Our Obligation to the World

Romans 13:1-14

June 24, 2007 Pastor Jack Harpold

Today we look at Christian citizenship responsibilities. God works by two distinct institutions, the church and the state. The responsibility of the Church is to minister to the spiritual needs of men - the responsibility of the state is to maintain law and order in a society that largely ignores God. While citizens of an earthly country, Christians are citizens of the kingdom of heaven with an obligation to both kingdoms. The Christian is responsible to submit to the laws of the nation. I Peter 2:13 says, "Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man, whether it be unto the king as supreme, or unto governors.”

All authority is ordered by God, and because God ordains it, we must be subject to it. Taken to its logical conclusion, those who resist the authority of human governments, are actually rebelling against God. In contrast, one who respects those in authority (whether the corner policeman, or the president), is really paying respect to God.

The government is a God-appointed institution designed for the benefit of man. Without government, depraved society would become lawless, and anarchy would result. Our neighborhoods, instead of being quiet and peaceful, would be filled with violence and terror (oops, that’s true anyway). The policeman giving a ticket to a speeding motorist is an agent of God for good. We see that if we “do evil, be afraid.” If you are driving within the speed limit and a policeman drives up behind you, it doesn't frighten you. But if you're exceeding the speed limit (75 in a 55 mile speed zone), a policeman behind you becomes a terror. God has ordained that men in authority shall not only encourage the good, but shall also punish the evil.

We do not obey the laws only because we are afraid of being punished. We obey the laws because obedience according to God’s will. If we live in town, we clear snow from the walks; on the highway, we obey the speed limit; if a new tax is levied, we pay it (oops again). Verse 5 says if we want a good conscience before God, we should submit to the laws of the state.

The command to submit to human governments is not absolute. In Acts Peter and John appear before the Sanhedrin because they preached Jesus and His resurrection. They were commanded "not to speak at all, nor teach in the name of Jesus.” The Apostles replied, "You decide whether it's right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to God; for we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard." The second time around, Peter said, "We ought to obey God rather than men.”

The Christian will decline to obey the authorities if they forbid him to do what the Bible plainly commands, or if they command him to do what the Bible clearly forbids. The Great Commission commands us to preach the Gospel to every creature. If rulers forbid us to do what God commands - we do it anyhow (like Peter and John).

Another example - Jesus prohibits taking human life, and teaches us to love our enemies (Matthew 5:43-44). If rulers command us to take human life - we refuse to do it (the early church did for first three centuries). If there are times when the demands of Caesar and the demands of God are in conflict, we must obey God rather than men.

The Christian respects those in authority and obeys the law of the land and pays his taxes. (Oops, there’s that tax thing). If he must decline to obey human government, even then he does it in a spirit of humility and not in defiance (Peter and John).

Paul concludes the first seven verses saying "Render therefore to all their due; taxes to whom taxes are due; customs to whom customs.” It is honorable and Christ-like to pay our taxes promptly and without complaining. True, some revenue might be used unwisely. Some politicians are dishonest, but most of us wouldn't trade one square inch of our country for a square mile of any other place on earth.

We are to render "fear to whom fear" is due. There must be respect for those in office, because we know their authority is given by God. We are to honor them because of their position, not necessarily because we approve of his personal conduct or political activities. Nero was the Roman Emperor when the Apostle Peter wrote to the believers. Nero was the man who ripped open the body of his mother to see the womb that bore him. He was a wicked man that lived in luxury: He never wore the same garment twice; his horses were shod with silver; he fished with hooks of gold. He was the man who ordered the city of Rome to be burned, and then blamed it on the Christians. And yet this is the man, of whom Peter says, "Honor the king.” If under such circumstances Christians were called upon to be submissive and to give honor, then there is no place for rebellion under any government.

The verses in the center of Romans 13 remind us that the Christian is to be honest, to pay his debts promptly, and that he has an obligation to love his neighbor. Paul says, "Owe no man anything, but to love one another, for he that loves another has fulfilled the law.” Love is a debt we can never fully pay, because new opportunities for expressing love arise every day.

Our Scripture points out if we truly love our neighbor we will do him no harm. We will fulfill all the commandments on adultery, killing, stealing, bearing false witness, and coveting. If we really love our neighbor (with 1 Corinthians 13 agape love) we will not deprive him of his wife (adultery), his life (killing), his property (stealing), nor his good name (bearing false witness). To love another is really keeping all the Law.

The last verses remind us it is time to wake up, especially in light of our Lord's soon coming. Paul says, " knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep, for now is our salvation nearer than when we first believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand; let us therefore cast off the works of darkness.”

We are closer to the end, than those who lived before us. The "night" of Satan's sway over this earth will soon come to a close. The coming of the Lord is imminent.

We must cast off the works of darkness, itemized in verse 13. We are to walk honestly and put off "rioting and drunkenness.” The Christian can have no part in rebellion or rioting or revolution against the government.

We are to cast off "lewdness and lust.” These words speak of sexual immorality. We need the attitude of the young man Joseph, who when he was seduced by Potiphar's wife to commit adultery with her, said, "How can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?" Sexual impurity is a great wickedness and a sin against God.

We must also cast off "strife and envying.” Strife is the translation of a Greek word that speaks of a desire for prestige. Envy is a feeling of pain at another's success. We must cast off these works of darkness.

We are to walk "honestly.” Honesty is coming to be a rare virtue. Stealing by shoppers and employees in stores has been increasing all across the country. A leading news magazine reports that in some parts of the United States stealing has reached ten percent of the total sales. Even Santa Claus was caught stealing a few years ago. In Levin's Department Store in a coastal New Jersey town, the fat old fellow was slipping merchandise under his coat. During the first ten months of its operation, the authorities of the new Americana Hotel in New York City say that 38,000 spoons and 18,000 towels were stolen by guests of the Hotel.

Legal documents are often dishonest, because of limitations in fine print. People devise schemes whereby they can make a long-distance phone call without paying the bill. We need to be careful. We begin our Christian life with one great big yes to God, but we must live it out with a great big no to the world, the flesh, and the devil.

The chapter concludes by admonishing believers to make no provision for the flesh (that is, for the weaknesses of the old nature). The story is told about a man who accepted Christ and decided to quit smoking. He went home and dug a hole and buried his pipes and tins of tobacco, and the other stuff that goes along with this filthy habit. But when he was nearly finished, he raked out the ground and planted some grass and put a stone over the spot - so he would know where to dig, in case he couldn't hold out! He was asking God for victory, but made provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.

Verse 14 says we should "put on" the Lord Jesus Christ. To "put on" a person may seem rather crude in our language, but this was a common expression in the Greek. To put on a person, means to accept his principles, to copy his spirit, and to imitate his example. We put on the Lord Jesus Christ at the time of our confession of faith and baptism, and we keep putting Him on daily by living in obedience to His Word.

This has been the Christian citizen's chapter. The believer in Christ is to be submissive to the government, just toward his neighbors, and clean in his personal life.