Romans 13:1-7 Ours to Do: Obey Christ as King
The Text
Romans 13:1–7 (CSB)
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.2 So then, the one who resists the authority is opposing God’s command, and those who oppose it will bring judgment on themselves.
3 For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Do you want to be unafraid of the one in authority? Do what is good, and you will have its approval.
4 For it is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, because it does not carry the sword for no reason. For it is God’s servant, an avenger that brings wrath on the one who does wrong.
5 Therefore, you must submit, not only because of wrath but also because of your conscience.
6 And for this reason you pay taxes, since the authorities are God’s servants, continually attending to these tasks.
7 Pay your obligations to everyone: taxes to those you owe taxes, tolls to those you owe tolls, respect to those you owe respect, and honor to those you owe honor.
Our God
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.
Christ is King: He Has Put All Leaders Over Us
Daniel 2:21 (CSB) He changes the times and seasons; he removes kings and establishes kings. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding.
Psalm 75:6–7 (CSB) Exaltation does not come from the east, the west, or the desert, for God is the Judge: He brings down one and exalts another.
1 Peter 2:13–14 (CSB) Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human authority: whether to the emperor as the supreme authority, or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to praise those who do right. For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people.
Let me get super political here for a moment and assuming that I am speaking to Americans.
God had placed President Donald Trump over you.
God has placed President Joe Biden over you.
Saying, "Well, he ain't my president" is a sin against God. God has placed these leaders over you to govern you. If we get an incompetent and wicked ruler like we have in Trump and Biden, then that is reflective of the sins of the people of the nation. On Romans 13, John Calvin says this:
For since a wicked prince is the Lord’s scourge to punish the sins of the people, let us remember, that it happens through our fault that this excellent blessing of God is turned into a curse.
John Calvin. Commentary on Romans 13:1-7. 1540. Translated by John Owen. 1850. 1: 1.
Want to know how God judges a nation? Look at their leaders.
But also case in point, I don't care how many Evangelicals write how many books and guest speak at how many pulpits--American was not and is not a Christian nation. Saying the same thing over and over again does not make it true.
It is true that many of laws and principles are founded on Judeo-Christian principles especially when it comes to freedom of religion. Taking a quick look at church history in England during the 17th and 18th centuries we see that Christians fled to America to escape religious persecution. And in God's great sovereignty, we had leaders who had enough sense to have some sort of moral measuring rod called the Bible to help govern this land.
But a Christian nation American is not and cannot be? Why? The Bible never declares it to be so. In fact, the opposite is true: out of many nations, he has saved and set aside his people. And he alone determines the times and boundaries not to Christianize a nation but rather that we would seek God. (Acts 17:24-28) You and me born at the times we were born, in the places we were born, is not by accident. We would put here so that we would seek God.
"I just want everyone to behave." So does God. But guess what? Israel was the first and only nation of God who were governed by God and his holy law. How did that go for them? They always rebelled. They always fled. They always led astray. Some of them went so far they even rejected the only begotten Son of the Father.
2-4 So then, the one who resists the authority is opposing God’s command, and those who oppose it will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Do you want to be unafraid of the one in authority? Do what is good, and you will have its approval. For it is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, because it does not carry the sword for no reason. For it is God’s servant, an avenger that brings wrath on the one who does wrong.
Christ is King: Not To Obey Leaders is Bringing Judgment Upon Ourselves
Mark 10:42–43 (CSB) Jesus called them over and said to them, “You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those in high positions act as tyrants over them. But it is not so among you. On the contrary, whoever wants to become great among you will be your servant,
Daniel 6:7-9 (CSB) All the administrators of the kingdom — the prefects, satraps, advisers, and governors — have agreed that the king should establish an ordinance and enforce an edict that, for thirty days, anyone who petitions any god or man except you, the king, will be thrown into the lions’ den. Therefore, Your Majesty, establish the edict and sign the document so that, as a law of the Medes and Persians, it is irrevocable and cannot be changed.” So King Darius signed the written edict.
Let us determined, in most part, by and large, not governed by born-again leaders. Because our nation has moved further and further away from the Ten Commmandments, we have to have more and more laws governing us. Do you think these laws are perfect? Absolutely not. Far from it.
But when these laws start to dictate that you should sin against God, that is the only point of defiance.
Acts 5:29 (CSB) Peter and the apostles replied, “We must obey God rather than people.
But get this: you might face consequences from the wicked rulers that God has placed over you. Each of the Apostles except for one were martyred and slain by their wicked governors. As American as we are, we are no better than that.
Obey your leaders. When they tell you to sin against God, then you defy. Cannot do so by sinning more but doing the things that God has commanded us to do: love him, love others, serve one another and within our power, to live peaceably with one another.
5 Therefore, you must submit, not only because of wrath but also because of your conscience.
Christ is King: He rules over all
Jeremiah 20:3-5 (CSB) The next day, when Pashhur released Jeremiah from the stocks, Jeremiah said to him, “The LORD does not call you Pashhur, but Terror Is on Every Side, for this is what the LORD says, ‘I am about to make you a terror to both yourself and those you love. They will fall by the sword of their enemies before your very eyes. I will hand Judah over to the king of Babylon, and he will deport them to Babylon and put them to the sword. I will give away all the wealth of this city, all its products and valuables. Indeed, I will hand all the treasures of the kings of Judah over to their enemies. They will plunder them, seize them, and carry them off to Babylon.
God sets up our leaders. He sets up other leaders. And sometimes, with wicked nations, he will let other wicked nations conquer other wicked nations.
God did with Israel. Why would America be the exception? There is nothing in his word that would exempt us from this.
Yet, choose on this day of whom you will serve.
Our Response
6-7 And for this reason you pay taxes, since the authorities are God’s servants, continually attending to these tasks. Pay your obligations to everyone: taxes to those you owe taxes, tolls to those you owe tolls, respect to those you owe respect, and honor to those you owe honor.
Christ is King: Give Caesar's what is Caesar's
Christ told us to pay taxes, for:
Matthew 22:21 (CSB) They said to him, “Caesar’s.” Then he said to them, “Therefore, render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”
Not to pay taxes is sin against God.
The early church, because they lived in the Roman Empire were heavily taxed. They did not respond by failing to pay or cheating on their taxes. Look how the early church responded:
Acts 2:43-47 (CSB) Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and signs were being performed through the apostles. Now all the believers were together and held all things in common. They sold their possessions and property and distributed the proceeds to all, as any had need. Every day they devoted themselves to meeting together in the temple, and broke bread from house to house. They ate their food with joyful and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. Every day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.
Pay your taxes. Yet, love one another.