A Word about True Patriotism from Romans 13

Today I want to share a word about true patriotism as I comment on Romans 13:1-7.

Few areas of life today are more controversial than politics and governance.  In a modern democracy, the winner of an election may still have almost one-half of his fellow citizens vote against him.

Although we have established here in the United States a “government of the people, by the people, and for the people” we may need to ask the question, “Should we have human governments?”

One response to this question is illustrated in the novel and movie “The Sand Pebbles.”  During one of the civil wars in China during the inter-war years a missionary family declared themselves to be stateless persons.  This didn't help, for that status wasn't recognized by any of the combatant sides.  We have to live with human governments whether we like it or not!

Paul taught us how to view human government in Romans 13:1-7. 

FIRST, GOD HAS ORDAINED HUMAN GOVERNMENT:

In verses 1 and 2 Paul made this point to the church at Rome:

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. Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment.

Scholars have discerned that three realms of authority on earth have been established in the Bible: 

The first realm is The Family. We see this in the Creation Story in Genesis, in the wedding at Cana, in 1 Corinthians 1:7 and Ephesians Chapter 4. 

The next realm is The Church, which looks back to Matthew Chapter 16 and Acts Chapter 2 for its founding.

Finally, there is the realm of Government, which we see established through Jethro’s counsel to Moses in Exodus Chapter 18, and also here in Romans Chapter 13. 

These first two verses answer the question of why we should be obedient to human government. 

Personal loyalty is the most powerful reason for obedience. People will lie, cheat, steal, and die for those they believe in. The fates of the Apostles, with all of them martyred in one way or another, shows their loyalty and obedience to Christ.

The problem we have with this is that people are human and frail, and they will fail us. The pastor who married my wife and I often said from the pulpit, “Don’t follow me. I am human and I will fail you. Follow God, follow His Word, and follow the Holy Spirit.” 

Governments at all levels are made up of people, they will fail. Our loyalty is to God; however, we need to remember that He asks us to be obedient to our government. 

So, as we loyally follow God and are obedient to our government, what does Paul mean when he tells us to be subject to our government? Paul was not asking us to be doormats or slaves. In fact, he asserted his rights as a Roman citizen several times in the Book of Acts.

The Greek word translated “subject” really means to cooperate, to play our proper part. It was used to describe military units arranging themselves in proper order on the battlefield. It means holding human government accountable, but it does not mean to rebel without just cause.

Because our nation was founded in rebellion, we sometimes forget how destructive rebellion is to society. Our war for independence produced a stable nation but the French Revolution continued on for many years and wreaked havoc with French society. 

Rebellion, which God equates with witchcraft, is not something we should choose lightly.

NEXT, GOD USES HUMAN GOVERNMENT: 

One reason God wants us to obey human government, according to Paul in verses 3 and 4, is that God uses it:

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, 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.

God is not physically present in this world today. He has chosen to use humans to accomplish His bidding. His task for the family is to raise our children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. His task for the church is to redeem the ungodly, not control them. The government is God’s chosen instrument to control human behavior.

God has empowered government to control human behavior for him:

He has given the state the power to penalize wrong doers. God has also given the state power to reward those who do good. We don’t often see a police officer as a minister of God, but according to Paul, he is! 

And remember, Paul did not live in a democracy the way we do here in the United States. He was the citizen of an authoritarian and often despotically governed empire, yet God revealed to him the role that government played in God’s eternal plan.

God reserves the right of vengeance to Himself; in Romans 12:19 we read, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” God deputizes human government to repay. God even outlines punishments in the Bible that governments can use, such as fines, restitution, death, even banishment.

God does love justice and mercy, but we need to allow Him to discipline His own servant. When we try to do that, we put ourselves in the place of the Master, and this, of course, is wrong. 

FINALLY, GOD EXPECTS PARTICIPATION IN HUMAN GOVERNMENT: 

In verses 5 through 7, Paul gave some practical examples of what God expects of us:

Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God's wrath but also for the sake of conscience. For because of this you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing. 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.

I can think of three basic reasons to obey a government:

Out of blind habit.

Out of fear of punishment.

Out of respect for the God who put government in place. 

My wife is a retired teacher. During her career in education, she discovered that all students would obey a strict teacher, but only the respectful students would obey all teachers.

As we respect God, we must also respect our government in practical ways such as:

Paying our taxes and other fees.

Treating our leaders with respect and honor.

Obeying the laws of the land.

As Jesus Himself said, we should give unto Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s!

The bottom line is that we must work with and in government. We do this to improve it and to ensure it maintains the appropriate level of righteousness and justice. 

We also need to use it for the best advantage of the Gospel. Paul appealing to Rome in Acts Chapter 25 allowed him to go to Rome and share the Gospel there, such that even members of Caesar’s household became followers of Christ.

We also, individually, need to consider becoming part of government so that we, as Christians, can help leaven the loaf, so to speak.

CONCLUSION:

We often find it hard to believe that God can use something so disorganized and riddled with problems as government.  

Of course, if He can use a similarly troublesome body like the church, He can certainly use human governments.  

We need to honor His purposes in that endeavor.

Every blessing,

Dr. Otis Corbitt