Faithful Submission: Navigating Authority and Allegiance in a Complex World
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
As we dive into this section we have to change our focus from our western worldviews, which tend to emphasize equality, egalitarianism, individual rights. The Hierarchy and authority are of prime importance in traditional Eastern Cultures. They are critical features of an honor-shame worldview.
Ideally, authorities embody and enforce a group’s distinctive values. Those who contribute and conform to social expectations win praise and respect. Group loyalty and allegiance to authority are interlaced. This holds true for churches, clubs, and countries.
Our status partly depends on how we respond to those in high positions. How do we respond to those with power? What should we do when one group’s norms conflict with those of another? People continually decide who they are by choosing which leaders they honor.
Paul is continuing in the Idea here of what it means to be a living sacrifice to God in view of his mercy towards all people.
In this and all this king talk that he has been doing is the question, “should Christians rebel against pagan rulers?”
1 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. 2 Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. 3 For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and you will be commended. 4 For the one in authority is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are God’s servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. 5 Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also as a matter of conscience.
6 This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God’s servants, who give their full time to governing. 7 Give to everyone what you owe them: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.
When Paul urged the believers in Rome to offer their bodies as living sacrifices to God (Rom. 12:1), he was not using idle language to paint a picture of devotion.
In using the language of death—“sacrifice”—he was acknowledging an ever-present reality in the Roman Empire: emperors were free to take the life of anyone at any time.
Israel had already witnessed the ruthlessness of Herod the Great. In an attempt to destroy the newborn king of Israel (Jesus), he decreed the murder of all male children two years old and younger in Bethlehem and its vicinity (Matt. 2:16–18).
Three decades later, Herod’s son, Herod Antipas, celebrated his birthday by having John the Baptist beheaded (Mark 6:14–29).
Emperors under which the church in Rome lived began with the infamous Caligula (reigned from A.D. 37–41). His reign began just a few years after the resurrection of Christ and founding of the church, and though there were undoubtedly already some Christians resident in Rome (Acts 2:10), murdered most of his relatives, had people tortured and killed while he ate, named his favorite horse as a counselor, declared himself a god, and had temples and sacrifices dedicated to himself. Not surprisingly, he was assassinated in A.D. 41 by the officers of his guard.
Claudius I, uncle of Caligula, who reigned from A.D. 41–54. He delegated most of his responsibilities to his wife Messalina, whom he had murdered in A.D. 48. He then married his niece, Agrippina the Younger, who was responsible for poisoning Claudius. He banished them all Jews from Rome midway through his reign because of disturbances related to “Chrestus”—probably a reference to Jewish unrest over the preaching of the gospel of Christ in Rome (Acts 18:2).
After Claudius’s death in A.D. 54, Nero assumed the throne and reigned until A.D. 68. Nero was emperor when Paul wrote Romans (A.D. 57)—the “governing authority” to whom Paul made specific reference in Romans (Rom. 13:1). Nero became emperor at age 15, and at age 22 he had his mother murdered, followed three years later by the divorce (and later murder) of his wife. It is thought by many historians that the great fire that swept Rome in A.D. 64 was instigated by Nero, who blamed it on the Christians. He had Christians tortured and burned publicly, ultimately taking the lives of both the apostles Peter and Paul. Nero committed suicide under pressure against his policies in A.D. 68.
1 Let everyone submit to the governing authorities, since there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are instituted by God.
When Paul says submit yourself to the governing authorities because they have been established by God, This is the people he was talking about.
Without question, the value of life in the Roman Empire changed like the weather. Peaceful conditions on one day could give rise to the black clouds of persecution and death on the next.
People who could be sacrificed for their faith—or for any other reason—on the altar of an emperor’s whim. Paul might have been saying, “Live as though you have died for your faith. You might be dead soon anyway.”
How is it possible that murderous rulers are in place by God’s will? And why would God want us to submit to them? And what if a “Christian” ruler like Constantine comes along? Is the church supposed to become the spiritual arm of the state?
Yet he calls to submit to the authorities.
In reading this you could easily say to submit to the civil authority is to submit to God. Not that they are god (though many thought they were) but because God has placed them in charge.
If God has appointed every civil ruler, every governing authority, then why should any Christian fear submitting to that which God has appointed?
21 He changes times and seasons;
he deposes kings and raises up others.
He gives wisdom to the wise
and knowledge to the discerning.
Daniel said that God “sets up kings and deposes them” when he praised God in prayer for revealing to him the meaning of King Nebuchadnezzar’s dream (Dan. 2:21).
From Nebuchadnezzar’s kingdom to God’s final kingdom, God is in control, setting up and taking down kings to accomplish his perfect will.
What Paul wanted the believers in Rome to understand was that, in the Roman Empire (or any other), “No one from the east or the west or from the desert can exalt a man. But it is God who judges: He brings one down, he exalts another” (Ps. 75:6–7).
6 Exaltation does not come
from the east, the west, or the desert,
7 for God is the Judge:
He brings down one and exalts another.
Therefore, Caligula, Claudius, and Nero (those Roman emperors spanning the lifetime of the Roman church up until Paul’s writing) had ascended to power with God’s permission—actually, by his direction (have been established by God)—as have the rulers of today.
Civil Disobedience
Civil Disobedience
The fact that “governing authorities” are human authorities—sinners just like us—is perhaps what makes it so difficult.
18 So they called for them and ordered them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus.
19 Peter and John answered them, “Whether it’s right in the sight of God for us to listen to you rather than to God, you decide;
29 Peter and the apostles replied, “We must obey God rather than people.
There obviously comes a time when governing authorities are to be “resisted”
The key to discerning when that time has come is found in Paul’s words, what God has instituted.
When rulers put themselves in the place of God by legislating moral or spiritual positions (all acts have moral and spiritual roots) which are contrary to the revealed positions of God, resistance is warranted.
Generally speaking, the church historically has differentiated between governing authorities forcing versus allowing a moral or spiritual condition contrary to the laws of God. If the position is commanded (such as Herod’s killing of male children two years old and younger, or Hitler’s decree that Jews and other minorities were to be eliminated, or the prohibition against religious activities on public property), then the injunction is to be resisted in all possible ways. If the position is allowed but not commanded (such as modern laws allowing abortion), then resistance is to be voiced by the church in an attempt to have immoral standards changed; to restore God’s standards to society.
Concerning Paul’s words here, F. F. Bruce says,
“It is plain from the immediate context, as from the general context of the apostolic writings, that the state can rightly command obedience only within the limits of the purposes for which it has been divinely instituted—in particular, the state not only may but must be resisted when it demands the allegiance due to God alone” (Bruce, pp. 223–224).
Not Home Yet: In The Wilderness Still
Not Home Yet: In The Wilderness Still
We have to realize that in truth we are not Home yet.
The People that are in charge, will always be less then perfect. At times they may be good and wise and at times they maybe selfish. and Always they will be a product of the times and their environment.
We in our hearts do want what we cannot have until we are home. When Jesus the king who we have put our allegiance in, is in power not just in heaven, with a new heaven and a new earth.
I am reminded of a passage in Jeremiah
In Jeremiah 29, the prophet sends a letter from Jerusalem to the people in exile.
4 This is what the Lord of Armies, the God of Israel, says to all the exiles I deported from Jerusalem to Babylon: 5 “Build houses and live in them. Plant gardens and eat their produce. 6 Find wives for yourselves, and have sons and daughters. Find wives for your sons and give your daughters to men in marriage so that they may bear sons and daughters. Multiply there; do not decrease. 7 Pursue the well-being of the city I have deported you to. Pray to the Lord on its behalf, for when it thrives, you will thrive.”
In other wise Get comfortable and be good citizens of where ever you are.
Because your not home and your aren’t going back right away. Instead be the best you can be for the place you are planted.
And isn’t that what Paul is talking about
Be the best citizen you can be. Remain true to God even to the point of death, He will. But be the best citizen you can be.
We are not home yet. We must strive to be the best citizen we can be.
Next Steps
Next Steps
1. Personal Reflection and Prayer:
- Reflect on your own response to authority. Do you honor and respect those in power as Paul instructs, even when it is difficult?
- Spend time in prayer asking for wisdom and discernment to navigate situations where your faith and civil obedience may come into conflict.
2. Study and Discussion:
- Dive deeper into the biblical texts referenced in the sermon: Romans 12-13, Daniel 2, and Jeremiah 29. Understand the context and how these passages apply to our lives today.
- Engage in discussions with your small group or Bible study about the balance between civil obedience and maintaining allegiance to God’s commandments.
3. Community Engagement:
- Identify ways you can be a good citizen in your community. This could include volunteering, participating in local events, or supporting initiatives that promote the common good.
- Look for opportunities to demonstrate God’s love and values through your actions and interactions with others.
4. Advocacy and Action:
- If you encounter laws or policies that contradict God’s moral standards, consider how you can voice your concerns respectfully and constructively.
- Get involved in advocacy efforts that align with biblical principles, working towards change in a way that honors God and respects the authorities.
5. Church Involvement:
- Participate in church activities that promote understanding and application of biblical teachings on authority and civil obedience.
6. Prayer for Leaders:
- Make it a regular practice to pray for those in positions of authority, asking God to guide and influence their decisions.
- Pray for wisdom and strength for Christian leaders who navigate the complexities of faith and governance.
Closing Prayer:
Closing Prayer:
- Heavenly Father, we thank You for Your word and the guidance it provides. Help us to honor those in authority as You have commanded, and give us the wisdom to discern when to stand firm in our faith. May we be shining examples of Your love and righteousness in our communities, living as though we have already died for our faith, and trusting in Your ultimate sovereignty. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Bibliography
Bibliography
Georges Reverdy - Rouillé, Guillaume (1553) Promptuarium Iconum Insigniorum pars prima, Lyon: Apud Gulielmum Rovillium, p. 162 OCLC: 716696497.
BUs of Emperor Claudius By Marie-Lan Nguyen (2011), CC BY 2.5, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=23198004
Emperor Caligula, Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek. Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Gaius_Caesar_Caligula.jpg. Louis le Grand, By Louis le Grand [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/)], from Wikimedia Commons. CC Attribution-ShareAlike
The Remorse Of Nero After The Murder Of His Mother by John William Waterhouse Public Domain
W., Jackson. Reading Romans with Eastern Eyes: Honor and Shame in Paul’s Message and Mission. Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic: An Imprint of InterVarsity Press, 2019.
Boa, Kenneth, and William Kruidenier. Romans. Vol. 6 of Holman New Testament Commentary. Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2000.
Questions for further Discussion
Questions for further Discussion
Why did Paul urge the believers in Rome to offer their bodies as living sacrifices to God despite the dangerous political climate?
Who were some of the notorious Roman emperors mentioned in the sermon, and what were some of their brutal actions?
According to the sermon, why does God want Christians to submit to governmental authorities, even ones as tyrannical as Nero?
What Biblical references were used in the sermon to support the idea that God sets up and deposes kings?
How can Christians navigate situations where their faith and civil obedience may come into conflict, as mentioned in the sermon?
What does it mean to be a good citizen in the context of being a Christian, as discussed in the sermon?
How can one practically engage in advocacy efforts that align with biblical principles regarding civil obedience and moral standards, according to the sermon?
What steps can individuals take to demonstrate God's love and values through their actions and interactions with others in their community, based on the sermon's recommendations?
What was the key factor mentioned in the sermon to discern when governing authorities are to be resisted?
How does the sermon explain the concept of God's sovereignty over the appointment and removal of kings and rulers?