Responsible Citizens

Romans 13:1-7

1 Let every person be loyally subject to the governing (civil) authorities. For there is no authority except from God [by His permission, His sanction], and those that exist do so by God’s appointment.2 Therefore he who resists and sets himself up against the authorities resists what God has appointed and arranged [in divine order]. And those who resist will bring down judgment upon themselves [receiving the penalty due them]....... 6 For this same reason you pay taxes, for [the civil authorities] are official servants under God, devoting themselves to attending to this very service. 7 Render to all men their dues. [Pay] taxes to whom taxes are due, revenue to whom revenue is due, respect to whom respect is due, and honor to whom honor is due.

In Romans 13, Paul addresses an issue that is as relevant to us 2000 years later as it was during his lifetime - our conduct towards government and authorities appointed over us. I think firstly it will serve us well when we read this chapter, to remember that Paul wrote this during a time when his own people were oppressed by the Roman government, which was a foreign, corrupt government that made laws with the purpose to subject people to their own rule of law that served their own agenda. Thus it will not help us to look at our government today and excuse our lack of respect for our government with the attitude that Paul could not have foreseen the circumstances and problems we face in our time. He wrote against the background of very similar situations, all very familiar to us today. Yet, even in facing this, he admonished the Roman congregation to subject themselves to the rules and regulations and law of the day.

Paul in actual fact goes as far as saying that there is no authority unless God gives it to man. That is quite a sobering thought. Of course this does not mean that God institutes and condones corrupt governments - my understanding is that God appoints people into positions of authority and expects them to do the job according to His Kingdom rules. If they do not, then He will hold them accountable for their use or misuse or abuse of the authority and they will suffer the consequences thereof.  However, just as God holds them responsible, he will also hold responsible the citizens for their conduct.  God holds us responsible for our lack of respect and our downright rebellion against authority.  Both these principles - responsible authority and respect for authority - are important in His Kingdom.

What happens when authority is ungodly and expects you to do things that are ungodly? I believe the Bible also gives us direction in these cases. In Acts 5:29-42 we read the following:

7 So they brought them and set them before the council (Sanhedrin). And the high priest examined them by questioning,  28 Saying, We definitely commanded and strictly charged you not to teach in or about this Name; yet here you have flooded Jerusalem with your doctrine and you intend to bring this Man’s blood upon us. 29 Then Peter and the apostles replied, We must obey God rather than men....

The disciples' response infuriated the Sanhedrin to the point that they wanted to kill them.  The main reason for them being so angry with the disciples was because the members of the Sanhedrin were regarded as the voice of God on earth, and therefore the disciples' response implied that their instruction to them were not of God.    

In verse 34-42 Gamaliel responded by saying there were others in history that regarded themselves important and had a following, but when their leader died, the rest of the following dissipated.  Gamaliel expected this to happen to the disciples as well - unless their mission was of God.  In which case he understood that no man would be able to stop the mission of the disciples.    

We read again from verse 39-42

39 But if it is of God, you will not be able to stop or overthrow or destroy them; you might even be found fighting against God!  40 So, convinced by him, they took his advice; and summoning the apostles, they flogged them and sternly forbade them to speak in or about the name of Jesus, and allowed them to go.  41 So they went out from the presence of the council (Sanhedrin), rejoicing that they were being counted worthy [dignified by the indignity] to suffer shame and be exposed to disgrace for [the sake of] His name.  42 Yet [in spite of the threats] they never ceased for a single day, both in the temple area and at home, to teach and to proclaim the good news (Gospel) of Jesus [as] the Christ (the Messiah

I think it is fairly clear that the disciples did not adhere to the request of these authorities to stop preaching, but interestingly enough they still submitted themselves to the consequences these authorities decided on - in this case being flogged.  What is also remarkable is that nowhere do we read that they were disrespectful nor did they slander or incite people to violence and rebellion against these authorities.  They did not lead their followers into a revolution nor a disregard of the governmental laws that allowed the Sanhedrin the powers to mete out consequences like flogging at their own will and discernment.  In fact we just read that they left the presence of the Sanhedrin rejoicing that they we counted worthy of suffering for the sake of the Name of Jesus.   

Likewise did Paul.  He adhered to the law and even admonished his followers to make sure that they pay their taxes to government - this same government eventually jailed and killed Paul.  

Point to ponder:

God holds kings and governments responsible for their conduct and they will suffer the consequences of their bad governance, or they will receive the benefit of their good governance.  However, likewise God holds us responsible for being good or bad citizens, and we will suffer the consequences of being bad citizens or receive the rewards for being good citizens.  So the question is - are you and I the best citizens we can be?  Are we living according to godly principles in our conduct to the authorities God appointed over us?  

For King and Country - Ceasefire