Church Series-Romans 13.1-7-The Church is to Obey the Governmental Authorities
Wenstrom Bible Ministries
Pastor-Teacher Bill Wenstrom
Wednesday November 23, 2016
The Church Series: The Church’s is to Obey the Governmental Authorities
Lesson # 19
The force of what Paul writes in Romans 13:1-7 is greatly increased as a result of understanding that one of the worst tyrants in human history, Nero was ruling Rome at the time.
Romans 13:1 Each and every person must continue making it their habit of voluntarily subjecting themselves to the governmental authorities because there is, as an eternal spiritual truth, absolutely no authority except by God. Specifically, those which at any time do exist are, as an eternal spiritual truth, ordained by God. (Author’s translation)
The apostle Paul in Romans 13:1 issues a command for his Christian readers in Rome to continue making it their habit of voluntarily subjecting themselves to the governmental authorities in Rome.
Then, he presents the reason as to why the Roman believers should continue doing this, namely because there is, as an eternal spiritual truth, absolutely no authority that exists on the earth except by God.
Lastly, he defines specifically this reason by teaching that those governmental authorities, which do at any time in history exist on the earth have been ordained from eternity past by God the Father under the divine decree.
Romans 13:2 Therefore, the one who, at any time does set himself or herself in opposition against this authority is in a state of opposition against this institution originating with God the Father. In fact, those who are in a state of opposition will, as a certainty, undergo judgment for the detriment of themselves. (Author’s translation)
In Romans 13:2, Paul resumes the discussion from verse 1 as to why the Romans believers are to obey the command in verse 1 to continue to voluntarily subjecting themselves to the governmental authorities.
In Romans 13:2, Paul presents an inference from his instruction in verse 1 by teaching that the Christian who at any time does set himself or herself in opposition against any governmental authority is in a state of opposition against this institution, which originates from God the Father.
He advances upon this statement teaching also that those Christians who are in a state of opposition against any governmental authority will, as a certainty, undergo judgment at the hands of these authorities for the detriment of themselves.
Romans 13:3 Furthermore, rulers are, as an eternal spiritual truth, never a cause of fear with respect to conduct which is good in character but rather with respect to that which is evil in character. Consequently, do you desire not to live in a state of fear of this authority? Continue making it your habit of practicing that which is good in character so that you will, as a certainty, experience recognition from the same. (Author’s translation)
He asserts that the Roman believers must continue to voluntarily subject themselves to the governmental authorities because governmental rulers are a cause of fear for those whose conduct is evil.
Then, he poses a rhetorical question that follows as a logical consequence of this previous statement.
Thus, Paul is saying that since governmental rulers are a cause of fear for law breakers consequently or as a logical consequence to this if you do not want to live in fear of the authorities, then obey the laws of the land.
The command that presents the logical consequence of the rhetorical question requires that Paul’s Christian readers in Rome must continue practicing that which is good, i.e. obedience to the laws of the Roman government.
Lastly, this command is followed by a result clause indicating that if Paul’s readers continue making it their habit of practicing that which is good in character, i.e. obedience to the governing authorities, the result will be that they will receive praise from the governing authorities.
The implication of this result is that Paul wants his readers to be outstanding citizens since only those who were outstanding citizens received commendation from the Roman government.
Romans 13:4 For you see, it is, as an eternal spiritual truth God’s servant for your benefit for the purpose of encouraging that which is good in character. However, if you, at any time practice that which is evil in character, then begin and continue to live in a state of fear because it, as an eternal spiritual truth by no means exists in the state of bearing the sword without justification because it is, as an eternal spiritual truth God’s servant, an avenger for the purpose of exercising God’s righteous indignation against those who exist in a state of committing that which is evil in character. (Author’s translation)
Then, in Romans 13:4, Paul makes two assertions that explain or elaborate on his previous statements in verse 3 with regards to the positive and negative function of governmental authority.
Romans 13:4 can be divided grammatically into five sections and begins with an explanatory statement that is divided into two sections.
The declarative statement “it is, as an eternal spiritual truth God’s servant for your benefit for the purpose of encouraging that which is good in character.” elaborates on the positive function of governmental authority, which he addresses in the command at the end of verse 3.
The adversative clause “however, if you, at any time practice that which is evil in character, then begin and continue to live in a state of fear” elaborates on the negative function of governmental authority, which Paul mentions in the causal clause at the beginning of verse 3.
The causal clause “because it, as an eternal spiritual truth by no means exists in the state of bearing the sword without justification” elaborates on this negative function.
It presents the reason why Paul’s readers should live in a state of fear for practicing evil, namely because God has delegated authority to the government to inflict capital punishment for those who practice evil such as murder.
Then we have another causal clause “because it is, as an eternal spiritual truth God’s servant” which teaches that governmental authority is justified for inflicting capital punishment upon those who commit evil because they serve God by doing so.
Lastly, the epexegetical clause “an avenger for the purpose of exercising God’s righteous indignation against those who exist in a state of committing that which is evil in character” is clarifying for the reader exactly the responsibility of the governmental authorities in relation to God the Father’s purpose for them.
It teaches that when the governmental authority uses capital punishment against criminals it is expressing God’s righteous indignation.
Therefore, in Romans 13:4, Paul is teaching his readers that governmental rulers are God’s servants, which is demonstrated by these two functions.
For the Christian, the positive function of governmental authority is that it encourages conduct that is in obedience to the Father’s will in relation to one’s fellow human being, which can be summarized by the command to love one’s neighbor as oneself.
The negative function discourages conduct that it is evil or in other words, it discourages conduct that is in disobedience to the will of God.
Governmental authority serves God by fulfilling these two functions.
Romans 13:5 Therefore, to continue voluntarily subjecting yourselves is, as an eternal spiritual truth, always absolutely imperative, not only because of this exercise of righteous indignation but also because of your conscience. (Author’s translation)
Romans 13:5 is a summarization and a self-evident inference or conclusion based upon Paul’s teaching in Romans 13:1-4.
Therefore, based upon this teaching, to continue voluntarily subjecting themselves to the governmental authorities in Rome is always absolutely imperative for Paul’s Christian readers in Rome.
Romans 13:6 In fact, because of this, all of you make it a habit of even paying taxes because they are, as an eternal spiritual truth, God’s commissioned public servants, continually dedicated to this very thing. (Author’s translation)
In Romans 13:6, Paul teaches that the Roman believers pay taxes because of their conscience in the sense that they pay taxes because they know that all authority originates from God and is His servant and that it is the will of the Father that they subject themselves to these authorities.
Consequently, Paul is teaching them that they pay taxes to the Roman governmental authorities because of their knowledge that they, like all human government, was established by God and are His servants to encourage good conduct and discourage evil conduct.
They also pay taxes because of their knowledge that it is God’s will that they subject themselves to the governmental authorities.
Paul’s statement in verse 6 is teaching the Roman believers that their paying taxes to the Roman government is an implicit recognition of the government’s authority and power over them that was delegated by God to the Roman government.
Then, in this passage, he teaches that the reason why Paul’s Christians readers in Rome pay taxes to the Roman governmental authorities is that they are God’s public servants since the Father has delegated authority to them to govern and protect the human race from the unrestricted function of the sin nature.
Therefore, Paul is teaching that the institution of human government is a manifestation of God’s sovereign rule over human beings and functions as His servant to carry out His purpose of protecting and sustaining and blessing the human race.
Romans 13:7 I solemnly charge all of you to make it your top priority to fulfill each and every one of your obligations to each and every one of them, without exception: To the one who receives the tribute tax, that which is the tribute tax, to the one who receives the indirect custom tax, that which is the indirect custom tax, to the one who receives reverence, that which is reverential in character, to the one who receives honor, that which is honorable in character. (Author’s translation)
In Romans 13:7, Paul solemnly charged the Romans to make it their top priority to fulfill their four-fold obligation to the governmental authorities.
This four-fold obligation involves paying the Roman government “direct tribute taxes,” “indirect custom taxes,” and bestowing “reverence” and “honor” on them because they are public servants of God for their good.
