To what extent are you actively supporting God’s government?
Romans 13 is one of those amazingly practical and challenging chapters in the Bible. The Jews are under Roman rule which to the devout Jew is a horrific situation. The Romans are gentiles, they claim that their emperor is a god, they deny the existence of YAHWEH, they look down on the Jews.
Furthermore the Romans expelled the Jews from Rome probably from about AD 49 – AD 54, and Paul is writing this book in AD 57 against that recent act of hostility by the previous emperor Claudius. In addition persecution against Christians is rising.
And so in the first 7 verses of the 13th chapter Paul comes to address the important question of “how should a Christian respond to secular government?” And amazingly, just like Jesus before him, he says nothing about what they’ve done wrong; but rather focuses entirely on one central truth – the government, for all its good and bad, is actually God’s government!
Does that mean they always get it right or that we must never resist what they do? Absolutely not, but it means that we only do that with great reluctance when they specifically do something that is against what God’s Word clearly teaches.
Indeed he sees this truth as being so central, that he states (under direction of Holy Spirit) in v2
“Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment.”
And Paul writing to Timothy gives us this instruction:
1Ti 2:1 First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people,
1Ti 2:2 for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way.
1Ti 2:3 This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior,
1Ti 2:4 who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
Friend, in some other countries we are already starting to see citizens rise up against the measures that their governments are imposing to deal with this crisis. May we be very careful to see that we do as God instructs us and recognising His purpose in putting them over us, pray for them every day.
Pray for wisdom as they govern, pray for health and strength for the work they need to do, pray for compassion as they try to allocate what will always be limited resources, and pray that by God’s grace we might see Holy Spirit work within our government to save and to transform the thinking of these men and women (of all the parties it comprises) that they might start to lead us more in line with God’s Word. For as Rom 13:4 says “He is (they are) God’s servant(s) for your good” (italics mine)