When Government and God Collide
Romans 13:1-7 (Pt. 2)
Summary
1. The Ideal Citizen
Romans 13:1 (NASB), “Every person is to be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God. 2 Therefore whoever resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God; and they who have opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves.”
• The Biblical ideal society is for every citizen (Christian or not) to respect authority, as under God, and obey the law.
2. The Ideal Government
Romans 13:3 (NASB), “For rulers are not a cause of fear for good behavior, but for evil. Do you want to have no fear of authority? Do what is good and you will have praise from the same; 4 for it is a servant of God to you for good. But if you do what is evil, be afraid; for it does not bear the sword for nothing; for it is a servant of God, an avenger who brings wrath on the one who practices evil.
• NOTICE: The ideal government does two things well.
• It rewards good guys and punishes bad guys.
• Why is this?
• V. 4 – “for it is a servant of God for good.” (that’s the ideal).
• Because crime doesn’t pay and doing evil is not tolerated.
• Now we move on from the ideal to the real...
3. Government and Christian Conscience
Romans 13:5 (NASB), “Therefore it is necessary to be in subjection, not only because of wrath, but also for the sake of conscience. 6 For because of this you also pay taxes, for rulers are servants of God, devoting themselves to this very thing. 7 Pay to all what is due them: tax to whom tax is due; custom to whom custom; respect to whom respect; honor to whom honor.”
• As Christians, we submit to authority not just to avoid penalty, tickets, jail or fines, but also because of conscience -- meaning it is our duty to God who established authority.
• “Pay to all what is due” – that’s the command.
• Pay tax and custom (tribute). That’s our financial duty.
• Pay respect (or fear) and honor. That’s our moral duty.
• This is where we must pay attention to Christian conscience. By Christian conscience I mean a Christian whose conscience has been trained in the Word of God.
• Our conscience is like a sundial. Sundials work just fine as long as there is – sunlight! But, without the truth and light of Christ on our conscience, our conscience cannot be trusted.
• What do we do when government has no moral conscience and fails in its service to God and citizen?
• How do we pay honor when government persecutes the church?
• How do we respect a government that punishes good and rewards evil, in the name of equality?
• Our conscience must ask, “What is due to government, and what is due to God?”
Timothy Decker, “It is not an error for Christians to demand that their civil government keep true to its laws and properly carry out its duties toward its citizens.”
There are many examples when the early Christians obeyed God and not the ruling authorities.
When Government and God Collide
1. Peter and John were forbidden to preach. (Acts 4)
2. Herod Agrippa killed James. (Acts 12)
3. Paul and Silas were beaten/imprisoned. (Acts 16)
4. Paul was threatened with flogging. (Acts 22)
5. Paul defended himself/appealed to Caesar. (Acts 25)
• John Stott, “Whenever laws are enacted which contradict God’s Law, civil disobedience becomes a Christian duty.”
• Charles Spurgeon, “I often hear it said, ‘Don’t bring religion into politics.’ This is precisely where it ought to be brought.”
• We know what government is like without God. Atheism was the official religion of the Soviet government. Here what Lenin wrote...
Vladimir Lenin, Letter 1913, “Every religious idea, every idea of God, even flirting with the idea of God, is unutterable vileness... of the most dangerous kind, ‘contagion’ of the most abominable kind. Millions of sins, filthy deeds, acts of violence and physical contagions... are far less dangerous than the subtle, spiritual idea of God...”
Dietrich Bonhoeffer saw tyranny rising long before WW2 in Germany. (the movie on Bonhoeffer’s life comes out this month). Bonhoeffer gathered the German Pastors in 1933 and pleaded with them to do three things:
1. The Church was the conscience of the state and must call it to account. It must loudly object if the state was doing wrong.
2. The Church was obligated to help any victims of the state. That included the Jews and other casualties of the regime. As you know, Bonhoeffer risked his life in rescuing his Jewish relatives and others.
3. If the state refused to change course and do the right thing, but rather continued in its sins—it was the solemn obligation of Christians to take action -- to “shove a stick in the spokes” of the state.
• How do Christians “shove a stick in the spokes” of the state? **We vote!**
CONCLUSION: Civil Authorities Need the Gospel Too
Acts 5: 28, “‘We gave you strict orders not to continue teaching in this name, and yet, you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and intend to bring this Man’s blood upon us.’ 29 But Peter and the apostles answered, ‘We must obey God rather than men. 30 The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom you put to death by hanging Him on a cross. 31 He is the one whom God exalted to His right hand as a Prince and a Savior, to grant repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.’”
• The Jewish rulers were prophetic. The Gospel is intended to bring His blood upon you, so you can be forgiven!
• After this, one of the leaders, Gamaliel stood up and said, “We better let them go. We don’t want to be fighting against God.”
• Vote for political candidates who welcome people of faith, and with the common sense to not be fighting/legislating against God.
A Romans 13 Christian Voter Guide
1. We vote to exercise our authority as citizens.
2. We vote to elect the authorities we will submit to.
3. We vote to choose the principles/policies we will be subject to.
4. Candidates with moral clarity.
5. Candidates who praise what is good.
6. Candidates who will restrain/punish evil.
7. A Christian votes his/her conscience.
8. A Christian votes for the best use of taxes.
9. A Christian votes to pay honor/respect to the candidates they choose.
10. Vote for candidates who are not atheistic in their worldview, but who fear God and welcome people of faith.
