders over you in the church and state, etc.).

2A. Our duty to government grounded (1b-5)

Paul does not merely tell us "what," he also tells us "why." He exhorts and he persuades. Defense is given and the basis for doing what is expected is developed (presupposing the need to defend from misunderstanding or opposition). A number of reasons are given.

1B. First, government exists by God’s establishment

In the Preamble to the Constitution, special emphasis is placed on the fact that "to secure the Blessings of Liberty" it is "we the people of the United States" who "do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America." The goal of our forefathers was to protect against the tyranny of a top down government imposed on the people by the state.

But Paul reaches to a much deeper level. The origin, might, and power of government comes from God not the consent or the constraint of the governed. The framing of government and its adoption by the people where that is voluntary are both due to the workings of the Lord behind the scenes of history. This is a hard saying. Whatever powers, governments, rulers, kings, presidents, prime ministers, and premiers come to rule, they exist by God’s establishment: "there is no authority except that which God has established" (13:1b).

Some confirming passages under-gird this point. The Lord "is sovereign over the kingdoms of men and gives them to anyone he wishes and sets over them the lowliest of men" (Dan. 4:17). In Proverbs we are told that the heart of the king is in the hand of the Lord, like a meandering river he turns it "wherever he pleases" (21:1). On Mars Hill Paul declared that national and temporal boundaries of the nations are "determined" and "set" for them by God (Acts 17:26). The length of rule and the sphere of rule generation by generation are settled by God’s determining will.

Obviously this includes sinful governments, even the very sinful. How God does this is a mystery to us. We hear of conquerors like Alexander the great choosing to go this way in dominion and that way in victory. At the same time we are told that God guided the meandering way and counted out the exact number of days for his rule and his life (as for Belshazzer in the book of Daniel, 5:26-28)

Bavinck (Doctrine of God, 240) gives a helpful illustration for this mind-boggling perspective on human governments. The illustration centers on a very sharp knife. God uses sinful government while forbidding sin like a father who forbids his child to play with a sharp knife while the father uses it himself without injury or damage. Likewise, God forbids us to make use of sin while He is able to use sin and particularly sinful governments. He does so without sinning Himself and He does so for His own glory.

The fact that God ordains the powers that be does not mean that the responsible agency of the government is thereby destroyed. Actually, God’s determining will establishes this responsibility because God establishes the means as well as the ends. The means may involve exposure to foreign cultures when a king is a youth so that later he may literally leap across national boundaries anticipating and outsmarting every foe. The means may involve a long history of persecution by state churches and a painful history of tyranny to make a people ready and determined to form a government "by and for the people."

Therefore, because God ordains ruling authorities, we are all to be in subjection to the laws of the land. We may not be able to grasp all the "ins and outs" of this profound truth but we should be persuaded to obey because our government is secured, ordained, and established by the sovereign Lord.

2B. We should obey because to oppose the authorities is to oppose God

Rebelling "against the authorities is rebelling against what God has instituted" (2a). Government is His ordinance; it is His institution. Our relation to the state is a sobering and delicate matter. It includes relationship to God.

Granted, there are extreme cases where rebellion may be proper-to obey God rather than man. But we must remember that obedience to the state is obedience to God! This should motivate submission just as parallels exist for other relationships (parents, children, husbands, wives, employers, employees, etc.).

3B. Third, we are to obey our rulers because of possible judgment or praise

Civil authorities exercise judgment. This judgment is an expression of the wrath of God, of His judgment (2b-4). God is opposed when we oppose social institutions He has ordained for social order. Government is an agent in the execution of His judgment. Fines, jail, the electric chair are temporal expressions of the judgment of God. The ruling authority is an avenger of God’s wrath commissioned to punish evil deeds and promote public good (3a-4). The sword is a weapon of punishment including death. Its use is a matter of divine justice not human sentimentality. Hence, there is much to think about when you get a speeding ticket, the fine is a tribute you owe to God!

Praise on the other hand results in approval. Good standing in the state refers behind the scenes to divine approval. If you pass a police car while you are driving 35 in a 35 zone, you can think, "this has the officer’s approval" and you can think, "this has God’s approval." Temporal judgments and approval sanctioned by our sovereign God whose will is the final ground of all eventualities should move us to subject ourselves to the existing government (He works all things after the counsel of His own will, Eph. 1:11).

4B. Fourth, we are to submit for conscience sake (v. 5)

Reaching deeper than the temporal human judgments that have God’s stamp of judgment upon them, Paul directs us to a core reason for subjection. It is a conscience issue. It is an obligation to God who established the authorities, who prohibits our insubordination, and who commands our submission. It is wrong to go against your conscience. Don’t do so. Instead, live in heartfelt submission the governing powers even where there are many abuses that you have to suffer in the process. The suffering of such abuse is much better than to suffer in conscience.

It is very difficult to read these verses and come away with anything else than a clear call to duty. We have a duty to our government affirmed and grounded directly and straightforwardly. If this is not clear enough, Paul gets even clearer when he applies our duty to government.

3A. Our duty to government applied

1B. He applies by explanation

Talk about being plain and to the point, in the next verses a hand reaches out from the text and into your pocket book. It is because of God’s appointment that you pay taxes! (v. 6).

Rulers are ministers of God’s service. Even if this is done unwittingly, it still is the case. And God’s will is that they be paid because that is their work. This is another example of the laborer being worthy of his hire. Whether we like it or not, even politicians should be paid (eek!). Of course, by implication, the tax revenues are to serve the ends for which government exits, which is to promote the public good bringing fear to those who do wrong and praise to those who do right (vs. 3-4). They govern toward the goal of public safety, health, and general well being.

2B. He applies by generalization

Give everyone what you owe him (v. 7a). This refers to all in authority over us. It is a matter of God’s appointment and of duty to God for conscience sake that children obey their parents, that wives submit to their husbands, that wives and husbands submit to pastors, that wives, husbands, and pastors submit to government authority, and so forth.

This generalization is given specific illustration (v. 7b). "Taxes" refer to monies levied on persons and property while "revenues" refer to taxes levied on goods like customs payments (Murray, 156) or like state sales taxes. The specifics shift from the pocket book to the heart. Fear or respect is to be given to those in authority because of God’s appointment (v. 7c). It is easy to state the bottom line here: pay your taxes with a good attitude toward those who collect them. Submit to all in authority, structure by structure, with a good attitude.

Concluding remarks

1. Your relation to government is a matter of commitment

In this relationship you say, "I gladly and willingly take up the obligations, taxes and costs imposed on me by my governing authorities." This is a mouthful when there is excessive taxation. It is very difficult when there is taxation without representation. It is abhorrent when taxes are not used for the God appointed ends-the public good.

2. Your relation to government is a matter of conscientious fear

I refer to fear of and respect for authority as a conscience issue before God. If you object to various policies, your objecting will be deep-rooted, cautious, and respectful. Perhaps we can say that you will do so in the presence of God. His commands reach your heart. So your attitude will reflect your love for God, for His commandments, institutions, and authority structures.

Complaint will be guarded with respect that comes from deep within our thought life. If, for example, you find many faults in the President of the United States (say, Clinton on morality or Carter on women elders), the spirit of fear before God means that you cannot simply say anything that comes to mind—or even think it! This might be easier said than done; it calls for objectivity and guarded criticism that is well grounded. Thus you will always first seek due process for change.

On the positive side, you will work toward public justice that upholds good deeds and punishes evil deeds. This is not private vendetta keeping or personal revenge. It is esteem for the office and function of government that manifests God’s wrath as His appointed avenger. So you will promote good government however you can.

3. Your relation to government is a matter of religious reverence

This is high theology, of commitment and fear before God. It is worship and godliness applied. It is rooted in sublime truths such as the sovereignty of God over all human affairs. It does not reduce human responsibility but calls us to duty. There is where you will place your focus. You will trust God in what He is doing and you will obey Him in what you are doing. And this includes what you do as a citizen of the state.

So here too present your bodies to God as living sacrifices and put your minds to work to know and do His will. Your relation to government is a service to God that you should take up thankfully and earnestly. May God give us the grace to so live under authority and may God give us persons in authority that will pave the way for peace and godliness.