YouTube video sermon
Romans 13:1-7
As always, let me invite you to take your copy of God’s Word and turn with me to Romans 13. I had several comments last week (mostly positive) regarding my asking the congregation to stand for the reading of God’s Word. Let me make just a few quick comments on this.
First, there is no mandate in the Bible that we do this, although there is biblical support for it (i.e. Ezra/Nehemiah). Second (and connected with the first), while there are many churches that stand, there are many that don’t. If you do, it doesn’t mean that you’re more spiritual or mature or holy. Likewise, if you don’t, it doesn’t mean that you’re more sinful or “worldly” than those congregations that do. Third, when I’m moved by the Holy Spirit to have you stand, it’s not primarily for your benefit, at least not directly, as much as it is for mine. I find that having you stand with me, in reverence for the Word, is a visible, tangible reminder to me that it is not I who am here to instruct you. Rather, I am part of the congregation being addressed by the Holy Spirit speaking through the Scriptures, just like you. And finally, especially for today’s verses, just as we stand when reciting the pledge of allegiance to show respect for the flag, and we stand when the national anthem is played to show respect for our country, we should no less stand for the reading of God’s Word to show respect.
So, with that, let me ask you to stand as I read Romans 13.
1 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.
Now, our Father, as we embark upon this segment of the Epistle to the Romans, we ask that You would help us, that You would stoop to our dullness of understanding, our slowness of heart to believe all that You have set forth in Your Word, and our weakness in making proper application of it to our daily lives. Give us hearts, O God, that are pleased to be instructed by You. For we ask these things in Jesus’ name, amen.
In case you don’t already know, let me go ahead and let the cat out of the bag. Romans 13 is one of the primary texts in all of sacred Scripture that deals with the relationship that Christians ought to have with the government. Therefore, when you put that little fact together with the political environment of America (today) and the upcoming presidential election, this chapter is bound to raise more questions than it answers. And, indeed, despite my own desires to get through this chapter in a single sermon, it will require a second and perhaps even a third to do it justice. We shall see.
Author, theologian, and former pastor, John Piper, said this about Romans 13: “This text has implications for war and peace, dictators and totalitarianism, concentration camps and gulags, revolts and revolutions, laws and law enforcement, political activism and civil disobedience, elections and lobbying, voting and paying taxes, speed limits and seat belts, stop signs and baby seats. This is not a small text. It is one of those mountain peaks of the book of Romans that makes a reader dizzy with implications.”
Why Talk About Church And State
So, Romans 13 is interesting. Coming out of the previous chapter(s) you’re bound to ask yourself, “Why did Paul shift to the government? What made Paul talk about our relationship with the state?” Part of the answer is found in his statement in Romans 12:2 where he says, “Do not be conformed any longer to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind…” If we’re not supposed to be conformed to this world, then how are we to understand our position as citizens in this country or any other? That’s partly why Romans 13 was written – to help make sure that people don’t misunderstand non-conformity to this world. Paul’s idea of not confirming to the world doesn’t mean throwing off any and all restraint because I’m a follower of Jesus. Romans 13 helps to clarify that.
Another part of the answer is because of the way chapter 12 ends. Verse 9: “Let love be genuine.” Verse 13: “Contribute to the needs of the saints.” Verse 14: “Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them.” Verse 17: “Repay no one evil for evil.” Verse 19: “Beloved, never avenge yourselves.” Verse 20: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him.” And we’re left almost breathless with the beauty of this mercy (love, bless, don’t curse, never avenge), and yet in the back of our minds there’s this question: “Really, Paul? Is that all you have to say about how life works, and how evil in the world is to be handled? Hey, Paul, have you taken a look at Portland or Minneapolis or Kenosha or Manhattan?” We want to be people of non-violent solutions, but sometimes non-violent approaches only leads to more violence. What then? And so, he writes Romans 13.
But there’s at least one more possible reason that’s a little more specific. When we began this journey all those many weeks ago now, you might recall that I told you the church in Rome was originally made up of Jewish converts to Christianity but something happened in 49 A.D. and the emperor Claudius expelled the Jews from Rome. Then five years later, in 54 A.D. a new emperor by the name of Nero came to power and he let them return. So, it’s possible that Paul included this section on government because that original expulsion had something to do with insubordination or church/state relations.
Who’s Really In Charge
The first clear, positive teaching is that civil authorities are ordained by God. Verse 1b: “For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.” We know this includes wicked rulers as well as good ones, because the Bible tells about wicked kings that God guided into office. For example, Jeroboam was one of the most wicked kings of Israel, and 1 Kings 12:15 describes the intrigue that put him in place like this: “It was a turn of affairs brought about by the Lord.”
And Nebuchadnezzar was the pagan Babylonian king that destroyed Jerusalem. And in Jeremiah 27:6 God says, “Now I have given all these lands into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, my servant.” God calls Nebuchadnezzar a servant, the same term for the king that we find in Romans 13:4 (“he is the servant of God”).
And what about Pilate, the ruler who above all other rulers did not reward good behavior, but punished the only perfect man who ever lived? When he said to Jesus, “Do you not know that I have authority to release you and authority to crucify you?’ Jesus answered him, ‘You would have no authority over me at all unless it had been given you from above’” (John 19:10). So, Romans 13:1 includes Pilate.
Paul knew from Daniel 2:21, “[God] removes kings and sets up kings” – all kings. They’re all under His control. He puts them in office and He takes them out of office. So, the answer is yes, Romans 13:1 applies to all rulers good and bad. “For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.”
This means that the Roman Christians (and 21st century followers of Jesus) should learn that it’s God’s will to govern the world of mankind through human civil authorities. This is God’s plan. Man did not create government. God did. Man does not sustain it. God does. Civil authority is God’s idea, not man’s. No, we are not to be conformed to this age. Yes, many of these rulers kill Christians. Yes, they tax you and take your money (God’s money). Yes, your lifestyle should be merciful and not vengeful. Yes, they can exile you and make you leave Rome or anywhere else. And Paul says to the Romans (and to us), civil authority is God’s chosen instrument to govern the world of men.
Submit to it out of reverence for God – not reverence for the ruler. God has stripped rulers of their final authority. That’s what verse one means. Civil authorities are not God. God is God. When you submit, you submit for God’s sake. “Be subject for the Lord’s sake to every human institution” (1 Peter 2:13). And this Lord, He’s the risen Lord Jesus who is King of kings and Lord of lords to whom all authority in heaven and earth has been given. In other words, keeping the speed limit is Christian worship (at least that’s what I’ve been telling myself).
For What Earthly Reason Should We Submit
Here is a second clear, positive teaching of these verses: When you submit for Christ’s sake to the civil authorities, remember that this authority is a great gift of common grace to the world. It is good for us. One of the most important phrases in the paragraph is verse 4a: “He is God’s servant for your good.” What a tidal wave of evil would break over the world if there were no civil authorities for restraint – even bad civil authorities.
O, how we should give thanks for the restraint on evil that government brings! Listen, I know it’s hard to comprehend what I’m saying in light of recent riots and killings and protests in our own country, but it could be so much worse. I’m not excusing what’s taking place today. I’m not going soft on looting and rape and destruction of property. I’m not oblivious to the mountain of social, ethical, and moral issues that are tearing our country apart. But folks, it could be so much worse.
The World Economic Forum publishes an annual Global Competitiveness Report. As part of this report, they rank countries in the world according to the level of criminal gang activities. The top five countries on that list are: Guatemala, Mexico, Venezuela, Honduras, and El Salvador. If you want to know what life would look like without the civil magistrate, if you want to see how bad it can really get, then just look to cities like Tijuana and Juarez (Mex.), Caracas (Ven.), and San Salvador (El Sal.).
Consider this story from just a few years ago. Across the border from Laredo, Texas is the city of Nuevo Laredo, Mexico. The town lost its civil authority and is ruled by gangs.
Alejandro Dominguez was the only person brave enough to be police chief. Hours after he took office, assailants riddled his body with dozens of bullets in this city wracked by a turf battle between Mexico’s two main drug gangs.
The streets were virtually empty Thursday, a day after the killing, with only a handful of federal police armed with rifles and automatic weapons…
“We are defenseless,” attorney Zorina Medrano said at City Hall. “It’s obvious that the criminals are better organized (than the authorities). They sent the national army and even they weren’t respected. Who else can we ask for help?”
That’s a small snapshot of what the world would look like without God’s common grace of civil authority. What would you do if 911 didn’t answer? If there were no police. No firemen. No National Guard. Only gang members stealing and murdering without any restraint or retribution. Get this picture very clearly in your eyes, and then read verse four: “He [the civil authority] is God’s servant for your good.”
Let us give thanks for God’s wisdom and grace that the whole world is not one huge Nuevo Laredo. And while we have a measure of peace – since it won’t always be so – let us use it for the gospel of the glory of Christ, who rules the world.
Again, our Father, we thank You that You have not caused us to live in chaos, with no structure of authority. We pray that by Your Spirit You would continue to work within us and quiet the rebellious impulses that we have as part of our fallen nature. Give us that kind of humility that seeks to honor You by honoring all of those whom You have appointed and placed in authority over us. And now, O God, as we come to Your table, remind us that our first and foremost allegiance is to You – the One who bore our sin upon the cross of Calvary – and that only when we are in right relationship with You can we hope to be at peace with our fellow man. For we ask it in the name of Jesus, amen.