Submission to Governing Authorities – Romans 13: 1-14
Let every person be subject to the governing authorities; for there is no authority except from God, and those authorities that exist have been instituted by God. 2 Therefore whoever resists authority 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. Do you wish to have no fear of the authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive its approval; 4 for it is God’s servant for your good. But if you do what is wrong, you should be afraid, for the authority does not bear the sword in vain! It is the servant of God to execute wrath on the wrongdoer. 5 Therefore one must be subject, not only because of wrath but also because of conscience. 6 For the same reason you also pay taxes, for the authorities are God’s servants, busy with this very thing. 7 Pay to all what is due them—taxes to whom taxes are due, revenue to whom revenue is due, respect to whom respect is due, honor to whom honor is due.
Love for One Another
8 Owe no one anything, except to love one another; for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. 9 The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery; You shall not murder; You shall not steal; You shall not covet”; and any other commandment, are summed up in this word, “Love your neighbor as yourself.”10 Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore, love is the fulfilling of the law.
An Urgent Appeal
11 Besides this, you know what time it is, how it is now the moment for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we became believers; 12 the night is far gone, the day is near. Let us then lay aside the works of darkness and put on the armor of light; 13 let us live honorably as in the day, not in reveling and drunkenness, not in debauchery and licentiousness, not in quarreling and jealousy. 14 Instead, put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.
What does the Passage Say?
V. 1-7 Paul asks the believers to be in total submission to the authorities. He says, “Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves” (v. 1-2 NIV). What does this mean to us, who live in an era of free speech?
First, submission to authorities, whether it is your boss, government institution, or even a president, does not mean that we submit to a particular individual. It is a practice to submit to God. There might be many things that come against our own thoughts, but as we live as a ‘living sacrifice’ we have to remember that we offered ourselves to the Lord. Therefore, there is nothing for us to be upset if we are ultimately learning how to follow God’s will.
Second, does it mean that Christians shouldn’t voice their political views? I do believe Christians should actively participate in the realm of politics. However, Christians shouldn’t be consumed by politics.
As we reflect on the current presidential election, there might be some who are not pleased with some certain candidate being the first runner of a particular party. What are Christians to do in these situations. We need to ask, earnestly, for God’s will to be done. And whoever gets elected, we need to pray for that person, whether or not we morally support them. We need to remember that God used Nebuchadnezzar, a pagan King, to carry out God’s will.
V. 8-10 Paul says that love should be the motivation of keeping the law. If Christians are not faithful to the law, since we say that we live according to the Law of the Kingdom, which might have happened among the Christians at that time, Paul is asking us, ‘Where is your love?’ The reason why we need to be a law abiding citizen is, not because we are bound by this law, but because we love others, and we don’t want to effect other law abiding citizens.
V. 11-14 Paul says that the “day of salvation is nearer now than when we first believed.” He says, “So let us put aside the deeds of darkness, and put on the armor of light. … clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh.” In the last days, we are called to live in a different way.
What does this mean to us?
Paul continues to share what it’s like to live as a ‘living sacrifice.’ As we offer ourselves to the Lord, we can live in a way, which is counter-cultural. The grace ables us to live in radical love.
It is hard to live in this way when everyone else is used to living according to their own understanding. However, Christians are called not to conform to the ways of the world. We can only live this way when we are filled with the Holy Spirit; a grace that flows from God.
Lord, fill us up with your Holy Spirit, so we can live and testify your love and grace. It is hard to do it, when no one else seem to be living this way. However, help us to fix our eyes only on to you.
In Christ Name, Amen.
What are your thoughts?
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