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Pathways Through Paul
Daily Devotional
April 24
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Today's Pathway:
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In today's passage Paul shifts his focus to the believer's relationship to civil government. This is who he is referring to when he mentions the "higher powers". Kenneth Wuest gives some background to the times in which Paul was writing:
"While the Roman local church was predominantly Gentile, yet there were some Jewish members. The Jews of the Roman empire were notoriously bad citizens. Many held on the ground of Deuteronomy 17:15 that to acknowledge a Gentile ruler was sinful. This was the spirit behind the question of the Pharisees who asked, “Is it lawful to give tribute to Caesar, or not?” Gentiles, in contact with such Jewish Christians, could well imbibe the spirit of anarchy which such an attitude would foment. Thus, Paul writes to make sure that these Christians understand their relations and obligations to government."
It should also be remembered that the Roman emperors during the life of Paul were men like Nero, who was in power when Paul wrote this passage. Nero's reign brought dark days for Christians. Foxe’s Book of Martyrs describes the scene as follows:
"In AD 67, Nero ordered the burning of Rome. The fire lasted for nine days and when the blame turned to Nero, Nero blamed the Christians. And Nero came at the Christians with a new vengeance. Nero contrived all manner of punishments for the Christians that the most infernal imagination could design. In particular, he had some sewed up in skins of wild beasts, and then they were attacked by dogs until they expired; and others dressed in shirts made stiff with wax, were fixed to stakes, and set on fire in his gardens, in order to illuminate them. This persecution was general throughout the whole Roman Empire. In the course of it, Paul and Peter were martyred."
So it was under these harsh circumstances that Paul writes that everyone, including believers, should submit to government and obey it.
He begins by stating that all governments have been put into their positions by God. God is the only One Who has power, and thus those who are in political authority have received their authority from Him. The word "ordained" means "to be appointed, to be assigned a place". The verb tense means, “have been ordained and as a result remain ordained." Wuest again comments,
"Human government is a permanent institution brought into being by God for the regulation of human affairs. The powers or authorities here are seen, not in their individual personalities, but as officers of the law, whose positions are ordained by God."
There are three institutions that God has ordained: the family (Genesis 2:24), The church (Matthew 16:18), and human government. In Genesis 9:5-6, following the flood, God instituted capital punishment, which would necessitate there being some form of government to carry out that punishment. It is interesting to note that in Romans 13:4 Paul mentions that the political ruler "beareth not the sword in vain". The "sword" is the weapon of judgement, which would indicate capital punishment. So, if government is ordained by God, then believers have an obligation to respond properly to it.
Having begun with the premise that God has ordained governments, Paul now gives additional reasons why the Christian should be subject to them. In verse 2 Paul warns against "resisting" the government. The word "resist" simply means "to stand against". Paul says that to resist the government brings punishment upon the individual. In Proverbs 8:15-16 God states,
"By me kings reign, and princes decree justice. By me princes rule, and nobles, even all the judges of the earth".
Therefore, if someone stands against the government they stand against the God who ordained that government. To do so, according to the end of the verse, is to bring damnation upon himself. The word "damnation" does not necessarily mean that the person will be eternally doomed in the Lake of Fire, but it does mean that the person will be judged, or condemned, by God.
Tomorrow we will look further into the believer's relationship with the government.
Pastor Mark J Montgomery
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