Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction to Romans

In the Mediterranean world where Paul exercised his vocation as the apostle to the Gentiles, the pagans, the fastest growing religion was the Imperial cult, the worship of Caesar

There was a game that we used to play in english class at school which was to try and describe a book in five words so that it would be guessable by the rest of the class.

For example: “Crazy man chases white whale” - any guesses?

Moby Dick.

Or how about a slightly harder one “Child island society goes wrong” - Lord of the Flies.

Needless to say I like to have a good, brief summary and that is what I have tried to do today to to help us understand what the passage from Romans is saying.

I couldn’t get it down to only five words but I think I’ve got it down to one verse : “For I am not ashamed of the gospel; it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who has faith, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.

It is in light of this that we look at the passage from - how to live as Christians in a world that more often than not doesn’t live that way whilst “not being ashamed of the gospel”.

The Holy Bible: New Revised Standard Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1989), .and it is in light of this that we look at the passage from - how to live in light of “not being ashamed of the gospel”

Before this chapter Paul has been speaking about living peaceably with all and the ultimate authority of God (12:19).

Living peaceably with authority would have been particularly appropriate for the Jewish Christians in Rome who had previously been expelled from Rome by the Emperor.

For the times they are a-changin'

For the times they are a-changin'

Before I continue I’d like to do a quick experiment.

I’m going to describe Revd Paul using two words and I’d like you to put your hand up for which word describes him most positively.

Understands?

Okay.

The first word is “nice” and the second is “awful”.

So hands up if you think “nice” describes him most positively… and hands up if you think “awful” does.

Interesting.

Well, in today’s world of course “nice” is the more positive way to describe Revd Paul; however, the word “nice” used to mean “silly, foolish, or simple” (still perhaps accurate to describe Paul, but not so complimentary).

In the same fashion, the word “awful” used to describe something that was “worthy of awe” (that one perhaps less accurate but definitely more complimentary!)

The New International Version (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011), .

Things have different meanings at different times and their meaning is established by the context and culture that they are used in.

This is true about words but also true about the Bible.

Yes there are universal truths in the Bible, but they might not be clearly there in black and white as we might think they are.

Paul is writing to Christians about how they should live in Rome in the early years of the reign of Emperor Nero - not about all times and all places.

What the text meant for the Church in Rome does not necessarily translate, like for like, into our own contemporary context.

So when Paul writes in his letter to the church in Rome “Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established” does it really mean what we think it means or does it mean something different to us today then it did back then?

Our marching orders

On first reading it seems pretty clear cut what it means for us - follow the Queen and the government wherever they may lead us.

Note that Paul doesn’t leave any wriggle room by saying “Let everyone be subject to governing authorities so long as they are nice” (although maybe that would be foolish to do given the potential meaning for nice!).

Paul is commanding us to be subject to governing authorities, to do as they decree.

The New International Version (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011), .

Such an understanding of the passage would make sense a given that earlier in the letter to the church in Rome, in 12:18, Paul has said “If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.”

Why would the governing authorities be an exception to this?

And such a message would have been particularly apt given their may have been some angry Jewish Christians who had been expelled by the previous Emperor who had returned to the church and may be particularly anti-authority at that time.

This understanding also allows for followers of Christ to follow the law of the land knowing that they are obeying the authority of God - this would have been of particular comfort to those Christians who were slaves in Rome knowing that their faith didn’t mean that they had to rebel against their masters.

However, the reasoning behind Paul’s command to be subject to authority is more subversive than it might seem at first glance.

When you add the rest of the command - “for there is no authority except that which God has established” - we actually see Paul undermining the government.

At this time the Emperor would have been worshipped as a god so his government certainly wouldn’t have recognised the authority of the God whom Paul was talking about.

If every person is to be subject to earthly authorities because it is under the authority of God, and if those who disobey God are under judgement, then Paul is setting the government, the Emperor and his empire, to be under the judgement of God.

This understanding would have allowed for followers of Christ to follow the law of the land knowing that they are ultimately obeying the authority of God - this would have been of particular comfort to those Christians who were slaves in Rome knowing that their faith didn’t mean that they had to rebel against their masters and lose what little they had.

Paul seems to understand that the government keeps the order of society and it is good for Christians to live peaceably within that order.

This could be because at the time Paul was writing the Emperor Nero was seen in a positive light.

Additionally good works were commended in Roman society so for Christians to be subject to authorities was to put them in good standing with wider society and to disobey was to bring terror onto your house - it seems likely that this is what Paul was referring to when he talks about punishment by the government in verses 3-5.

This power to bring judgement could also be beneficial for the church for if the authorities were following God’s will then their power to oppose wrongdoers (v.4) would be aiding the church.

The status quo

But isn’t this just passive acceptance of what the government instructs?

Sticking to the status quo?

What if the government doesn’t follow the will of God and uses its power for its own means and rule unjustly?

This is where we need to look deeper, beyond what is written in black and white, and think what it might mean for us today when we see a government that does not acknowledge God’s authority and reign.

A government that replaces love of God for preservation of power and love of neighbour for preservation of self.

Paul himself couldn’t have foreseen the persecution that the church would have faced under Emperor Nero when he wrote this letter, that no amount of co-operation would have saved them from a death in the arena.

Nor could he have anticipated the number of ways that Christians would have to negotiate how to exist under different governments through time across the world.

Reading Romans with modern eyes

Paul himself couldn’t have foreseen the persecution that the church would have faced under Emperor Nero when he wrote this letter, that no amount of co-operation would have saved them from a death in the arena.

Nor could he have anticipated the number of ways that Christians would have to negotiate how to exist under different governments through time across the world.

So how do we live a life that is “not ashamed of the gospel”, that lives a life worthy of God and what he has done for us, but also takes seriously Paul’s command here to “be subject to the governing authorities” particularly when that government acts in ways that are contrary to our Christian belief?

Our Old Testament reading, , recalls Saul being made king despite what God has done for the people of Israel and his rightful kingship.

This story reminds us that God is the one ultimately in charge but more than that it reminds us that claiming any ultimate authority other than God is actually a rejection of God.

This is what should be what we measure our government against.

Do they follow God’s way?

Is God their ultimate authority.

We cannot expect them to be perfect - that is for God only - and we are a community that has forgiveness at its heart and with Paul’s urge for us to live peaceably with one another an all out cry to overthrow the government is not on the cards - it is ultimately up to God to judge them.

But we as Christians must put a limit on the passive support of injustices.

We should not idly sit by whilst people are oppressed or whilst people struggle to have enough food to eat.

Instead we need to be like the prophet Samuel and proclaim God’s rule, declare to the world the injustices of a government and humbly call to attention the transcendence of God.

But we can go further than just crying out, we can draw attention to the injustice of authorities by practising acts of grace and mercy - by setting up a food bank collection point in the church to highlight the needs of the people, by volunteering your time to assist those who are oppressed.

We as Christians must put a limit on the passive support of injustices.

Be like the prophet Samuel and cry out, declare to the world the injustices of a government and call to attention the transcendence of God.

The understanding of this passage will without fail change in the future, we may be blessed by a government that is after God’s own heart and then we can take this passage at face value.

But regardless of the earthly authority we find ourselves under we must each consider what enables us to live peaceably with one another, what kind of participation is faithful to God, and remember that ultimately, God reigns over all.