Biblical Truths Pertaining to Government

Romans 13:1-5

Sunday, April 04, 2004

 

 

I intend to begin a series on the relationship of Christians to human government. I have shared this several years ago and this theme of our past series in the Shepherd's Voice, but for the sake of our own congregation I would like us to look at this again. Today, I would like to start by looking at some biblical truths regarding government. Almost all of these principles have come from MacArthur's commentary on the Book of Romans.

Context

The first eleven chapters of Romans (in particular chaps. 1-8) explain in detail what it means to be saved and how men become saved-by being justified by God's grace working through faith. Paul sums up this reality in Romans 3:21-24-"But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. 22 This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus."

The monumental miracle of salvation impacts every relationship associated with the believer's life. Paul begins to show these implications as chapter 12 begins. First, and most important and obvious, is the effect on our relationship to God. When we are saved, our initial response should be to fully present our "bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is [our] spiritual service of worship" (Rom. 12:1). The apostle's next concern is for our having a right relationship with our brothers and sisters in Christ (12:3-16) and with non-Christians, including even our enemies (vv. 17-21).

After dealing with those matters, Paul, inspired by the Holy Spirit focuses on the need to have a right relationship to the human governments under which we live (13:1-7).

Paul presents in this passage two basic principles. First: Be subject to government (v. 1); and second: Pay taxes (v. 6). Those commands summarize the Christian's civic duty. [The focus of our study will simply be in vv 1-5.]

Every Christian, no matter what form of government he lives under, is under command from the Lord to maintain proper and useful submission to that government for the sake of leading a peaceful life and having an effective witness. This recurring theme of submission to society's controlling power is nowhere more forcefully dealt with than here [in these five verses].

 

 

MacArthur: Historically, Christians have been involved in the peaceful or forceful overthrow of oppressive and sometimes despotic governments... Some evangelicals strongly believe that the American Revolution was wholly justified, not only politically but biblically. They believe that the rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness not only are divinely endowed but that their attainment and defense somehow is Christian and thereby justified at whatever cost, including that of a [peaceful protest or] armed rebellion when necessary. For such reasons it is difficult for many Christians to be clear, or even objective and honest, about a passage so clear as Romans 13:1-5.

 

The Standard: Submit to Civil Authority (13:1a)

1a Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities,

 

The basic command is simple: Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities. Paul here, as well as similar teachings elsewhere in the New Testament, makes clear that the principle of subjection to human authority applies to every believer, in whatever part of the world and under whatever form of government.

Writing to believers who were "scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia" (1 Pet. 1:1), Peter said in 1Pe 2:13-17, "Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every authority instituted among men: whether to the king, as the supreme authority, 14 or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. 15 For it is God's will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish men. 16 Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God. 17 Show proper respect to everyone: Love the brotherhood of believers, fear God, honor the king."

Be in subjection to translates hupotassō, which was often used as a military term referring to soldiers who were ranked under and subject to the absolute authority of a superior officer. The verb here is a passive imperative, meaning first of all that the principle is a command, not an option, and second that the Christian is to willingly place himself under all governing authorities, whoever they may be.

Paul gives no qualification or condition. Every civil authority is to be submitted to willingly. In his first letter to Timothy, Paul teaches that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone-- 2 for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.  (1Ti 2:1-2) again with no exception related to the rulers' competence or incompetence, morality or immorality, cruelty or kindness, or even godliness or ungodliness. He gives the same instruction in his letter to Titus, to whom he wrote in Tit 3:1-2 Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, 2 to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and to show true humility toward all men.

Believers are to be model citizens, known as law abiding not rabble-rousing, obedient rather than rebellious, respectful of government rather than demeaning of it. Regardless of the failures of government-many of them immoral, unjust, and ungodly-Christians are to pray and live peaceful lives that influence the world by godly, selfless living, not by protests, sit-ins, and marches, much less by rebellion. Like the prophets of the Old Testament, we have both the right and the obligation to confront and oppose the sins and evils of our society, but only in the Lord's way and power, not the world's. In this way, says Paul, our living is "good and profitable for men" (Titus 3:8), because it shows them the power of God in salvation. They see what a person saved from sin is like.

The Purpose: God's Reasons For Our Submitting To Human Authority (Ro 13:1b5)

 

Paul next presents seven reasons why Christians are to submit to human government:

1. Government is established by God (v. 1b)
2. Resistance to government is rebellion against an institution of God (v. 2a)
3. Those who resist will be punished (v. 2 b)
4. Government serves to restrain evil (v. 3a)
5. Government serves to promote good (vv. 3b-4a)
6. Rulers are empowered by God to inflict punishment for disobedience (v. 4b)
7. Government should be obeyed for conscience's sake (v. 5)

 

1.      Government is established by God (13:1b)

1b for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.

There is no civil authority, Paul says, except that which God has established. No matter what form it takes, no human government at any time in history, at any place on earth, among any people on earth, at any level of society, has ever existed or will ever exist apart from the sovereign authority of God, because all "power belongs to God" (Ps. 62:11).

The autocratic, ruthless, and demonic regimes of Adolf Hitler, Joseph Stalin, and Mao Tse Tung were no exceptions to God's command to be subject to civil authority. The equally ruthless empires of ancient Assyria and Babylon were no exceptions. The Roman empire, sometimes ruled by caesars who proclaimed themselves to be gods, was no exception. The apostate and heretical "Christian" kingdoms of the Middle Ages were no exceptions. Shaman-ruled primitive and animistic tribes of South America are no exceptions. There are no exceptions.

John 19:10-11--Do you refuse to speak to me?" Pilate said. "Don't you realize I have power either to free you or to crucify you?" Jesus answered, "You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above.

That is the primary reason we are to submit to human government: it is instituted by the decree of God and is an integral part of His divine plan for fallen mankind.

 

2.      Resistance to Government is Rebellion Against God

13:2a Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted,

 

Charles Hodge

This is an obvious inference from the doctrine of the preceding verse. If it is the will of God that there should be civil government and persons appointed to exercise authority over others, it is plain that to resist such persons in the exercise of their lawful authority is an act of disobedience to God.

 

In his commentary on Romans, the nineteenth-century Scottish evangelist Robert Haldane wrote, "The people of God then ought to consider resistance to the government under which they live as a very awful crime, even as resistance to God Himself" (An Exposition of Romans [McLean, Va.: MacDonald Pub. Co., n.d.], p. 579).

The seriousness with which God takes rebellion is illustrated vividly in the book of Numbers. God had chosen Moses not only to be the human lawgiver but to be the human leader of Israel as He delivered her from Egypt and led her through the wilderness to the Promised Land. The Lord also had appointed Moses' brother Aaron to be high priest. During that journey, a group of some 250 malcontents, led by Korah, Dathan, Abiram, and On, "assembled together against Moses and Aaron, and said to them, ‘You have gone far enough, for all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the Lord is in their midst; so why do you exalt yourselves above the assembly of the Lord?... Is it not enough that you have brought us up out of a land flowing with milk and honey to have us die in the wilderness, but you would also lord it over us?' " (Num. 16:3, 13).

The Lord was so angered by their insolence "that the ground that was under them split open;... Fire also came forth from the Lord and consumed the two hundred and fifty men who were offering the incense" (vv. 31-35). Incredibly, the people learned nothing from that awful judgment. Instead of drawing them back to God, it merely escalated their hatred of His chosen leaders. "On the next day all the congregation of the sons of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron, saying, ‘You are the ones who have caused the death of the Lord's people' " (v. 41). In response to that defiant accusation, the Lord sent a deadly plague that instantly killed "14,700, besides those who died on account of Korah" (v. 49). Had not Aaron intervened by making atonement for the people, the entire congregation would have been annihilated (vv. 46-48).

 

3.      Those Who Resist Government Will Be Punished

13:2b and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves.

 

The word "judgment" here may refer to the punishment of God. If rebelling against authority is rebelling against God, then that sin that will be punished by God. (The phrase "bring judgment on themselves" is similar to the statement of Paul in 1Co 11:29-For anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing the body of the Lord eats and drinks judgment on himself.)

But this can also refer to the judgment men suffer from the government itself as punishment for crime. As the apostle mentions a few verses later, civil authority "is a minister of God, an avenger who brings wrath upon the one who practices evil" (Rom. 13:4).

 

4.      Government Serves to Restrain Evil

13:3a For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong.

 

We are to submit to civil authority because God has ordained it as a means of restraining evil.

Paul was obviously speaking in general terms in saying that rulers are not a cause of fear for good behavior, but for evil. He had himself suffered a great deal at the hands of rulers who abused him for no other reason than his godly good behavior. But in that day, as throughout history, even the most wicked of governments have been a deterrent to major crimes such as murder, rape, and theft. Although it hardly justifies totalitarian systems, the reality is that those regimens often experience lower crime rates than do democratic nations. In strict Islamic countries, certain and sever punishment has drastically reduced the rate of violent crimes.

The point is that even ungodly and worldly rulers have a basic awareness of morality. That's because of what happened to Adam and Eve at the beginning of history. When they ate of the forbidden tree, they acquired a knowledge of good and evil that ever since has been passed on to all their descendants. Therefore every man and woman who is born has an innate knowledge of right and wrong. That knowledge is the basis of human conscience for both the saved and the unsaved. (Ro 2:14,15-(Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature things required by the law, they are a law for themselves, even though they do not have the law, 15 since they show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts now accusing, now even defending them.)

Therefore, through God's natural revelation in conscience and reason and under His universal common grace, even unregenerate rulers instinctively know right from wrong and consequently know that part of their duty is to punish evil behavior and to promote good behavior. Civil authorities also realize that basic morality is essential to a workable society. No society can long survive wanton murder, theft, dishonesty, sexual immorality, and violence. Good behavior is essential for any nation's self-preservation. Without it, society self-destructs.

5.      Government Serves to Promote Good

Romans 13:3b-4a Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and he will commend you. 4 For he is God's servant to do you good.

 

God intends for civil government to promote public good. Historically, governments have treated good citizens-those who have been peaceful and supportive of their governments-favorably and fairly. If you are that kind of citizen, you generally will have no reason to be afraid of the authorities. They will oftentimes even be happy to praise you for doing what is right and being a positive influence in the community.

It's entirely appropriate for believers to look to the government at certain times for protection and support. The apostle Paul did that when he used his Roman citizenship to appeal to Caesar for justice (Acts 25:11). Paul also relied on the law's protection during his third missionary journey. In Ephesus, Demetrius the silversmith incited a mob against him, and the town clerk took Paul into protective custody to rescue him from the riotous crowd. The clerk took seriously his responsibility as an advocate of what is good and right when he told the unruly throng, "Therefore, if Demetrius and his fellow craftsmen have a case against anyone, the courts are open and there are proconsuls. Let them bring charges against one another. But if you have any other inquiry to make, it shall be determined in the lawful assembly" (Acts 19:38-39).

By looking out for you and protecting your legitimate rights and interests, any government official is God's servant on your behalf. Such rulers, whether presidents or prime ministers, senators or members of parliament, high court justices, county commissioners or supervisors, or members of a city council, are due honor and respect as servants of God. Regardless of their personal beliefs about our relationship to God, they represent Him and are doing His work (whether they realize it or not) by promoting peace, justice, and safety among their subjects.

6.      Rulers are Empowered by God to Inflict Punishment for Disobedience

13:4b 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.

In order to promote and protect the good in society, human government must punish the evil. Consequently, those who do what is evil have reason to be afraid.

The sword is a weapon used to maim and kill. Therefore Paul mentions it as a symbol of government's right  to punish crimes. That right includes the prerogative to impose the death penalty for those serious crimes that warrant the ultimate punishment. God instituted the death penalty early in humanity's existence. "Whosoever sheds man's blood, by man his blood shall be shed; for in the image of God He made man" (Gen. 9:6). The lives of men and women are sacred because they were created in God's image. If someone commits murder, that person should have to give up his own life. And officials should administer capital punishment expeditiously, without pity or partiality (see Dt 13:6-10; 19:13, 20-21; 25:2-3).

When Paul appeared before Festus and appealed his case to Caesar, he recognized the legitimacy of capital punishment and said he was willing to accept it if found guilty of capital offense. "If, however, I am guilty of doing anything deserving death, I do not refuse to die" (Ac 25:11).

Whenever a nation rejects capital punishment even for heinous offenses such as murder, God places it under blood guiltiness. Part of the Law that God gave Moses, the Lord stated, "Do not pollute the land where you are. Bloodshed pollutes the land, and atonement cannot be made for the land on which blood has been shed, except by the blood of the one who shed it" (Num. 35:33).

Among other things, Israel was sent into Babylonian captivity because of the many bloody crimes in the nation that went unpunished. God said in Eze 7:23-24--Prepare chains, because the land is full of bloodshed and the city is full of violence. 24 I will bring the most wicked of the nations to take possession of their houses; I will put an end to the pride of the mighty, and their sanctuaries will be desecrated. When a nation does not administer justice, it eventually falls under God's justice.

7.      Government Should Be Submitted to for Conscience's Sake

13:5 Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also because of conscience.

 

Christians are to submit to civil authority not only out of fear of punishment, because of wrath, but also for their own conscience's sake-which means, because it is a religious duty, and part of our obedience to God. Because of conscience, means it is the right things to do out of regard to God.

It is similar to the reason Paul gives when he gives instructions to believers for their social duties. See Eph 6:1,5-8.

·        Eph 6:1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right...

·        Eph 6:5 Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ. 6 Obey them not only to win their favor when their eye is on you, but like slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart. 7 Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men, 8 because you know that the Lord will reward everyone for whatever good he does, whether he is slave or free.