Romans 13:1-7

Render Unto Caesar..Render Unto God (Part Three)

by Pastor James Lincoln on March 18, 2007

 

Imagine living in a society with no local police, no state troopers or law enforcement. When you call 911 there is no response. Imagine life with no National Guard or military protecting your country. What if there were no speed limits not even around schools or in shopping malls? What if it didn't matter if you drove on the left side of the street or the right side? Instead, everyone did that which was right in his own eyes and drove anywhere they pleased. For a moment imagine there was no fire department.

Crassus the Fireman

In the second century B.C. the richest man in Rome was a man named Crassus. Along with Julia Caesar and Pompey he ruled Rome. At that time most of the homes in Rome were made of wood and built right next to each other like those in our urban cities today. Also, people had open fires going on inside their houses because the chimney had not yet been invented. Conditions like these made homes in Rome enormously vulnerable to fire. Now, there was no fire department in Rome in 2.c. B.C. Crassus was a thinking man. He bought a fire truck and hired skilled construction workers. When word of a fire got out he would take his crew and fire truck to the scene and offer to put out the fire. That sounded like a noble thing to do. But, there was a catch. He would put the fire out only if the owner would sell him the house. If he didn't sell, Crassus would let it burn to the ground. He made the same offer to the neighbors (while the fire was raging) and ended up owning most the property in Rome. According to the historian Plutarch that's how he made his fortune. Imagine what it would be like if there was no public fire department.

For the last two Sundays we've been thinking together about Romans 13. We've be thinking together about Paul's commandment to submit to the civil authorities. This morning I want us to look carefully at the specific reasons Paul gives us for yielding to the civil authorities. Let me review some thoughts that may have driven Paul to bring this up.

First, he didn't want these Christians to get killed.

Rebels posed little problem for Rome. Rome was very good at silencing insurrectionists. What she couldn't defeat were a group of Christians who followed the risen Jesus Christ. By the fifth c. A.D. half of Rome had become Christian. Paul didn't want to see this little band of Christians get killed in some foolish rebellion.

Second, Christians have a dual citizenship until Jesus comes back.

To confess Jesus as Lord doesn't mean they didn't have to submit to civil authorities. Paul's comment that Christians are no longer under the law didn't mean Christians were free to become law breakers.

Third, Justice is not served by private vigilantism.

God has ordained civil authorities to execute public justice. At the end of chapter 12, Paul said, "Don't retaliate when wronged... Don't repay evil for evil... Don't call down curses on your persecutors." But that raises a question. Paul, is that all you have to say about how God deals with wicked people in the world? Do they get off Scott free until the final judgment? In Romans 13 he says, "No. They don't." But, public justice is God's business. And, at least - in part - God goes about it through the governing authorities. Justice is not served by private vengeance and mob rule. Individual Christians are not to take the law into their own hands. Peter cautions us not to be, "...carried away by the error of lawless men." (2Pe.3:17).

Why Submit?

Now, this morning I want us to consider the explicit reasons Paul gives us here in verses 1-7 for submitting to the civil authorities. Why does he say here that we should submit? And why is he so absolute about it? He lists four explicit reasons. Let's think through his reasons together.

The Civil Authorities are God's Deacons

The first reason he gives is that civil authorities represent God's authority. He says that there is "no authority except from God and those that exist have been instituted by God." Also, in v. 2, he states that if you resist them you are resisting God. And that resistance brings down the judgment of God on you! Paul doesn't want us to be kicking against God.

Again, look at the words he uses for God's connection to the civil authorities. They are from God (v.1). They are instituted or ordained by God (v.1). In v. 4 he calls them God's servants or deacons. In v. 6 they are called God's ministers (leitourgos.) God has established the civil authorities and they are ordained to serve with His authority as his deacons in the world. A spirit of anarchy and defiance against God's ministers may make us adversaries with God.

Now, God's ordination of government means that government isn't a necessary evil. In fact it's anchored in the very nature of God and his calling on civil authorities. There will always be government in the world even in the new heaven and the new earth because authority and submission are indigenous to God Himself. Jesus always has and always will take great joy in obeying His heavenly Father. In the new earth we will take great joy in obeying our heavenly Father. Even there someone will have to decide which days the streets of gold get cleaned and others will have to yield to that arrangement. Government, authority and submission are all part of who God is. Submitting to governing authorities is not a necessary evil. It is submitting to God.

Also, this fact limits their authority. Their authority is not finally given to them by the consent of the people they govern. It comes to them first and foremost from God. So, we should submit to them as unto the Lord.

Civil Authorities: For Our Good (v.4)

The second reason he gives for us to submit to the civil authorities is that they are there for our good. Government is far better than anarchy and chaos even when the civil authorities are not so good. If you think life is bad under a bad ruler, imagine how bad things can get without any ruler at all.¹ One of the terrible commentaries in the book of Judges is, "Each one did that which was right in his own eyes." If you know the book of Judges you know how that played out. It wasn't good. It's hard for us to envision what life would be like without the restraints put on us by government. What if gangs ruled the streets? The movie Mad Max depicts the horrors of such a dystopia. What if might made right? No, government is there - Paul says - for your good.

Once again, this truth places limits upon the civil authorities. Not only are they accountable to God for what they do, they are to govern under God's moral law. When Jesus said, "Render unto Caesar what is Caesar's and give unto God what belongs to God," He established the divine calling of magistrates and at the same limited that authority to His will. And this is good for us.

It's good that police stop speeders. It saves lives. It's good that police arrest thieves and murderers and that judges review their cases. It's good that you pull over when an ambulance is racing to the hospital. It's good that you stop at stop signs and traffic lights. It's good that you entrust the civil authorities to carry out justice instead of us establishing your own revenge and justice. It's good that we have people in authority to put out fires instead of privateers taking advantage of vulnerable circumstances. Whether you drive on the left side of the street or the right side is not a moral issue. But the fact that you make it a law to drive on one side or the other and not in a random chaotic way saves lives. That's a good thing. Also, God makes an absolute claim on what is good. When God commands us against murder that means that civil authorities should protect a divine right of life from the time life begins to the time it ends. When God commands us not to bear false witness it means that authorities should protect us from injury due to perjury. When God commands us not to steal that means we have a divine right to our property. Governments are to be God's deacons to do good and to protect people from thieves. Paul is saying, "Look, submit to the civil authorities because they are God's servants for good." As a rule, if you keep your nose clean they'll leave you alone and not hurt you.

Civil Authorities Bear the Sword.

Paul's third, reason for submitting to your government is, that it does not bear the sword for nothing or the gun or the night stick or the fine or the jail house (v.4). It's appropriate to have a fear of the authorities when you do lawless and wicked things. They are ordained by God to carry out a measure of His justice and punishment in the world and to keep you in line. This is good even when they do it imperfectly. If your neighbor moves your fence to claim your property you don't have the authority to punish him for that. But you do have recourse to the civil authorities to do something about it. However, if you do wicked stuff you should be afraid of them. Paul says that fear is appropriate and restrains us from doing bad things.

The Greater Reality

Now these two tasks of government (to praise the good and to punish the wicked) tell us that standing above the civil authorities is a greater reality. And that greater reality is God and His moral law. Paul does not say that the state has the right to define what is right and wrong. They are supposed to support it. The state serves God and God lays an absolute claim on what is good and what is bad. Right and wrong are the things the state is supposed to support or punish...but it doesn't define them. God does.

By the way the same is true for you and me. As our Creator and sustainer He has the authority to tell us what to do with our time, bodies, money, our thinking and aspirations. He's the Lord. One ancient pastor wrote: "When tyrants reign, let us first remember our faults, which are chastised by such scourges and therefore humility will restrain our impatience."

For Your Conscience' Sake (v.5)

Paul gives us one last reason for submitting to the civil authorities. If you rebel with a spirit of insurrection you may find yourself violating your own conscience. "Wherefore it is necessary to be in subjection, not only because of wrath, but also for conscience' sake" (v.5).

Paul doesn't want you to compromise your Christian conscience. How do you feel when you are speeding? How do you feel when you cheat on a building code or doctor up a temporary license so you can save a few bucks? How do you feel when you run a stop sign? How do you feel when you misrepresent yourself on your taxes? I hope you feel guilty. Why does he say in v. 6, "because of this you also pay taxes...or v. 7 to give taxes and customs to whom they are due?" Police and the fireman need money to live! And they need to be respected and honored for what they do.

"Give everyone what you owe him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor." Rom. 13:7

I often wonder about the lack of honor we give to those who govern us. Are we as quick to honor as we are to criticize? Are you as thoughtful in honoring them as you are in criticizing them? Don't you sometimes yearn to hear someone say something good about how our governing leaders make things work well in America? Beloved they do. We have thousands of good and noble laws, officer and leaders who make this country work well every day. And they should be honored for it as well as held accountable. Do you honor the civil authorities?

But, what does your conscience do when you are a lawbreaker? Hopefully it stings and causes you to adjust. Listen, if you disobey long enough your conscience can become seared and calloused to the point where you can break the law without feeling anything. And if you keep that up your conscience will learn to fail you when you need it most. Why should we submit to the civil authorities? Because a rebellious heart, attitude and autonomous willfulness against them may cause your heart to close off to hearing God's voice about what is good and what is wicked. And that will cost you your freedom to obey God.

A friend once said that he was so glad that he wasn't any longer under the law. He interpreted that to mean that he could be a law breaker with impunity now that he was under grace. I asked him, "Are you really free or are you calling the bondage to you own appetites freedom?" Think of the freedom that comes just by submitting to the speed limits. If you do you'll be free from the worry of getting a ticket. If you do you'll be free from the worry of being responsible for injuring someone on the road. I think Paul is saying, "Look, don't become an anarchist and sacrifice your conscience in the process. "

OK, those are his reasons for why we should submit to the civil authorities. They are ordained by God as his deacons. They are there for you good. You can get punished or even killed if you don't. You can burden you conscience with guilt and even sear it if you aren't careful.

Was Paul Naive?

When Paul says that the civil authorities praise the good and punish the wicked doesn't he know that they often don't? Why does Paul not mention the obvious? What do you do when the civil authorities don't play by the rules? Does Paul not know that governments often praise the wicked and punish the good? Is he a blind idealist?

Come on; let's give Paul a little credit here. No. He's not naive. He knew all about people in authority doing wicked things. He himself did so when Stephen was stoned by the authorities. He was full aware of what Pilate had done to Jesus. He found himself on the receiving end of injustice by the authorities. He knows the civil authorities don't always act justly.

He also knew that God approves of his people when they don't submit to some civil authority. Beloved, he knew his Bible much better than we do. He knew that God chastised Israel for submitting to Jeroboam when they worshipped the golden calves he set up in Israel. He knew that God blessed Daniel for disobeying Nebuchadnezzar and he knew about the Hebrew midwives. Rahab and John and Peter put God above the government. But, if he knew all of this why does he not mention the exceptions to his commandment? Just being an obedient Christian in many places of the world today can be a breach of the civil law. Why so absolute?

What if Caesar reads this?

Given the trouble Paul had been in with the civil authorities he may have anticipated that his letter would find its way to Caesar or the civil authorities. If Caesar reads this He wants him to understand that Christians, by claiming Jesus as Lord, are not out to overthrow his empire by some political or military insurrection. Christians submit to laws, they pay taxes; they show respect and do good in the community. Christians aren't revolutionaries against the throne. They are harmless people who want to love and win the lost and do a lot of good for the empire.

He also wants the civil authorities to know that their authority comes from God and is to be regulated by His law to serve Him and not their own appetites. If Caesar reads this he will hear that Caesar is not God. Caesar is not absolute. He's secondary not primary. He's not in control, God is in control. So the absoluteness of the statement may be designed to leave Caesar no room for the pursuit of his own autonomous appetites. God is absolutely above Caesar.

But that also says something to Christians

God has put governments in place and submission should be our first impulse, but no government is absolute. Only God and His law are absolute. Here is a clear declaration that civil authority must submit to the moral law of God. There is right and there is wrong. Government does not create it; government is to conform to it and serve it. So Paul has two devastating things to say to Caesar. One, you are not God. Two, your laws are not the highest laws. God's are. So, Christians must obey God rather than man when they are in conflict with each other. There is a solid witness of this in Scripture.

Real joy, humility, faith and Christ-likeness are more important than our civil rights.

Finally, and I'll close with this, he writes in absolute terms about our submission because he is more concerned with our Joy in God, humility, obedient hearts, self-denial, faith than he is about our current civil liberties.

Paul risked being misunderstood on the side of submission to the civil authorities because he saw misplaced joy, misplaced hope, misplaced faith and misplaced power as a greater danger to Christians than government injustice.

One preacher said something like this, "I cannot imagine Paul writing this way if he thought that the ultimate thing in life was being treated fairly by the government. But I can imagine him writing this way if faith and humility and self-denial and readiness to suffer for Christ and our joy in God is the main thing."

Beloved, if we suffer the loss of rights, we have only become more like Christ. That's not to say we shouldn't advocate and defend God-given rights. We should do this. It means not finding in them our greatest or final hope, joy or ambition. Knowing Christ, loving God and being satisfied in Him is our greatest hope and joy. Beloved, if success is your God then God isn't. If wealth is your God then God isn't. If health is your God then God isn't. If power and honor is your God then God isn't. Governments can take these things away.

However, only one is worthy to be your God. Only one is able to hold the heavy weight of your joy, hope and faith and that is God himself through His Son Jesus. And no one can ever take the blessings of His love and mercy away from us. So, beloved, Give unto Caesar what is Caesar's. He is God's servant...And give unto God what is God's, for He is your God. And as you do, may the joy of the Lord be your strength.