Many American Christians consider the government, especially the current regime in Washington, DC, to be hostile to Christianity and the free exercise of the faith. A strong case can be made that not only the government but the media, academia, and some political parties are also hostile to the tenets of Christianity.
Christians have passages in Scripture, such as Romans 13:1-7 and others (e.g., 1 Pet. 2:13-17; Tit. 3:1) to guide them in their relations with civil government. We are also told to pray for civil authority (1 Tim. 2:1-3). And Paul’s teaching regarding submission to civil government is consistent with Jesus’s teaching in Mark 12:17, “Jesus said to them, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s and to God the things that are God’s.”
The apostle Paul wrote his letter to the church in Rome during the reign of Nero. Nero, who reigned over the Roman Empire from A.D. 54 to his death in A.D. 68 was an evil ruler who significantly persecuted Christians. The historian Tacitus claimed that Nero was corrupt and was responsible for the great fire of Rome which destroyed the city and he blamed the Christians for the fire. Many Roman Christians were burned to death as Nero’s scapegoats.
Also, at this point in history, Christianity was hated by Roman authorities and many Roman citizens because they were thought to be “an enemy to public peace, order, and government, as a sect that turned the world upside down, and the embracer’s of it as enemies to Caesar, and the more because the leaders were Galileans — and old slander. Jerusalem was represented as a rebellious city, hurtful to kings and provinces.”[1]
Knowing this, Paul under the influence of the Holy Spirit wrote verses 1-7 in chapter 13 of his letter to the Romans. This passage of Scripture makes it clear that all persons including Christians are to be model citizens, obeying civil authority wherever possible. Believers are to be submissive to civil authorities and to pray for them. Christians should be obedient so long as civil authorities don’t require them to do something that God forbids or that prevents them from fulfilling God’s commands.
Christians are commanded to subject themselves to governing authorities. Paul does not give any exceptions to this command. However, we must interpret this command in light of the rest of Scripture. With that in mind, commentators agree that this command is mitigated by Scripture elsewhere such as Acts 5:29 which states, “We must obey God rather than man.” This statement was made when the apostles, who had been jailed because they were teaching in the name of Jesus, refused the order of civil authorities and continued to preach in the name of Jesus.
Because the authority of those in civil office with the power to govern others not in office is delegated to them from God and is to be exercised in the ministry of God’s will, Christians should obey civil authority. They should obey civil authority whether the authority is legitimate or not, just or unjust, until that authority is exceeded, such as when demanding the worship of idols. In which case the Christian should obey God. But “Whenever obedience to man is inconsistent with obedience to God, then disobedience becomes a duty.”[2]
It is God’s will for there to be civil government with individuals appointed to exercise authority over the citizenry. Consequently, to resist the authority of such persons acting, in behalf of any form of civil government, in the exercise of their lawful authority, is an act of disobedience to God – i.e. sin.
The teaching in verses 1 and 2 makes it clear that civil government must be obeyed when acting within their lawful sphere. And failure to be subject to civil authority subjects the violators to condemnation and punishment.
In verse 2, Paul gave a reason for obeying civil authority, namely, that it is the will of God. In verse 3, he gives an additional reason, namely, those in authority of the governmental apparatus have been ordained by God to repress evil and promote good. Therefore, you have no reason to fear government that does not abuse the power delegated to it by God, so long as you do good.
“Government is a benevolent institution of God, designed for the benefit of men; and, therefore, should be respected and obeyed.”[3] It has been given the power of punishment to protect the good and this authority has not been given in vain, so if you do evil you should be in fear of punishment. Those individuals invested with the authority of governance are appointed for the benefit of the people and as such, are servants of the people and of God for the sole purpose of providing for the general welfare of society.
We must submit to civil authority not only because of our duty to God and our desire to avoid civil and divine punishment, but also as a matter of conscience. That is, out of our obligation to God (1 Pet. 2:13-17).
Civil government is ordained by God for the benefit of the public and the civil authorities are officers and ministers of God, thus, we should cheerfully support them with our taxes. Christians must support all those civil authorities with taxes, respect, and obedience, not for secular reasons such as wealth or power, but because they serve in an office ordained by God.
God established civil government as an institution to repress evil and promote good. God also gives civil government the power to punish disobedience. Christians have a duty to God to obey, respect, pray for, and support civil government. However, obedience is not unlimited. In fact, there are cases in which disobedience is a duty. When civil authority conflicts with God’s will, Christians must obey the will of God. God expects civil authority to act only within the legal sphere of their office. Christians must cheerfully support government by paying taxes and giving respect and obedience to civil government.
However, we must understand that the foregoing does not preclude citizens from lawfully acting politically to work to effect changes in civil affairs.
[1] Matthew Henry, Matthew Henry’s Commentary On the Whole Bible, New Modern Edition, vol. 6, Acts to Revelation (Hendrickson, 1991), 376.
[2] Hodge, Charles, A Commentary on Romans, p. 406. The Banner of Trust, Edinburgh, 406.
[3] Hodge, 407.
