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After the death of Christ, Roman law tended to regard Christianity as a variety of
Judaism, yet it started with a great handicap in the eyes of Rome for its Founder had been
convicted and executed by the sentence of a Roman magistrate. He had led a movement
which challenged the authority of Caesar.
This was often a trump card with the enemies of Christ (see the argument in
Actx.xvii.6,7 against Paul). It was therefore necessary that Christians should take care
with regard to their actions as they affected the governing authorities. The Lord Jesus
Himself--in His wisdom--had already done so in His words "Render therefore unto
Caesar the things which are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's"
(Matth.xxii.21; Mark.xii.14-17). These words related to the paying of taxes while God
Himself ordained human government, and Prov. 21: 1 assures us that "the king's heart
is in the hand of the Lord, as the rivers of water: He turneth it whithersoever He will",
yet we must not assume that human government constantly reflects the mind of God. The
opposite is the truth and cries out for the return of Christ and the commencement of His
righteous rule which will give justice to all. Yet with all its imperfections it is better than
anarchy, which would arise if there was no restraint on human behaviour.
But another problem follows: what if human government is contrary to God and His
laws? What if Caesar claims not only things that are his, but the things that belong to
God? The N.T. provides the answer. If the decrees of authorities conflict with the
commandments of God, then the Christian must refuse to comply with them. The ruling
powers are then exceeding the authority delegated to them by God and trespassing on the
sphere that belongs to God alone. Thus we have the answer of the apostles in Acts 5: 29
"we ought to obey God rather than men". This problem becomes acute in totalitarian
countries. Yet it is significant that Peter echoes the words of Paul that the normal attitude
of Christians to governments is one of obedience:
"Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every authority instituted among men;
whether to the king, as the supreme authority, or to governors, who are sent by him to
punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. For it is God's will that
by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish men" (I Pet. 2: 13-15,
N.I.V.).
Thus it is that Paul commences the 13th chapter of Romans by writing:
"Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority
except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established
by God" (13: 1, N.I.V.).
Thus, in the providence of God, He has provided for everyone civil rulers as a restraint
against uncontrolled sin and failure, just as He has provided them with sun and rain. The
obedience of this verse is only within the limits of the purposes for which it has been
divinely instituted and cannot override the obedience which is due to God alone.
The apostle continues: