1 Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. 2 Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves. 3 For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same. 4 For he is God’s minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God’s minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil. 5 Therefore you must be subject, not only because of wrath but also for conscience’ sake. 6 For because of this you also pay taxes, for they are God’s ministers attending continually to this very thing. 7 Render therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor.
Commentary
Vs. 1 "Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God."
Sections of Scripture like this are practical Christianity, teaching us how we are to live out our faith. And so here the Apostle Paul addresses our duty and responsibilities towards all ruling authorities. Notice first then that we are to be subject to the governing authorities. The word subject here means to submit oneself to them, to obey them, and or the directives given by them (also see Titus 3:1; 1 Peter 2:13-15). The reason for this is that there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. Therefore in obeying them we are honoring God.
Vs. 2 "Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves."
The Apostle Paul makes no qualms about it resisting God given authority is only a invitation for ones own harm. Therefore wherever Christians may dwell, we are not to be people of lawlessness. In recent years it seems to have become justifiable in the eyes of some for so-called "social uprisings" to morph into outright breaking of all manner of civil laws through unlawful assemblies and occupations, to nothing short of full scale riots, where all manner of lawlessness and looting and anarchy takes place. All of which is never justifiable, nor should any Christian have any part in such upheaval no matter how grave the injustice one is protesting against. There is a time and way for a proper lawful protest, that genuinely seeks for justice and change, which has due regard for lawful authorities, the ordinances that are decreed by them, as well as respects the rights and property of others. Problems then generally only occur when people wilfully decide to step outside of those boundaries and seek to take so called action by their own means and ends. Therefore as people who love God and want to obey and honor Him we should strive to keep the social peace at all cost, and not be people who promote or affiliate with those who believe that they may express their grievances by whatever means they feel justified in doing so. For "whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves."
Consequences then for disobeying lawful authority rests with the one who does so, not with God.
Vs. 3-4 3 For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same. 4 For he is God’s minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God’s minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil.
People then who obey the law (and thus the lawful authorities that govern us all) generally do not find themselves under scrutiny by them. For as the Apostle says here rulers are not a terror to good works but to evil. That is the governing authorities and police generally don't arrest or seek injunctions against people for obeying the civil and criminal laws within a society that are to govern us all. And so you want to be unafraid of authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same (vs. 3). Indeed even those who once ran amuck of the law can find praise from the same when they obey the law. It's a simple principal that has universal application for us all. And so you want to live a peaceful and fruitful life, than do good and you'll have praise from the same. For as the Apostle Paul says in verse four he is God’s minister to you for good, when you do what is good and lawful and right. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God’s minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil (vs. 4). Notice the strong language that he is sent to execute wrath on him who practices evil, and so he does not bear the sword in vain. Thus punishment is the reward awaiting all those who practice evil, and that from the hand of God through His minister. Now minister here means anyone in ruling authority, who, whether they realize it or not are acting on God's behalf when they uphold justice in the earth. From the President or Prime Minister right down to civil servant, whether this is a judge, lawyer, or police officer. When in truth they execute justice and judgment in the earth in upholding the law they are acting on God's behalf as His minister. And so rather than being like those who run headstrong against God given lawful authority, and thus only reap for themselves all manner of troubles, sorrows, and angst. Be good and do good and you will have praise from the same, and ultimately honor and glory from God.
Vs. 5 "Therefore you must be subject, not only because of wrath but also for conscience’ sake."
Subjection then to lawful authority is then both a matter of wrath as well as conscience. Wrath because only a fool seeks to bring down lawful wrath upon themselves by disobeying lawful ordinances. Conscience because when one sins against ones own conscience, one is in effect sinning against the Lord.
Vs. 6 "For because of this you also pay taxes, for they are God’s ministers attending continually to this very thing."
When required of us, paying of taxes is a Christian's duty to do. Jesus made this clear when He responded to the the Pharisees and Herodians "question" about this very thing, saying, “Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” (see Matt. 22:15-22). And so here the very lawful authorities that we are to obey, are also said to be God's ministers in this very thing.
Vs. 7 "Render therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor."
Subjection then to lawful authority is then both a matter of wrath as well as conscience. Wrath because only a fool seeks to bring down lawful wrath upon themselves by disobeying lawful ordinances. Conscience because when one sins against ones own conscience, one is in effect sinning against the Lord.
Vs. 6 "For because of this you also pay taxes, for they are God’s ministers attending continually to this very thing."
When required of us, paying of taxes is a Christian's duty to do. Jesus made this clear when He responded to the the Pharisees and Herodians "question" about this very thing, saying, “Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” (see Matt. 22:15-22). And so here the very lawful authorities that we are to obey, are also said to be God's ministers in this very thing.
Vs. 7 "Render therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor."
As a closing remark the Apostle Paul sums it all up by saying that we are to "render to all their due". "Taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor." Nothing is to be outside of the domain of our faith. Indeed the outworking of our faith is to based on doing just that, obeying and honoring the lawful authority that God places over us. Christians then are to be models of healthy and productive citizens whom not only better the societies they dwell in, but we do this by being in subjection to the lawful authorities and the laws that are to govern us all.
Scripture Quotations
The New King James Version. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982.
The New King James Version. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982.
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