THE DUTY OF CHRISTIANS
TOWARDS CIVIL AUTHORITIES
Selected passages
Sunday, April 18, 2004
Last week we looked at seven biblical truths pertaining to government from Romans 13:1-5:
- Government is established by God (v. 1b)
- Resistance to government is rebellion against an institution of God (v. 2a)
- Those who resist will be punished (v. 2 b)
- Government serves to restrain evil (v. 3a)
- Government serves to promote good (vv. 3b-4a)
- Rulers are empowered by God to inflict punishment for disobedience (v. 4b)
- Government should be obeyed for conscience's sake (v. 5)
Today, I want us to look at the duty of Christians towards civil authorities. This study is for those who have their salvation already settled. This is what the Lord expects of Christians. We cannot expect this from unbelievers. I believe that to be able to obey these duties, we will need to be born-again and to be filled with the Holy Spirit. (Read Eph 5:18 and see the subsequent results.)
The most important New Testament passages that relate to our topic today comes from the epistles of Paul and Peter.
- Romans 13:1-7
- 1 Timothy 2:1-2
- 1 Peter 2:13-14
- Titus 3:1-2
From these four passages we get these 5 duties:
- To submit to civil authorities
- To pay taxes
- To render respect and honor
- To pray for civil authorities
- To be ready to do whatever is good.
Background
To better appreciate these passages let us look at the background. Who was the king Paul and Peter exhorted the Christians to submit to? Paul wrote the book of Romans A.D. 57. 1Timothy was written between A.D. 63-65. Peter wrote his epistle, early 60s. The king during that period was the notorious king, Nero.
Nero was emperor of Rome from A.D. 54 to 68. The first 5 to 8 years of his reign (ca. 54-62) became a by-word for good government. During this period he showed clemency and justice. (Take note: Paul wrote Romans in A.D. 57) This period of stable government was due to the influence of two senators, Burrus and the great Seneca, the Roman philosopher and statesman, who was the most brilliant thinker and writer of his time. These two men were the controlling powers. Burrus supervised the governmental and military administration; Seneca composed Nero's official speeches and supplied advice on public relations. They successfully restrained Nero from his excesses and they scripted the emperor's public appearances, at which he did and said all the right things.
Nero, like his predecessors was idolatrous. Nero consulted astrologers in his major decisions. Like other emperors before and after him he leaned heavily on the advice of astrologers for deciding the affairs of state. Under Nero the cult of Serapis was recognized by the State and ultimately appeared in every province. Serapis was identified with the sun-god. Nero placed in front of his new palace a colossus of the sun-god with his own features and represented himself with a radiant crown, the emblem of the sun-god, in the coins of the realm.[1]
Nero's private life was extremely licentious. Nero was more interested in amusing himself with licentious pleasures and amateur art than in becoming involved with the serious affairs of the state.[2] Prior to assuming the reins in government, Nero spent his time competing in chariot races and musical contests. He appeared on the stage, singing, or playing the lyre, or dancing.
As Nero grew to maturity he dissociated himself to a greater extent from his advisers Seneca and Burrus. When Burrus died (AD 62) and when he disposed of Seneca, he seemed to rule without restraint.... His own building program and other extravagances depleted the treasury, leading to the debasement of the coinage and to the suspension of army pay. Having exhausted the imperial treasury by his heedless expenditures, he looked for some method of replenishing it. Heavy taxation of the estates of childless couples, false accusations followed by confiscation of wealth, and outright murder of the aristocracy or else invitation to suicide made life miserable. Wealthy men lived in dread of the emperor's displeasure, and so great was the terror that the senatorial class endured unimaginable insults and mistreatment as the price of staying alive. Men betrayed their best friends, perjured themselves, and stooped to any infamy to avert the emperor's hatred or cupidity. The Senate became a rubber stamp to his desires. It applauded all of Nero's deeds, confirmed his decisions, and originated nothing. He or his henchmen dictated the policies of state.
Nero's sexual excesses and capricious cruelty were also legendary. Because of political intrigue within the palace circles, he poisoned his cousin Britannicus. When his mother opposed his relationship to Sabina, his dissolute and ambitious mistress, Nero had his mother murdered. To legitimize his marriage to Sabina, he divorced his wife Octavia and had her executed (AD 62). Then he killed Sabina by kicking her while she was pregnant. After her death he proposed to marry his adopted sister. When she refused he ordered her to be put to death. He then married another woman but only after having had her husband assassinated.
In AD 64 a great fire totally destroyed 3 of Rome's 14 districts and damaged 7 others. This event was blamed on him and he was rumored to have watched the progress of the flames from the top of a high tower, singing with his own lyre the song, the Destruction of Troy. To divert the suspicion that he had started it for his own entertainment, Nero accused the Christian community of Rome as scapegoats, condemning them to the lions or burning them alive.
In AD 68, God's judgment finally came upon him in full. A formidable insurrection in his reign arose, he was deserted by the praetorian guard and was condemned to death by the senate. His life ended when he committed suicide at age 30.
In the persecution of the Christians by Nero Paul and Peter are supposed to have suffered martyrdom. This was the Nero Paul and Peter referred to when they wrote the epistles Romans, 1 Timothy and First Peter.
What did Paul and Peter exhorted believers to do under Nero?
1. To submit (Rom 13:1,5; 1Pe 2:13-14)
Ø Rom 13:1 Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.... 5 Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also because of conscience.
Ø 1Pe 2:13-14 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.
As I mentioned last week Paul and now we see also Peter, give no qualification or condition to the Christian duty of submission to government. Every civil authority is to be submitted to willingly...
MacArthur[3]
There is but one limitation to the believer's obligation under the Lord to willing and complete submission to civil authority: namely, any law or command that would require disobedience to God's Word.
When the pharaoh ordered the Jewish midwives Shiphrah and Puah to kill all male babies when they were born, they "feared God, and did not do as the king of Egypt had commanded them, but let the boys live" (Ex. 1:17). Because those women refused to disobey God by committing murder, God honored that civil disobedience and "was good to the midwives, and the people multiplied, and became very mighty" (v. 20).
When the four young Jewish men named Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were commanded to eat "from the king's choice food and from the wine which he drank," they respectfully refused, because it would have meant defiling themselves by breaking of the Mosaic dietary laws. In order to keep from offending the king, Daniel suggested to the commander that the four of them " ‘be given some vegetables to eat and water to drink. Then let our appearance be observed in your presence, and the appearance of the youths who are eating the king's choice food; and deal with your servants according to what you see.' So he listened to them in this matter and tested them for ten days." God honored and blessed that faithfulness, "and at the end of ten days their appearance seemed better and they were fatter than all the youths who had been eating the king's choice food" (Dan. 1:12-15).
It is important to note that, even while refusing to do what God had forbidden, those four faithful men of God showed respect for the human authority they had to disobey. Speaking for the other three as well as for himself, Daniel did not demand deference to their beliefs but respectfully "sought permission from the commander of the officials that he might not defile himself" (v. 8, emphasis added), and he referred to themselves as the commander's "servants" (vv. 12-13). In obeying God, they did not self-righteously or disrespectfully malign, contend with, or condemn civil authority....
When the Jewish leaders of Jerusalem warned Peter and John "not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus" (Acts 4:18), the apostles replied, "Whether it is right in the sight of God to give heed to you rather than to God, you be the judge; for we cannot stop speaking what we have seen and heard" (Acts 4:19-20). The Lord had commanded, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation" (Mark 16:15; Matt. 28:19-20), and therefore to obey those human rulers would mean to disobey their divine Ruler, which they would not do. When Peter and John persisted in their evangelization, the Jewish leaders warned them again, "saying, ‘We gave you strict orders not to continue teaching in this name, and behold, you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and intend to bring this man's blood upon us.' But Peter and the apostles answered and said, ‘We must obey God rather than men' " (Acts 5:28-29).
Like individual believers, a local church is obligated to observe civil laws such as zoning, building codes, fire safety regulations, and every other law and regulation that would not cause them to disobey God's Word. A church is only justified in disobeying an ordinance that, for example, would require acceptance of homosexuals into church membership or of hiring them to work on staff.
2. To pay taxes (Mt 22:21; Ro 13:6-7)
Ro 13:6-7 This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God's servants, who give their full time to governing. 7 Give everyone what you owe him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.
In Romans 13:7, Paul mentions several things about paying taxes. First, we are to Give everyone what you owe him. "Give" carries the idea of paying back something that is owed, and that meaning is reinforced by the phrase what you owe him.
If you owe taxes, pay taxes. This tax is the same term mentioned in verse 6, probably referring to a combination income and property tax paid by individuals to their foreign rulers, which made its payment particularly burdensome. Yet the command is clear: Christians are to pay tax to everyone to whom tax is due.
The custom was a form of toll or goods tax, paid directly to Roman governors or procurators or to their vassals, such as King Herod. Assessments such as those are also to be paid willingly to whom they are legally due.
Taxes are not voluntary or optional offerings given for the support of government, and paying them is the unqualified obligation of every citizen. Christians not only have a moral but a spiritual responsibility to pay taxes, because they know, or should know, that God requires it of them. Cheating on taxes is a crime against government and a sin against God.
What was the background for Paul's teaching here?
MacArthur[4]
The Roman government of New Testament times was pagan, despotic, and often merciless. Some of its emperors declared themselves to be gods and demanded worship from every person in the empire. The empire had many more slaves than freemen. During its latter years, Rome degenerated into a giant welfare state, in which fewer and fewer people worked for a living and more and more became dependent on the government. As in many countries today, those who worked had to pay increasingly higher taxes in order to support the growing number who did not work. And of special concern to Jews and Christians was the fact that part of the Roman taxes were used to support pagan temples and other religious institutions throughout the empire.
In Israel, as in most other parts of the empire, nationals of the country were appointed (usually after paying a high fee) as tax collectors and were given specified amounts to collect for Rome each year. They were free to charge virtually any rate they wanted and to collect taxes almost as often as they wanted, under the protection of Roman soldiers. Whatever they collected over the prescribed amount for Rome, they could keep for themselves. As would be expected, abuse was rampant, and because most of them were fellow countrymen, tax collectors often were more hated than the Roman officials and soldiers. The gospels vividly reveal how much the tax collector was despised in Israel (see, e.g., Matt. 9:10-11-While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew's house, many tax collectors and "sinners" came and ate with him and his disciples. 11 When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, "Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and 'sinners'?")
One Bible dictionary has this comment regarding the taxation practices in Palestine.
When the Herods came to power in Palestine, they demanded heavy taxes. The Herods instituted a poll tax and a tax on fishing rights in the rivers and lakes. Customs were collected on trade routes by men like Levi, who collected in Capernaum (Matt. 9:9; Mark 2:14; Luke 5:27). This city may have also been a place for port duties and fishing tolls. Some items sold for 1000 per cent above their original prices because of all the taxes. There may have been sales tax on slaves, oil, clothes, hides, and furs. Over and above these taxes were the religious dues. These were generally between 10 and 20 percent of a person's income before government tax... During Jesus' time, the Jews were probably paying from 30 to 40 percent of their income on taxes and religious dues.
Such was the backdrop for Paul's teaching about the Christian's obligation regarding taxes. And yet he says Give everyone what you owe him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.
Justin Martyr, the second-century theologian and church Father, wrote to the Roman emperor Antoninus Pius, "Everywhere we [Christians], more readily than all men, endeavour to pay to those appointed by you the taxes both ordinary and extraordinary, as we have been taught by [Jesus]." ("The First Apology of Justin," chapter 27 in The Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol.1).
3. To give respect and honor (Ro 13:7; 1Pe 2:17)
Ø Ro 13:7 Give everyone what you owe him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.
Ø 1Pe 2:17 Show proper respect to everyone: Love the brotherhood of believers, fear God, honor the king.
· Curse not, even in thought (Ex 22:28; Ecc 10:20)
· Speak no evil of (Job 34:18)
· Feared (Pr 24:21).
· Revered (1Sa 24:8; 1Ki 1:23, 31).
· Should not be resisted (Pr 19:12; 20:2).
· Guilt and danger of stretching out the hand against (1Sa 26:9; 2Sa 1:14).
Paul says, we are to render respect to whom respect is due. "Respect" was used to refer to everything from awe to abject terror. In this context, it probably means having sincere respect for civil authorities who collect taxes. Second, we are to render honor to whom honor is due. "Honor" refers to high esteem that is genuine, not feigned or merely pretended. The honor we render to those in authority, including those who collect taxes from us, should itself be honorable.
Peter says the same thing but makes special mention of honoring the king (1Pe 2:17). Honor here also means high esteem, and it refers not just to obedient duty but inner respect.
4. To pray (1Ti 2:1-2)
1Ti 2:1-2 I urge, then, first of all, 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.
The phrase "I urge" indicates the urgency of Paul's admonition. "First of all" emphasizes primacy in importance rather than in time. Paul tells us how important prayer is in public worship.
The NT has seven different Greek nouns for prayer, four of which occur in this verse.
(1) "Requests": This word basically carries the idea of desire or need. All true prayer begins in a sense of need and involves a deep desire, although it should never stop there. God wants us to bring our "requests" to him, and he always has a listening ear.
(2) "Prayers": This word always signifies praying to God.
(3) "Intercession": This word carries the idea of "drawing near so as to speak intimately." The verb from which this word derives is used of Christ's and the Spirit's intercession for believers (Rom. 8:26; Heb. 7:25). Paul's desire is for the Ephesian Christians to have compassion for the lost, to understand the depths of their pain and misery, and to come intimately to God pleading for their salvation.[5]
(4) "Thanksgiving": This word suggests that giving of thanks should always be a part of our praying. Thanking God for what he has done for us in the past strengthens our faith to believe that he will meet our needs in the future.
Prayers of these varied types are to be made "for everyone" (v. 1), but especially "for kings and all those in authority." The term "king" applies both to the emperor at Rome and to lesser rulers. When one remembers that the Roman emperor when Paul wrote this letter was the cruel monster Nero--who later put Paul and Peter to death--one realizes that we should pray for our present rulers, no matter how unreasonable they may seem to be. Prayer for "all those in authority" in various levels of government should have a regular place in all public worship.
During a time when Rome was especially hostile toward Christians, a second century church Father, Tertullian, wrote, ""We offer prayer for the safety of our princes to the eternal, the true, the living God, whose favour, beyond all other things, they must themselves desire.... Without ceasing, for all our emperors we offer prayer. We pray for life prolonged; for security to the empire; for protection to the imperial house; for brave armies, a faithful senate, a virtuous people, the world at rest, whatever, as man or Caesar, an emperor would wish" ("Apology," chapter 30 in The Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 3).
Such respect for human government was the norm in the early church long before the Roman Empire was "Christianized."
5. To be ready to do whatever is good (Tit 3:1-2)
Tit 3:1 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.
Titus 3:1,2 contain the duty of Christians to government.
Ø "Remind" indicates that the duties now insisted on are not new to them; Titus must repeatedly press these duties upon their consciences. Early Christian preaching was never limited to the way of salvation but included instructions concerning the practical implications of that salvation for daily living.
Ø "The people" refers to the members of the churches.
Ø "To be subject" implies "a voluntary attitude of giving in, cooperating, assuming responsibility, and carrying a burden".
Ø "To be obedient" states the result and visible demonstration of their attitude of submission.
Ø "To be ready to do whatever is good"-be prepared and willing to participate in activities that promote the welfare of the community. (E.g., the elections)
Ø "To slander no one," i.e., abstain from hurling curses and vicious epithets at those offending or injuring them. The demand requires inner grace but is appropriate for followers of Christ, who did not revile when he was reviled (1Pe 2:23).
Ø "To be peaceable" (lit., "nonfighting), refusing to engage in quarrels and conflicts.
Ø "To be considerate" or gentle, not stubbornly insisting on their own rights but acting in courtesy and forbearance.
Ø "to show true humility" an attitude of mind that is the opposite of self-assertiveness and harshness. Humility is not to be exhibited only in dealing with fellow believers but must be shown "toward all men," including those who are hostile and morally perverse. It is a difficult test of Christian character but one that effectively proves the genuineness of Christian profession.
In his Epistle to Diognetus, an anonymous second-century Christian wrote the following beautiful description of believers who genuinely obey the divine commands of Romans 13:7 and 1Pe 2:17
Christians are distinguished from other men neither by country, nor language... [but by their] wonderful and striking method of life. They dwell in their own countries, but simply as sojourners. As citizens, they share in all things with others, and yet endure all things as if foreigners... They marry, as do all [others]; they beget children; but they do not destroy their offspring. They have a common table, but not a common bed. They are in the flesh, but they do not live after the flesh. They pass their days on earth, but they are citizens of heaven. They obey the prescribed laws, and at the same time surpass the laws by their lives. They love all men, and are persecuted by all... They are poor, yet make many rich; they are in lack of all things, and yet abound in all; they are dishonored, and yet in their very dishonor are glorified. They are evil spoken of, and yet are justified; they are reviled, and bless; they are insulted, and repay the insult with honor; they do good, yet are punished as evildoers. When punished, they rejoice as if quickened into life; they are assailed by the Jews as foreigners, and are persecuted by the Greeks; yet those who hate them are unable to assign any reason for their hatred. (The Ante-Nicene Fathers, Alexander Roberts and James Donaldson, ed., pp. 26-27)
What can Christians do today, under a democracy, when confronted with a wicked government? (Answers taken from William Girao's, NOT JUST SUNDAYS Chapter 3 : "Should The Church Be Involved In Politics?" pp. 26-32
1. Christians cannot rightfully be involved in any violent overthrow of government. Followers of Christ cannot endorse, support, or join a violent revolution. The teaching and example of Christ rule out violence for His followers (1 Pet 2:23; Mt. 26:52).
· 1Pe 2:23 When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly.... Mt 26:52 Put your sword back in its place," Jesus said to him, "for all who draw the sword will die by the sword.
The general tenor of biblical teaching is for peaceful means of change (Jer 29:7-- Jer 29:7 Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the LORD for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper."
2. Christians should exercise their political rights and fulfill their political duties. Christians are legitimate members of society and therefore have the same rights and duties as other men. But they are to exercise these political rights as citizens of the country, and not as members of the church.
3. Christians as individuals may take part in partisan politics. The Church as a body or as an institution, however, cannot be involved in partisan politics without adversely affecting her primary calling in the world - that is, to proclaim the glory of "God to all men. She cannot be involved in partisan politics without alienating specific segments of society. By entering partisan politics, the Church will provide ground for many to identify the gospel with the Church's partisan political interests. The politically partisan Church will cause some segments of society to become deaf to her proclamation of God's message.
Again, let us not forget the Christians' five duties toward government:
- To submit to civil authorities
- To pay taxes
- To render respect and honor
- To pray for civil authorities
- To be ready to do whatever is good.
[1]Merrill C. Tenney, NEW TESTAMENT TIMES, 116
[2]Ibid, 283
[3]MacArthur, J. 1996, c1991, c1994. Romans. Moody Press: Chicago
[4]MacArthur, J. (1996, c1991, c1994). Romans. Chicago: Moody Press.
[5]MacArthur, J. J. (1997, c1997). The MacArthur Study Bible (electronic ed.) (1 Ti 2:1). Nashville: Word Pub.
