When I was in my first year of college, a young man attempted to witness to me about the Bible by saying that Romans 13:1, 2 and following said that God put all government leaders in power, and we were to obey them. I will tell you what I said to him at the end of this blog.

I did not know the truth about Romans 13 and obedience to the government for many years, but I never forgot what he said.  His comments stayed on a hook in my mind until I found a good answer/response to his statements.

Romans 1-11 sets out the reason mankind needed a redeemer. “All have sinned and come short of the glory of God,” “there are none righteous, no not one.”  It also sets the criteria for salvation for both the Judean and the Gentile — believing the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It also shows that the accomplishments of Jesus Christ made available spirit life, which Adam lost, to all those that believe the Gospel concerning Jesus Christ.

It speaks about our walk in newness of life for those that have been justified by believing the accomplishments of Jesus Christ. 

It speaks about walking according to the new nature and not the old nature of sin.

It speaks about the believer no longer being under condemnation/judgment and being inseparable from God any longer.

It speaks about the realities of the accomplishments of Jesus Christ being made available to both the Judean and the Gentile by believing.

Then in Romans 12 especially Vs. 9 and following, it speaks about the believers’ walk in love toward those that have been born again or born from above.  In *A Journey through the Acts and Epistles on page 245, one of the footnotes reads: “Here in Romans 12 it is considered in its practical aspects with regard to the renewing of the mind and the relationships with others in the body of Christ.” (emphasis added)

One of the relationships we have in the body of Christ is our relationship with the higher powers God has placed in the church.

Romans 13:1-2 Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation. KJV

The Living Bible translates Romans 13:1-7 this way!

Romans 13:1-7 Obey the government, for God is the one who has put it there. There is no government anywhere that God has not placed in power. So those who refuse to obey the laws of the land are refusing to obey God, and punishment will follow. For the policeman does not frighten people who are doing right; but those doing evil will always fear him. So, if you don’t want to be afraid, keep the laws and you will get along well. The policeman is sent by God to help you. But if you are doing something wrong, of course you should be afraid, for he will have you punished. He is sent by God for that very purpose. Obey the laws, then, for two reasons: first, to keep from being punished, and second, just because you know you should. Pay your taxes too, for these same two reasons. For government workers need to be paid so that they can keep on doing God’s work, serving you.  Pay everyone whatever he ought to have: pay your taxes and import duties gladly, obey those over you, and give honor and respect to all those to whom it is due.

Although many have said and translated the “higher powers” here to be the government, the context does not support that understanding. It is obvious from reading history that God did not put at least some of the more modern leaders into power for us to obey. God did not put Hitler, Mussolini, Stalin, or Pol Pot in their positions where they set out and killed many of God’s people. Even with a small amount of logic, that should be evident.

God uses the illustration in Romans 13 of the respect, honor, and monies paid to the government to teach us we are to give that same honor and respect to the higher powers in the church, the body of Christ. So much so, we owe no man anything.

The section of scripture that does deal with obedience to the government is in 1 Peter.

Although these records in 1 Peter are not addressed to the whole church, they are addressed to all Israel that are born again and were part of the diaspora, the scattered of Israel.  They were to be a royal priesthood to serve those not born from above, the Gentiles.  It talks about their conduct as they lived and served as strangers and foreigners here on the earth. (This world is not our home!)

From *A Journey through the Acts and Epistles:

 1 Peter 2:11-15 Beloved, I exhort you as visiting foreigners and sojourners to abstain from fleshly cravings, anything that wars against the soul, keeping your good manner of life among the Gentiles, so that by it those who speak against you as evildoers may glorify God in the day of visitation as they behold your good works.  Be subject to every created human being for the Lord’s sake: whether to a king as the one in authority or to governors as those sent by him [the king] for punishment of evildoers and for praise of those who do good. So is the will of God that by doing good you may muzzle the ignorance of foolish people.

God by way of Peter speaks here also of the born-again Israelites’ relationship with wives and Gentile husbands, and men that have Gentile masters or employers. 

Even though this is not written to the body of Christ at large, there is much to be learned from what God instructs the diaspora, the displaced and born-again Israelites, on conduct while we in the church sojourn here until Christ returns.

In 1 Peter 2, it also says if you are going to sin (get in trouble with those in authority over you), it is no glory to you or your Father even if you patiently endure the consequences.  But if you get in trouble for righteousness sake, that is grace before God.

1 Peter 2:21 – 23 Moreover, for this purpose you were called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving an example to you so that you might follow his tracks, “who did not sin, nor was deceit found in his mouth.” When he was insulted, he did not retaliate with an insult.  When he suffered, he did not threaten in return, but he delivered himself to Him Who judges justly. WTJ

Having looked at all of this, it is important to remember that our lives are not our own.  Having God’s spirit within, we are to walk with Him as to right conduct in different situations.

We have the written Word here to guide us, and we have His gift of holy spirit. It takes both a knowledge of His Word and the spirit of God to walk in the love of God.

Some have talked about our “rights” lately — our rights under the Constitution or our rights according to the founding fathers of our country.

Romans 14 talks some about “rights.” — the right to eat meat offered to idols, to not celebrate one day above another, etc.  Yet, it teaches that I may cause others to sin if I exercise those rights. Our walk with God is one of love, not one of claiming all of what we perceive to be our rights.

Some have spoken recently about “civil disobedience” and then have found what they said were great believers in the Bible exercising civil disobedience.  In most if not all of these records, these people were doing what God instructed them to do in that specific situation. 

In the book of Acts, Peter was in prison and the angel of the Lord came and set them free. The angel then told them to, “Go, stand and speak in the temple all the words of this life.” This is what God told them to do even though they had been commanded by the ruling authorities to not speak in the name of Jesus anymore.  Peter’s response, when questioned about his disobedience, was, “We ought to obey God rather than men.” This is what God told Peter and the others to do.  This was not civil disobedience; it was obedience to God.

When the midwives saved the male children alive as opposed to killing them in the time of Moses, as was the King’s commandment, they were obeying what God told them to do.  This is not civil disobedience.

We do not live this life for ourselves but as sons and daughters of God and as those that serve him.  We are to honor the higher powers in the church and obey those in authority over us whether they be kings or employers.

But we also have the spirit of God born in us. We are to walk in love and obey our Father whether it is what is in the written Word or what He tells us by way of His spirit so that we may bring glory to Him. 

Oh yes, the young man that witnessed to me about Romans 13…  I asked him,

“Are you saying God put Hitler, Mussolini, and Stalin in power, and that as Christians we are to obey them?”

He said, “Yes that is what the Bible says.”

I said, “I don’t know what the truth is, but you are an idiot.”

Then I walked away. I thank God that He put me in a place where I could eventually learn truth.

*Footnote: A Journey Through the Acts and Epistles A Working Translation By Walter J. Cummins
    Available at www.ContinuingintheScriptures.com