Romans 13

1 Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.

2 Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment.

3 For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval,

4 for he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer.

5 Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God’s wrath but also for the sake of conscience.

6 For because of this you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing.

7 Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed.

Outline

  • All authority is ordained by God
  • All authority is allowed by God
  • All authority is under the headship God
  • All authority is subject to God

  • All authority is ultimately accountable to God

  • Resisting authority (that doesn’t contradict God) is resisting God

  • Resisting authority (that doesn’t contradict God) results in judgement

  • Rulers are there to setup systems of justice
  • Rulers are in place to punish bad conduct
  • Rulers are used to place fear into us, resulting in good conduct

  • Rulers carry out God’s wrath on wrongdoers (so we don’t have to)

  • People should be in subjection in order to avoid God’s wrath
  • People should be in subjection to have a clean conscience
  • People should pay their taxes
  • People should pay their debts, wages to workers
  • People should pay in moneyless forms such as respect/honor

Intro

Societies, cultures, Nation, People groups, companies are nothing without their laws. It is their laws and rules that define them. God has given the handbook/instruction manual for how to best setup a society in his word. The closer we are to a living expression of it the better.

For example, the USA. When people use the rhetoric that we are “founded on the Bible” they often don’t know what that truly means. We can look at Isaiah 33:22 and see that it says that God is our JUDGE, LAWGIVER, and KING. This verse was an inspiritation to our founders as a way to introduce the different branches of government. We also have a foundation of God’s moral law (10 commandments) in the DNA of our nation to this day, although that is rapidly diminishing. Up until recent history these rules for our socitety to adhere by were even enshrined in our nations courts and government building.s

The LORD establishes kingdoms and nations. He also removes them. For example, in Isaiah 34 we see God executing judgment on Edom for their sins against Israel/Judah and proclaiming that they will never become a nation again but instead be populated by wild animals.

The systems of govt are there for God to work within and to enable his justice and wrath to be executed on Earth. Or course when these systems fail God can and will resort to other means (other nations, weather, disasters).

We are, as believers, to be primarily concerned about God’s kingdom. This kingdom is within, and is advanced by the Spirit of God working through the people of God in the earth. We are a kingdom of priests, and the representation of HIS govt on the eart. This is why we are to not be overly concerted about earthly kingdoms. We are called to work within the systems of govt (In the world but not of the world) knowing that God is soveriegn over all.

Submission to Authority

In this passage, we are given no wiggle room when it comes to the requirement to obey the governing authorities. Keep in mind that this passage of scriture was written under the heavy hand of the Roman Empire. Many Jewish uprisings had already taken place, and even many thought that Jesus would come and default the Romans by force. This is not how God chose to topple the evils of the Roman regime, and we see this is often the case throughout history.

How do we reconcile the fact that we are told to obey and submit to the governmental authorities but also to stand against rules and regulations that may or may not cause us to violate the commands of God?

  1. It us important for us to remember that all authority comes from God. It is ordained by him.
  2. He is at the pinnicle of all authority in heaven and earth. If it were a pyramid, he would be at the top point.
  3. God establishs heirerarchies. We see this not only in human culture, but also in nature. Lobsters and chicken pecking order are a couple examples.
  4. All authorities are ultimately subject to him.
    • Nations, Monarchies, Dictatorships, etc.
    • Companies, Federations, Organizations, etc.
    • Families, Social Clubs, Religeous Organizations, etc…
    • And of course the Church…
  5. Even in the spiritual realm we see clearly there are established authorities and rulers (Ephesians 6:10-15)

Disobedience to Authority

Lets take a look at several passages in scripture that highlight times when the people of God were required to disobey the ruling authorities of their time:

  • Ex 1:17, 21: midwives didn’t kill the babies as pharoah had ordered.
  • 1 Kings 18:4-16: Obadiah hid the prophets that Jezebel ordered to be killed.
  • Esth 4:16: Esther went to the King, risking her life. This is a type of Christ.
  • Dan 3:12-18: 3 Hebrew boys refuse to bow and are throw into a furnace
  • Dan 6:10: Daniel continued prayer even when ordered by the govt not to.
  • Matt 2:12: The wiseman didn’t return to Herod but went back another route.
  • Acts 5:29: Peter and the apostles continue to preach even when ordered by the Pharisees to stop.

There are times when we will be required to stand against governing rulers and authority. Paul appeals here back to the ten commandments, which gives us a great foundation to base our understand of when it is appropriate to do so. Since we’ve already established that God is the ultimate authority, we can of course reasonably conclude that any time we are being asked to violate one of his laws is a time when we need to resist and refuse. But take note in how you resist and refuse. It is not done in a spirit of rebelion and defiance. It is done in a spirit of honor, respect, and love.

I recently built a chicken coop in my backyard. I was aware that there were some bylaws in our HOA that had some restrictions around doing so. I built it anyways. I recently had a conversation with someone who told me about a Texas law that I wasn’t aware of regarding the raising of chickens. This law states that people in Texas are allow to raise up to six chickens, and that no municipality may revoke this right of its citizens. Here is a perfect example of a higher authority over-ruling any lower ones. Therefore I am allowed to disobey the local authority and appeal to the higher one if necessary.

We live in a generation that is rebelious, mostly because it is a Godless generation. And by default, Godless people are rebelious, defiant people. We are defiant and hell bent on shunting off all that is a representation of authority. Dismantling the govt (with no real solution what to replace it with), Defunding the police, and most of all removing God from all areas of public life.

This type of rebeliousness is not Godly, and Christians should have no part in it.

8 Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.

9 For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

10 Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.