Romans 13:1-7
Let every person be subject to the governing authorities.
For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been
instituted by God. 2 Therefore
whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who
resist will incur judgment. 3 For
rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of
the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his
approval, 4 for he
is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not
bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries
out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer. 5 Therefore
one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God’s wrath but also for the sake
of conscience. 6 For
because of this you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God,
attending to this very thing. 7 Pay
to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom
revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed.
Where is your citizenship? Do you have dual citizenship? If
someone asked me these questions in a different setting I would give a very
different answer. But here the answer is my Citizenship is in the Household of
God. I also have citizenship in my local community and country. Thus, I owe
taxes and I owe respect to my elected officials, even if I didn’t vote for
them.
God has placed these people in charge of earthly kingdoms.
He has given them all their authority. He has placed them there to do good and
to serve his people in righteousness. These people are just like us. They are sinful
human beings. They do not always do what they are supposed to do. They are not
ever perfect. But neither are you.
God places people over you in your home and community and
country so that you can be reminded that your are under authority. You live as
a Citizen of the Household of God. Jesus Christ is your eternal King. God is
your Lord and Master. Is it true that you must obey God rather than man? Yes,
but that does not mean you disobey man or God.
Jesus Christ is your King. God is your Father. Just like
your earthly King or Father punishes you for your misdeeds, God will discipline
you. But you have a loving Father in Heaven. You have a King that laid down his
own life to pay for your sinfulness. God has redeemed you and claimed you from
another Master, the Devil.
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