The Christian's Duty Toward Governmental Authority

1. The Christian’s Duty Toward Governmental Authority
In recent weeks and months, I have been hearing those professing to be
followers of Christ questioning local, state, and federal governments, the
laws that arein place and our obligationtofollow those laws. Weare
experiencing a growing spirit ofrebellion in thepursuit of “personal
freedoms” and “individualrights.”I have even heard anarchistic arguments
suggesting theneed to eliminateour submissionto law enforcement
entirely. Whilegovernmentalinstitutionsarenot perfect and are
oftentimesinefficient, greedyand even corrupt, we have a God-givenduty
toward these entities.
How do we know this? BecauseGod, Christ, and the apostlessaid it!As
Christians, weare indeed set apart from the world. But we still have to live
in the world. In Jesus’ prayer prior to His arrest, He said the following of
His disciples: “I do not ask that you takethem out of the world, but that
you keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am
not of the world. Sanctify them intruth;your word istruth.” (John 17:15-
17) We areindeed sanctified bythetruth of the gospel. However, we live in
a country, state, and citythat hashumangovernmentsand, just becausewe
are Christians, weare not exempt from that. The apostlePaulwrote: “Let
every person be subject tothe governing authorities. For there is no
authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by
God. Therefore, whoever resiststhe authoritiesresistswhat God has
appointed, and those whoresist will incur judgment. For rulersare not a
terror to good conduct, but tobad. Would you have no fear of the one who
is in authority? Thendowhat is good, and you will receive his
approval, 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 carriesout God's wrath onthe
wrongdoer.Therefore, one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God's
wrath but also for the sake of conscience. For because of thisyou also pay
taxes, for the authoritiesare ministersofGod, attending tothisvery
thing.Pay toall what is owed to them:taxesto whom taxesare owed,
revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect isowed, honor
to whom honor is owed.”(Romans 13:1-7)

2. Please note the text: EVERY PERSON, including Christiansaresubject to
the governing authorities. Why? Becausetheyhave been institutedbyGod.
Paulgoes on to plainly statethat those who resist these authoritieswill
incur judgment. In simpleterms, a poor attitudetoward authorityonearth
is a poor attitudetoward theGod of heaven.
So, if a governmentalauthorityis corrupted inany way, arewe as
Christians freeto ignore their authority? Jesusoften described thescribes
and Phariseesashypocriticaland corrupt. However, consider his
instructionstohisdisciplesregarding their authority: “The scribesand
Pharisees sit on Moses’ seat, so do and observe whatever they tellyou, but
not the works they do. For they preach, but do not practice. Theytie up
heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on people’s shoulders, but they
themselvesare not willing to move them with their finger.”(Matthew
23:2-4)
Indeed, their conduct was corrupted, hypocriticaland oftentimes
deplorable. However, the discipleswere to do and observe whatever they
were told to do. Their examples weren’t to be copied, but the order of their
authoritywasto be upheld. By so doing, they would demonstrate their
respect, not for them, but for God. Remember, governmentalauthorities
are appointed byGod and thus their actionsand the fulfillment of their
dutiesare performed on God’s behalf.
Do we have the right tospeak evil of them? Socialmedia certainlyisfilled
with such endeavors, even among those professing to be followers of the
instructionsgiveninRomans 13 and Matthew 23. On a daily basis, you can
read (or hear) slanderous statementsagainst thoseinauthority, whether
based in truth or not. Peter spoke of “those whoindulge in the lust of
defiling passion and despise authority. Bold and willful, they do not
tremble as they blaspheme the gloriousones” (2 Peter 2:10) To many, clear
teaching onthe error of slandering authoritystrikesno fear in them at all.
Paulalso wrote: “Remind them to be submissive torulers and authorities,
to be obedient, tobe ready for every good work,to speak evil of no one, to
avoid quarreling, tobe gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all
people.” (Titus3:1-2) How would one describeyou? Submissive, obedient,
gentle, etc.? Or, bitter, angry, accusatory, and expressing hatred?

3. “Be subject for the Lord’s sake to every humaninstitution, whether it be to
the emperor as supreme, or to governors as sent by him to punish those
whodo evil and to praise those who do good. For thisis the will of God,
that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish
people. Live as people whoare free, not using your freedom as a cover-up
for evil, but living as servantsof God. Honor everyone. Love the
brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor.”(1 Peter 2:13-17)
The effectivedeterrent to any unreasonable mancan be found in the
positiveactionsof a faithfulfollower of Christ. You may choose to devote
your timeto politicalcausesand becomewrapped up in “socialchange” by
public activism. But, guard your timewisely. We are not going to change
the world by picketing WashingtonD.C. We canchange the world by living
and teaching thewill of God.
What about taxes? Thisshould be an easy conclusiondrawnfrom plain
teaching ofthe Bible. This is the questionasked of Jesus and His response
on thesubject of taxes: “Tell us, then, what you think.Is it lawful to pay
taxesto Caesar, or not?” But Jesus, aware of their malice, said, ‘Why put
me to the test, you hypocrites? Show me the coinfor the tax.’ And they
brought him a denarius. And Jesussaid to them, ‘Whose likeness and
inscriptionisthis?’ They said, ‘Caesar’s.’ Thenhe said to them, ‘Therefore
render to Caesar the thingsthat are Caesar’s, and to God the thingsthat
are God’s.’”(Matthew 22:17-21) Thereshould be no grayarea here.
Nowherein the world has excessivetaxationbeenmoreegregiousthan
during theRoman empire. However, taxeswere to be paid, according to
Jesus. Whether it be federal, state, or even the businesslicenses required to
fund local governments, they MUST be paid.
To be clear, nowhere did Jesus say obey laws contrarytoGod’s will. That is
not the issue at hand. The apostleswere imprisoned numeroustimesfor
refusing to stop preaching thegospel of Jesus. Isn’t it interesting that much
of theinspired teaching onthe subject of submissionto governmental
authoritiescomesfrom men who were falsely imprisoned bythe very ones
to whom submissionwasto be given?
The lack of submissionand the growing socialmedia onslaught toward
authorityistroubling. It does not appear tobe isolated. There is a spirit of
rebellion to all governmentalauthority, federal, and statelawmakersand

4. even local police departments. Furthermore, it isfinding itsway into our
schools, homes, and places of work. The most troubling part isthat it is not
just slanderous rebellion against a president, governor, mayor, teacher, or a
police chief. It is rebellion against God.
Consider one more thing. Paulgives us further instructionsonsuch
matters: “First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers,
intercessions, and thanksgivingsbe made for all people, for kings and all
whoare in high positions, that we may lead a peacefuland quiet life, and
godly and dignified inevery way.” (1 Timothy 2:1-2) Wehave been given
the COMMANDtoprayfor our governmentalauthorities. Haveyou done so
today? Thanks be to God that he has set up forms of government that allow
us to live peaceablyamong menso that we can serve and devote our lives to
Him. Let us pray that thiscontinues.