Living as a Citizen of the State While I'm Actually a Citizen of Heaven...

Today’s text is not for the faint of heart.  Today’s sermon will not be an easy sermon to hear or preach.  Today’s sermon will have far reaching consequences to the past and the present and the future.  Today’s sermon will have application for you as residents of Emory, Rains County, Texas, the United States of America, and for those Christians on the other side of the world.

 

Romans 12 transitioned from the more theological to the more practical.  Theology drives our practice.  Doctrine determines our ethic.  Belief decides our behavior. We have seen how Christians are to relate to other church members.  We have seen how Christians are to relate to our enemies last week with Bro. Ronnie.  Today, we look at how Christians are to relate to all governments.

 

Before we read Romans 13:1-7, let me encourage you in this regard.  During and after reading this text, our very nature will tempt us to ask 1,000 different questions that begin with these words, “Well, what about…?”  My encouragement to you today and my appeal to you this morning is that before you ask all those questions, that you seek to understand the most basic, simplest, and clearest meaning of today’s message.

 

 

1. The Responsibility of Every Christian, Romans 13:1-2

1 Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. 2 Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves.

 

Notice how 13:1 begins, “Let every soul.”  Does this leave any Christian out?  It doesn’t appear to do so.  Every Christian is to be and live in subjection to his or her governing authorities. 

 

To what governing authorities?  To those under which you live.  What about Romans?  That was Nero.  What about 18th century England and the Church of England who murdered Christians for following the Bible?  What about communist Russia?  What about 21st century USA under the presidential leadership of President Obama or President Trump?

 

The responsibility of every Christian is to live under subjection and in submission to the local, state, and national governing authorities as individuals and as individuals who are merchants. 

 

Why?  Because God is the One that at the very minimum with His permission who established all government.  There is no government or authority that has not been established or abolished by God.  Government is God’s institution.  And the questions begin, “Well, what about…?”

 

Jeremiah 27:1-6, In the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, this word came to Jeremiah from the Lord, saying, 2 “Thus says the Lord to me: ‘Make for yourselves bonds and yokes, and put them on your neck, 3 and send them to the king of Edom, the king of Moab, the king of the Ammonites, the king of Tyre, and the king of Sidon, by the hand of the messengers who come to Jerusalem to Zedekiah king of Judah. 4 And command them to say to their masters, “Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel—thus you shall say to your masters: 5 ‘I have made the earth, the man and the beast that are on the ground, by My great power and by My outstretched arm, and have given it to whom it seemed proper to Me. 6 And now I have given all these lands into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, My servant; and the beasts of the field I have also given him to serve him.

 

Daniel 2:19-21, 19 Then the secret was revealed to Daniel in a night vision. So Daniel blessed the God of heaven.

20 Daniel answered and said:

“Blessed be the name of God forever and ever,

For wisdom and might are His.

21 And He changes the times and the seasons;

He removes kings and raises up kings;

 

Daniel 4:17, 17 ‘This decision is by the decree of the watchers,

And the sentence by the word of the holy ones,

In order that the living may know

That the Most High rules in the kingdom of men,

Gives it to whomever He will,

And sets over it the lowest of men.’

 

Daniel 4:25, 25 They shall drive you from men, your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field, and they shall make you eat grass like oxen. They shall wet you with the dew of heaven, and seven times shall pass over you, till you know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever He chooses.

 

John 19:11, 11 Jesus answered (to Pilate), “You could have no power at all against Me unless it had been given you from above.”

 

And what if we as followers of Christ do not submit to governmental authority?  We are opposing the ordinance of God and risk the condemnation of the governing authorities. 

 

And Just so you don’t think that this responsibility might be exclusive for Christians at Rome, see Titus 3:1.

 

Titus 3:1, Remind them (in Crete) to be subject to rulers and authorities, to obey, to be ready for every good work.

 

And just so you don’t think that Paul was some lunatic, see 1 Peter 2:13-15.

 

1 Peter 2:13-15, 13 Therefore submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake, whether to the king as supreme, 14 or to governors, as to those who are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and for the praise of those who do good. 15 For this is the will of God, that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men.

 

 

4. The Role of Every Government, Romans 13:3-4.

3 For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same. 4 For he is God’s minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God’s minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil.

 

Now we turn to 13:3-4 and the role of every government.  According to 13:3 and following, the first role of every government is to punish evil.  If you engage in evil, you ought to be afraid of the government.  You ought to be afraid of the government acting as a minister of God in bringing wrath on the one who practices evil.  God gives the government the authority to bear the sword, and it is my conviction that includes capital punishment for capital crimes.

 

The second role of every government is to reward good.  On the other hand, if you do good, the government ought to praise you.  Notice at the beginning of 13:4 that the government is for our good.  We should have no fear in doing good, and we should be praised when we do good.

 

 

• The Reasons for Every Act of Submission, Romans 13:5-6

5 Therefore you must be subject, not only because of wrath but also for conscience’ sake. 6 For because of this you also pay taxes, for they are God’s ministers attending continually to this very thing.

 

In these two verses, Paul essentially gave two reasons why every Christian is to be submissive to every government.  Notice this is the second time that he said be subject or submissive to the government.  The first was in 13:1.

 

The first reason is because of the governing authorities’ wrath.  If you don’t do what the government tells you to do or requires you to do, then you are more than likely going to experience their wrath.  As we saw earlier, if you do evil, expect wrath.  If you do good, expect reward.

 

The second reason is because of conscience’ sake.  What does that mean?  It means that we are to submit to the government for the Lord’s sake because the Lord is what or actually who should be molding and shaping and determining and informing our conscience.  Again, remember 1 Peter 2:13-15.

 

1 Peter 2:13-15, 13 Therefore submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake, whether to the king as supreme, 14 or to governors, as to those who are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and for the praise of those who do good. 15 For this is the will of God, that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men.

 

Then Paul put feet to his reasoning and rationale in 13:4 in when he said that is why you pay taxes.  You pay taxes because the God-ordained government is the servant or deacon of God.

 

So again, be subject to our government, brothers and sisters so you don’t get punished and so you don’t disobey God.

 

 

7. The Rendering of What is Due to those in Authority, Romans 13:7.

7 Render therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor.

 

This last verse hits us in the pocket book as Christians are to give to the government what is due them.  What is that?  First of all, taxes on income are due them.  Secondly, customs or revenue or taxes on goods and services are due them.  Thirdly, fear or respect is due them.  Finally, honor is due them.

 

In this text, Paul, writing under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, makes no room for 1st century Rome under Nero.  He makes no room for 18th century England and a state church and taxation without representation.  He makes no room for the 19th century Union and the war against northern aggression.  He makes no room for Nazi Germany, communist Russia or 21st century United States of America under whichever president you like the least!

 

Before you let your mind wander with 1,000 “Well, what if…?” questions, don’t neglect the most basic, simplest, and clearest meaning of this text.  Christians are directed by Scripture to submit to local, state, and national government wherever you live and whatever kind of government it is.

 

John Piper, “Whether we live in Boston or Baghdad, Northern Ireland or North Korea, this text has implications for war and peace, dictators and totalitarianism, concentration camps and gulags, revolts and revolutions, laws and law enforcement, political activism and civil disobedience, elections and lobbying, voting and paying taxes, speed limits and seat belts, stop signs and baby seats.”

 

And above all else, this text says to every Christian, be submissive!

 

 

1. Four Reprieves from Obeying our Government

 

Very quickly, there at least four biblical reprieves or exceptions to this absolute command to be submissive to government.  Three are from the Old Testament, and one is from the New Testament.

 

Exodus 1:8-22, 8 Now there arose a new king over Egypt, who did not know Joseph. 9 And he said to his people, “Look, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we; 10 come, let us deal shrewdly with them, lest they multiply, and it happen, in the event of war, that they also join our enemies and fight against us, and so go up out of the land.” 11 Therefore they set taskmasters over them to afflict them with their burdens. And they built for Pharaoh supply cities, Pithom and Raamses. 12 But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew. And they were in dread of the children of Israel. 13 So the Egyptians made the children of Israel serve with rigor. 14 And they made their lives bitter with hard bondage—in mortar, in brick, and in all manner of service in the field. All their service in which they made them serve was with rigor.  15 Then the king of Egypt spoke to the Hebrew midwives, of whom the name of one was Shiphrah and the name of the other Puah; 16 and he said, “When you do the duties of a midwife for the Hebrew women, and see them on the birthstools, if it is a son, then you shall kill him; but if it is a daughter, then she shall live.” 17 But the midwives feared God, and did not do as the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the male children alive. 18 So the king of Egypt called for the midwives and said to them, “Why have you done this thing, and saved the male children alive?”  19 And the midwives said to Pharaoh, “Because the Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women; for they are lively and give birth before the midwives come to them.”  20 Therefore God dealt well with the midwives, and the people multiplied and grew very mighty. 21 And so it was, because the midwives feared God, that He provided households for them.  22 So Pharaoh commanded all his people, saying, “Every son who is born you shall cast into the river, and every daughter you shall save alive.”

 

Daniel 3:1-18, Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, whose height was sixty cubits and its width six cubits. He set it up in the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon. 2 And King Nebuchadnezzar sent word to gather together the satraps, the administrators, the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the judges, the magistrates, and all the officials of the provinces, to come to the dedication of the image which King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. 3 So the satraps, the administrators, the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the judges, the magistrates, and all the officials of the provinces gathered together for the dedication of the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up; and they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up. 4 Then a herald cried aloud: “To you it is commanded, O peoples, nations, and languages, 5 that at the time you hear the sound of the horn, flute, harp, lyre, and psaltery, in symphony with all kinds of music, you shall fall down and worship the gold image that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up; 6 and whoever does not fall down and worship shall be cast immediately into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.”  7 So at that time, when all the people heard the sound of the horn, flute, harp, and lyre, in symphony with all kinds of music, all the people, nations, and languages fell down and worshiped the gold image which King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.  8 Therefore at that time certain Chaldeans came forward and accused the Jews. 9 They spoke and said to King Nebuchadnezzar, “O king, live forever! 10 You, O king, have made a decree that everyone who hears the sound of the horn, flute, harp, lyre, and psaltery, in symphony with all kinds of music, shall fall down and worship the gold image; 11 and whoever does not fall down and worship shall be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. 12 There are certain Jews whom you have set over the affairs of the province of Babylon: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego; these men, O king, have not paid due regard to you. They do not serve your gods or worship the gold image which you have set up.”  13 Then Nebuchadnezzar, in rage and fury, gave the command to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego. So they brought these men before the king. 14 Nebuchadnezzar spoke, saying to them, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the gold image which I have set up? 15 Now if you are ready at the time you hear the sound of the horn, flute, harp, lyre, and psaltery, in symphony with all kinds of music, and you fall down and worship the image which I have made, good! But if you do not worship, you shall be cast immediately into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. And who is the god who will deliver you from my hands?”  16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. 17 If that is the case, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand, O king. 18 But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up.”

 

Daniel 6:1-23, It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom one hundred and twenty satraps, to be over the whole kingdom; 2 and over these, three governors, of whom Daniel was one, that the satraps might give account to them, so that the king would suffer no loss. 3 Then this Daniel distinguished himself above the governors and satraps, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king gave thought to setting him over the whole realm. 4 So the governors and satraps sought to find some charge against Daniel concerning the kingdom; but they could find no charge or fault, because he was faithful; nor was there any error or fault found in him. 5 Then these men said, “We shall not find any charge against this Daniel unless we find it against him concerning the law of his God.”  6 So these governors and satraps thronged before the king, and said thus to him: “King Darius, live forever! 7 All the governors of the kingdom, the administrators and satraps, the counselors and advisors, have consulted together to establish a royal statute and to make a firm decree, that whoever petitions any god or man for thirty days, except you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions. 8 Now, O king, establish the decree and sign the writing, so that it cannot be changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which does not alter.” 9 Therefore King Darius signed the written decree.  10 Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went home. And in his upper room, with his windows open toward Jerusalem, he knelt down on his knees three times that day, and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as was his custom since early days.  11 Then these men assembled and found Daniel praying and making supplication before his God. 12 And they went before the king, and spoke concerning the king’s decree: “Have you not signed a decree that every man who petitions any god or man within thirty days, except you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions?”  The king answered and said, “The thing is true, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which does not alter.”  13 So they answered and said before the king, “That Daniel, who is one of the captives from Judah, does not show due regard for you, O king, or for the decree that you have signed, but makes his petition three times a day.”  14 And the king, when he heard these words, was greatly displeased with himself, and set his heart on Daniel to deliver him; and he labored till the going down of the sun to deliver him. 15 Then these men approached the king, and said to the king, “Know, O king, that it is the law of the Medes and Persians that no decree or statute which the king establishes may be changed.”  16 So the king gave the command, and they brought Daniel and cast him into the den of lions. But the king spoke, saying to Daniel, “Your God, whom you serve continually, He will deliver you.” 17 Then a stone was brought and laid on the mouth of the den, and the king sealed it with his own signet ring and with the signets of his lords, that the purpose concerning Daniel might not be changed.  18 Now the king went to his palace and spent the night fasting; and no musicians were brought before him. Also his sleep went from him. 19 Then the king arose very early in the morning and went in haste to the den of lions. 20 And when he came to the den, he cried out with a lamenting voice to Daniel. The king spoke, saying to Daniel, “Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to deliver you from the lions?”  21 Then Daniel said to the king, “O king, live forever! 22 My God sent His angel and shut the lions’ mouths, so that they have not hurt me, because I was found innocent before Him; and also, O king, I have done no wrong before you.”  23 Now the king was exceedingly glad for him, and commanded that they should take Daniel up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no injury whatever was found on him, because he believed in his God.

 

Acts 4:13-22, 13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus. 14 And seeing the man who had been healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it. 15 But when they had commanded them to go aside out of the council, they conferred among themselves, 16 saying, “What shall we do to these men? For, indeed, that a notable miracle has been done through them is evident to all who dwell in Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it. 17 But so that it spreads no further among the people, let us severely threaten them, that from now on they speak to no man in this name.”  18 So they called them and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus. 19 But Peter and John answered and said to them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to God, you judge. 20 For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.” 21 So when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding no way of punishing them, because of the people, since they all glorified God for what had been done. 22 For the man was over forty years old on whom this miracle of healing had been performed.

 

Acts 5:17-32, 17 Then the high priest rose up, and all those who were with him (which is the sect of the Sadducees), and they were filled with indignation, 18 and laid their hands on the apostles and put them in the common prison. 19 But at night an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors and brought them out, and said, 20 “Go, stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words of this life.”  21 And when they heard that, they entered the temple early in the morning and taught. But the high priest and those with him came and called the council together, with all the elders of the children of Israel, and sent to the prison to have them brought.  22 But when the officers came and did not find them in the prison, they returned and reported, 23 saying, “Indeed we found the prison shut securely, and the guards standing outside before the doors; but when we opened them, we found no one inside!” 24 Now when the high priest, the captain of the temple, and the chief priests heard these things, they wondered what the outcome would be. 25 So one came and told them, saying, “Look, the men whom you put in prison are standing in the temple and teaching the people!”  26 Then the captain went with the officers and brought them without violence, for they feared the people, lest they should be stoned. 27 And when they had brought them, they set them before the council. And the high priest asked them, 28 saying, “Did we not strictly command you not to teach in this name? And look, you have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this Man’s blood on us!”  29 But Peter and the other apostles answered and said: “We ought to obey God rather than men. 30 The God of our fathers raised up Jesus whom you murdered by hanging on a tree. 31 Him God has exalted to His right hand to be Prince and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. 32 And we are His witnesses to these things, and so also is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey Him.”

 

 

Conclusion

Christians are to always obey their governments unless it is a sin to do so, either a sin of commission like murder or sin of omission like not worshipping, not praying, not preaching, not sharing the gospel.