Christian Submission to Authority
Romans 13:1-5 NKJV
Thank you for letting me give the Friday night devotional here on Facebook Live, it is a privilege to share some words of encouragement with you tonight.
This passage sprang out to me in my daily readings because it challenged me. I am usually a quiet calm person, but I have a rebellious attitude, especially to authority.
I would like to think the UK the Governments want what’s best for citizens and in some aspects, we live in relative peace and comfort but there is growing concern about government interference in our everyday lives and this raises the question of ‘when are we obligated to obey our government and can we ever righteously disobey”?
Paul was in Corinth when he wrote this letter to the church in Rome. In Lukes account in the book of Acts 2:10 we know that Jews from Rome were visiting Jerusalem and were present at Pentecost.
Many were converted and baptised and returned to Rome to establish new churches filled with believers.
When Paul wrote this letter to the church in Rome in approximately 56AD it was a time of relative peace for Christians in Rome however the Jews had been expelled by Claudius in 49 AD and not long after this was written the emperor Nero would begin to persecute and murder Christians from about 64AD onwards.
So, this tension between believers and government, between darkness and light, evil and good, is nothing new.
With this background I want to share a few thoughts on our passage.
God requires us to submit to governments.
The world seems fairly divided these days with those who think we should obey every mandate that comes from those in positions of leadership while others think we should rebel against pretty much everything! As believers how should we respond?
First, we need to remember that we have dual citizenship. This world is our temporary home, and we have an eternal home ahead, a place of eternal peace so the turmoil of this world shouldn’t be a surprise to us, nor should it make us fearful.
Paul says that ‘every soul’, is to be subject to the governing authorities. There is no get out for avoiding your parking fines or paying your taxes! Titus 3:1 says: - Remind them to be subject to rulers and authorities, to obey, to be ready for every good work,
To “be subject” comes from the Greek and it is a Roman military term meaning "to arrange in ranks and be submissive under the command of a Centurion".
So, God is telling us through rank and order in life we must be under the authority of government never forgetting that He ordains all things and allows all things.
Given the corruption and wickedness of recent and current governments this can be hard to swallow but submitting to authority is an important part of our testimony.
This doesn’t mean being silent on things that matter to God but rather our response should always be “full of grace, seasoned with salt” as Colossians 4:6 encourages.
Romans 13:1-5 gives some reasons for obeying and being subject to government: -
We are warned in vs 2 that if we resist submission, we will bring judgement on ourselves.
In vs 3-4 Paul establishes the idea that we are to ‘do good’; give the state no trouble, pay our taxes, and pray for our rulers. Our rulers are for our good to execute judgement on those who might want to cause us harm and who are genuine criminals.
In vs 5 Paul is saying we must not submit to authorities just to avoid punishment but to have a clear conscience before the Lord trusting that He has ordained our leaders.
Now, having said all this there is a caveat that is approved by the Lord. There are some circumstances and situations where God not only approves of but commands disobeying governments.
When King Darius issued a decree that anyone who prayed to anyone other than Darius himself would be thrown in the lion’s den that didn’t stop Daniel from praying to His Creator. In fact, he threw open his window and prayed openly to God for all who were passing to hear!
In Acts 5, the disciples were in prison for teaching about Jesus. Overnight they were released by an angel but instead of running away they were commanded to return to the temple to continue preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
As the court convened the next morning, the guards went to bring in the disciples from prison, but the disciples were nowhere to be seen.
Then they heard reports that the disciples were back at the temple, teaching about Jesus.
So, the captain went to fetch them and calmly took them back to the council where the high priest said to them “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!”
But Peter and the [other] apostles answered and said: "We ought to obey God rather than men.
There is the key. When there is a clash between what government commands and what God commands, we must disobey government, and we must obey God's commands.
We preach the gospel in the public square, we pray outside abortion clinics, we resist conforming to manmade ideologies such as homosexual marriage and gender affirming care and we do so for the sake of the gospel and for our own testimony before the Lord.
We see so much evil and wickedness it can leave us feeling frustrated, but we remember we only see in part while God sees the whole.
Sometimes God allows wicked rulers.
In Jeramiah 27:5-6 God brought judgment for the sin of Judea by appointing Nebuchadnezzar (Gods servant) to rule them even though God had given the Land to Israel.
In the book of Daniel, we see that the people are in bondage to the Babylonians and later to the Medes and Persians because of their disobedience to the God of Abraham.
They have gotten the leader they deserved for their idolatry and corruption.
This seems very much like today with our government leaders throughout the UK, who are almost tyrannical.
The lack of integrity, the immorality and downright wickedness that is being pushed through parliament is hard to swallow but I’m not the first to say that we are reaping what we have sown, and we have the leaders we deserve in the UK.
How do we affect change?
It begins with us. It begins with the church. Praise God that here at ViZion we don’t compromise and we’re not afraid to speak the truth but across the UK we have seen churches either compromise or remain completely silent on issues that are of critical importance.
Through repentance and confession, we might see revival, but it must begin in the hearts of believers and in the house of God. Pray for other church leaders that they might be encouraged by our boldness to stand for righteousness’ sake. May they lay hold of …
2 Chronicles 7:14 which says “if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.
God raises up Daniels
A Telegraph article in January this year titled “Parents who refuse children gender change face seven years in jail in Scotland” as an organisation called “CARE” has written that the Scottish government last year drew up guidance that “allows children as young as four to change their name and gender at school without their parents’ consent.”
How does this make you feel? Well, I can tell you it makes me angry. In fact, if I’m completely honest, I want to see the wrath of God come like a lightening bolt and strike down all those who are in favour of this kind of madness, but I know that these thoughts are not the way the Lord wants me to respond.
These people are sinners lost in their sin who are pandering to a dying world. They need Jesus just as much as me so I need to find a balance between righteous anger and humility so that I can get on my knees and pray for them.
As they attack the family unit, as they attack the unborn, as they attack churches that preach truth, we must be like Daniel ready to speak the truth, ready to pray in the public square, ready to face the Lions den.
I am so proud of our church for their desire to have a Christian nursery and homeschool co-op and we pray God will use this ministry to safeguard families and children.
I’m thankful for those who go out to evangelise every week knowing that they face persecution and even possible prosecution.
I’m thankful for those who will not stop praying for and helping women who are facing an unplanned pregnancy outside these abortion mills.
Maybe you aren’t actively involved in these activities, but we all have a part to play, and prayer is at the heart of it all.
We as Christians can’t cause anarchy and riot. We can protest peacefully; we can write to our MPs and MSPs and we can speak up boldly to proclaim truth but underpinning all of this is prayer.
I will leave you with 1 Timothy 2:1-4 Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, [and] giving of thanks be made for all men, 2 for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. 3 For this [is] good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
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