Romans 13

I'm writing a series of articles on the book of Romans, which, as you know, is one of the more difficult and controversial books of the New Testament. This is not going to be a verse-by-verse analysis by any means, but I hope to write a lengthy article about each chapter of this sixteen chapter book. I hope that you find this helpful.

Romans 13 is fairly straightforward. In verses 1-7, Paul discusses the Christian's obligation to the government, and then inverses 8-14, he once again addresses the importance of devoting oneself wholly to God. While the chapter as a whole is not that controversial, there is a little bit of difficulty in the beginning.

Paul begins by saying, "Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God." The command is simple: we are to obey the laws of the land which are set forth by the government. Of course, there is an exception to this rule. In Acts 5:29, Peter said, "We ought to obey God rather than men." When the laws of the land run contrary to the laws of God, then we must choose to obey the laws of God. In every other case, though, we must submit to the government. To illustrate the point, what if the government said that we could no longer preach against homosexuality? This would contradict our biblical obligation to "preach the word...in season and out of season" (2 Tim. 4:2). In this case, we would have to disobey the government. But if the government mandates that we drive on the right side of the road, we must do it, for there is no contradiction here between the law of God and the law of man. I'm sure we all understand this.

The latter part of verse one is understood in different ways. What does Paul mean when he says that "the authorities that exist are appointed by God?" Some argue, based on this statement, that every civil ruler is literally chosen and appointed by God. Others contend that while God doesn't specifically select every leader, He guides the process and oversees all that occurs in the affairs of men. It is true that men have free-will, and that God can use every scenario to bring about His providential plan. Whether God specifically chooses each leader, or whether He uses the leaders that are appointed by men to serve His purpose, the point is still the same: we must submit to the governing authorities. Which is why Paul goes on to say in Romans 13:2, "Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves." This is a very serious matter!

I want to take just a moment to strengthen this point. In Daniel 4:17, the prophet reminded Nebuchadnezzar that, "This decision is by the decree of the watchers, and the sentence by the word of the holy ones, in order that the living may know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, gives it to whomever He will and sets over it the lowest of men." We may sometimes think that things are spinning out of control in this world, but we can take comfort in knowing that, despite the wickedness of men, God is in control!

In Romans 13:3-4, the apostle Paul goes on to say that God uses the civil authorities to punish evildoers. They are not "a terror to good works, but to evil," and in verse four, "For he is God's minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God's minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil."

It is clearly stated here that the governments exist to maintain justice. But I want to balance this point by emphasizing certain other teachings of scripture. There may be occasions where governments shirk their duties and as a result, injustice dominates the land. In Amos 2:6-7, God prophesied against Israel because they promoted injustice. They sold the righteous for silver, and the poor for a pair of sandals (vv. 6). They perverted the way of the humble (vv. 7). Samaria oppressed the poor, according to Amos 4:1. In Isaiah 5:20, the prophet said, "Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil..."

Even though the government's job is to maintain justice and serve God's purpose, it is possible for governments to rebel against God's purpose. There are many places in the world where injustice reigns and evil dominates. Regarding these wicked and rebellious countries, we know that God will ultimately bring them down. In Isaiah 10:5, we find the following warning: "Woe to Assyria, the rod of My anger." God used Assyria to serve His divine will, but as you read on in the text, you discover that Assyria had become arrogant. Verse 15 says, "Shall the ax boast itself against him who chops with it? As a result, God would judge Assyria (vv. 16).

The same is true of Rome. After all, when Paul wrote to the Christians in Rome, commanding them to be subject to the governing authorities...the governing authority was Rome! Of course, Rome was a very wicked empire, and eventually, because of its treatment of Christians and its overflow of corruption, God would bring Rome to its knees (Rev. 6:17).

As Christians, we must view the governing authorities as ordained of God. We must submit to the various laws and regulations set forth by the government. But can a government incur the wrath of God? Most certainly! But let us never forget that "righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people" (Prov. 14:34; also see 29:2). Let us exalt our nation by promoting the gospel of Christ, and let us always pray for our leaders that they may make the right decisions (1 Tim. 2:1-2).

Back to Romans 13. There are a few more points I want to make very quickly as as try to understand our relationship to the government.

1. First of all, these governments are given the right to "bear the sword" (vv. 4). This one statement gives the government the right to execute capital punishment. The death penalty is a valid means of promoting justice, according to God's word. Oddly enough, there are Christians today who oppose the death penalty.
2. Second, we must understand that we are obligated to pay taxes (Rom. 13:6-7). No one likes to pay taxes, but it is our obligation as God's people. Jesus even told us to "render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's..." (Mk. 12:17).
3. We must also respect those who are in authority (Rom. 13:7). This does not mean that we must approve of everything the government does, or that we must support everything the government does, but it means that we must have a respectful attitude towards those in authority. Can I voice my disagreement with the current administration, or any administration for that matter? Yes! But I must not do it in a disrespectful and irreverent way.

In the latter part of Romans 13, Paul stresses the importance of being spiritually active. He says in verses 11-12, "And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light." What does it mean to be spiritually awake? It meant that...

1. We must "love one another" (vv. 8).
2. We must "walk properly" (vv. 13).
3. We must guard our hearts (vv. 14).

In conclusion, Paul's point is this: live for heaven. Don't be like everyone else. Don't be apathetic. Be a person of conviction and zeal! Serve God with your whole heart.