The Christians Response to Government: Part 1 Submitting to Government

The Standard: Be subject to Civil Authority (13:1a)

The command in this passage is simple, “let every person be subject to the governing authorities”.

Paul is speaking specifically to Christians, declaring, in effect, that Christianity and good citizenship should go together.

We cannot change the law of the wicked by being wicked ourselves.

We must have a reputation of good and honorable behavior in order to effect change.

People will not follow those who are not honorable.

The Purpose: Gods Reasons for Our Submitting To Human Authority

Government Is By Divine Decree (13:1b)

Paul says here that human government is ordained by God for the benefit of society.

There is no civil authority except from God. 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

Psalm 62:11 ESV

11 Once God has spoken; twice have I heard this: that power belongs to God,

The main reason that we are to submit to human government is because it is instituted by the decree of God and is an integral part of His divine plan for fallen mankind.

Resistance To Government Is Rebellion Against God (13:2a)

Because civil government is an institution of God, to rebel against government is to rebel against the God who has established it.

If we truly believe that God is sovereign then we must put our faith not in the government but in the one who put the government into place. God.

Those Who Resist Government Will Be Punished (13:2b)

The best example of this is Peter in the garden when Jesus is arrested.

If there was ever a true and right time to rise up against the government that was it. but as Peter drew his sword and chopped of the ear of one of the Roman soldiers Jesus told him to stop and affirmed that no matter how noble the cause the government has the right to execute a murderer. Matt 26:52

Matthew 26:52 ESV

52 Then Jesus said to him, “Put your sword back into its place. For all who take the sword will perish by the sword.

Jesus was reminding Peter of the words of the OT in Gen 9:6

Genesis 9:6 ESV

6 “Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed, for God made man in his own image.

Government Serves To Restrain Evil (13:3a)

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

Even the most wicked and evil governments in history were still a deterrent for theft and murder.

We know what is good and what is evil this has been passed down to us from the time of Adam and Eve and their fall from perfection.

The tree that they ate from was the Tree of the Knowledge of good and evil.

They knew what was right and what was wrong it was their choice just like it is ours as to wether or not we do it.

Prisons are common in todays world and also in accent pagan governments but it was not a recorded thing in the land of Israel until after their 70 year captivity in Babylon.

People were either put to death or were made a slave to work off the debt or repayment of the crime that they committed.

Making things right and restoration is always better than just sitting in prison.

Government Serves To Promote Good (13:3b-4a)

God intends for civil government to promote public good.

Generally speaking, peaceful and law-abiding citizens have been favorably treated by their governments throughout history.

It is not wrong for Christians to look to their governments for protection of life and property.

Rulers Are Empowered By God to Inflict Punishment for Disobedience (13:4b)

In order to promote and protect the good in society, human governments must punish evil.

Because of this people who do evil have a reason to be afraid.

The sword that is mentioned here is the reason that a sword is on the shield of many counties and state seals.

it is an instrument of death, the weapon here symbolizes the right of civil government to inflict punishment, including the ultimate penalty of death for crimes that deserve it.

When a nation does not administer justice it eventually falls under Gods justice.

Ezekiel 7:23–24 ESV

23 “Forge a chain! For the land is full of bloody crimes and the city is full of violence. 24 I will bring the worst of the nations to take possession of their houses. I will put an end to the pride of the strong, and their holy places shall be profaned.

Government Should Be Submitted to For Consciences Sake (13:5)

As Gods own children who are in-dwelt by the Holy Spirit we should realize with spiritual instinctiveness that disobedience of and disrespect for the government is wrong.

We cannot be a light in the darkness if we are being overtly disobedient to the authority over us.

We must be the change that we want to see through example and Christian living rather than civil disobedience.