Since the dawn of humanity there has been conflict between citizens and their government. Thus, war is the major topic of most history books. Should we as Christians obey the government of our country in all things? Romans 13:1-7 seems to point that we should be obeying the government of “man” in all things. Does Romans 13:1-7 say this, or is there more to the story? An examination of the concept of obedience to our country’s government is an important Christian topic of understanding.
Rom. 13:1a states, “Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers.” This statement is completed in Rom. 13:1-7 with Paul telling Christians to obey the government. As in all Bible study we must have context of the statement. At the time this was written, Nero was Caesar. Paul had lived through Caesar Caligula (37-41 A.D.) who was an evil insane tyrant. Now he was writing to the Christians at Rome while Nero was Caesar (54-68 A.D.). Nero is known to be the worst of all the Caesars for cruelty and debauchery, yet during the first five years of his reign as Caesar he was one of the best of the Caesar’s. Paul wrote Romans during Nero’s first five years as Caesar. Later in his reign Nero would burn down Rome, blame the Christians and then crucify the Christians along the road to Rome. While impaled on stakes, he would have pigs grease rubbed onto them and then while alive, light them on fire to light the way on the road to Rome. Should the Christians have obeyed Nero?
Romans 13:1 says to be subject “unto higher powers”. It should be noted the “higher powers” are not just the civil government. II Cor. 4:4 Satan is the god of this world. He is a “higher power”. Should we obey Satan? No! Revelation 19: 16 God, is our King and ruler, should we obey Him as he is the highest power? Yes! Paul, writing as an apostle of God, a Christian and a citizen of Rome chose his words very carefully. He admonished Christians to obey the civil laws of the land as they are not a terror to the people but he subtly includes the possibility of “wrath” from the government (verse 5). As a Christian, a Roman citizen, a doctor of the law and a lawyer he was choosing his words wisely and carefully. We are to obey the civil laws but not to put man’s laws ahead of what God said to do.
As Christians we are compelled to “obey God rather than man” (Acts 5:29). Acts 5:17-32 shows the reaction of the early apostles to government tyranny. The apostles used every legal means to stand against the government, but they never advocated rising up in rebellion or violence.
Acts 4:1-22 Peter and John are put into prison for peaching Christ. They chose to obey God instead of the local legal government. See verses 19-22 for their direct response to the leaders of the government. The apostles used every legal means to stand against the government, but they never advocated rising up in rebellion or violence.
David verses King Saul. Saul, the King of all Israel was hunting David to kill him. David had been anointed by the prophet Samuel to be the next King of Israel. I Samuel 24 we read of King Saul going into a cave to defecate in privacy. Unknown to Saul, David and some of his men were in the cave. As King Saul did his duty David cut off a piece of the King’s robe but did NOT harm him. Instead, after this incident, David instructed his men to “not rise up against Saul.” David went to King Saul and bowed himself to the King (I Samuel 24:1-8). David repented of the cutting off of the robe (verse 5). Saul was King and David did not rise up in rebellion.
Acts 16:12-38. Paul and Silas are at Philippi and are attacked, beaten and thrown into prison. What did Paul do? Paul legally confronted the magistrates of the town and the magistrates “feared, when they heard that they were Romans (verse 38).” Paul used the law to his advantage for the preaching and spreading of the gospel. What did Paul not do? He did not lead a rebellion against the Roman government. The apostles used every legal means to stand against the government, but they never advocated rising up in rebellion or violence.
What did Jesus say about obedience to government? When confronted by those sent by the Pharisees about paying taxes, Jesus said to “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s. And they marveled at him.” (Mark 12:13-17). He did not rebel, he submitted to the authority of the government as long as it did not compromise God. We should do the same.
We have seen we should be obeying the civil authorities as it brings order to society. We have seen we should not obey the civil authorities when they try to force us from obeying God. We have seen by multiple examples we are not to rebel, riot and try to over throw the human governments of this world. So then, what are we to do?
We have an example from Roman history dating to 110 A.D. Pliny the younger, a Roman governor of Bithynia had an exchange of letters with Roman Emperor Trajan. Pliny was killing Christians for not worshiping the emperor. To make sure he was correct in his actions he wrote to Emperor Trajan who confirmed his methods were legal and proper. But Trajan wrote back and said, “NO search should be made for these people;”. Further research shows the Christians were loyal obedient citizens of the empire who caused NO trouble. Their crime, according to Pliny and Trajan was they did not worship the Emperor as God. These Christians of the second century used every legal means to stand against the government but they never advocated rising up in rebellion or violence. They were good citizens. See https://www.cscog7.org/non-biblical-proofs-of-the-physical-existence-of-jesus-christ/ for more info on the early Church of God.
What did Jesus tell us to do as “good citizens”? Jesus said, “Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God (Matthew 5:9). Jesus knowing he was to be killed, not only did not rise up in rebellion against the civil authority, he told Peter to put up his sword and not to fight/rebel against the authorities (John 18:11). Earlier, that very same night Jesus said, “A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another” (John 13:34-35). Love is the essence of good citizenship.
Are we, in our obedience to civil authorities representing God as His ambassador’s (II COR.5:20)? Or are we representing man with our actions? We should be representatives of God and His Kingdom. Yes, we must obey the civil authorities of our country or there would be anarchy. No, we must not obey if they are forcing us to go against God and His Kingdom message. There is not one instance in the New Testament of any of the apostles or Christians rising up in rebellion against the civil authorities. Just as Paul did, one can and should use every legal means to resist ungodly laws and commands from the civil government.
In the end we must obey God. The heroes of Hebrews 11 obeyed God rather than man and died. Many of the first century Christians obeyed God rather than Caesar and were tortured, crucified, burnt on stakes, dressed in bloody sheep skins and fed to wolves and lions. But they obeyed God rather than man. They showed their faith by their works and fulfilled James 2:17. Instead of rising up in rebellion to their government they realized, “the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us” (Romans 8:18).
The apostles used every legal means to stand against the government but they never advocated rising up in rebellion or violence. They kept the Word of God. They kept the faith.
