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"If thou doest good to one whose burning words (16: 27, 26: 23) thou hast
received, they will burn him in another sense. Illustration David (I Sam. 24: 16-22)."
This is much more in harmony with the teaching of Rom. 12: The unexpected return
of good for evil will, it is hoped, in many cases bring about shame and contrition, so that
the persecutor may become a believer, and the persecuted one the true victor, overcoming
evil with good.
Coming now to Rom. 13:, and its teaching concerning human government, we must
remember that Nebuchadnezzar did not attain his authority over the earth, merely as an
act of vain-glory, or by force alone. He undoubtedly was a powerful warrior and was not
lacking in vanity, but it is also written:
"And the Lord gave Jehoiakim, King of Judah, into his hand" (Dan. 1: 2).
"Thou, O King, art a King of Kings, for the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom,
power, strength, and glory . . . . . and hath made thee ruler over them all. Thou art this
head of gold" (Dan. 2: 37, 38).
When the Apostle wrote the epistle to the Romans, Babylon had been succeeded by
Persia, Persia by Greece, and Greece by Rome; nevertheless, Paul and Daniel say much
the same thing, for human government was still under God's control. While many of the
rulers of the Roman world were unscrupulous, mean, and licentious, this fact did not in
any way justify a Christian's resisting the authority that they represented. These rulers
were responsible to God for the way in which they used their authority, but it was no
business of the Christian to interfere. Even our Lord paid tribute, and spoke of
"rendering to Cæsar the things that are Cæsar's".
"We must needs be subject", says the Apostle, "not only for wrath, but also for
conscience sake". Many are obedient out of fear, who would rebel if the cause of fear
were to be removed. There are many who are respectable citizens, not because of
positive and formative volition, but because of the negative and enslaving power of fear.
The Christian must always act "for conscience sake", whether he obeys the voice of
authority, or decides that it is right to disobey it. Neither fear of consequences, nor hope
of reward, must enter into the secret counsels of the heart.
In Jude we read of those who "despise dominion and speak evil of dignities"; and a
few verses further on, of other members of the same class, who "have men's persons in
admiration because of advantage" (Jude 8, 16).
Such men are wiling either to speak evil of dignities, or to fawn upon them, as it suits
their base interests. The Christian, on the other hand, should be able to "talk with
crowds" and yet keep his virtue, and "walk with kings" without losing the common
touch. We must also remember that, because we own no man as Lord, and all our service
is rendered in the name of the Lord Jesus, this does not mean that we may demonstrate
our liberty by being discourteous or uncouth. If we are to follow the teaching of
Scripture, we must "render to all their dues".