Romans 13:1-14: Christian duties to the state, humanity, and godliness (part 1)

 Romans 13 (part 1)

This chapter must be studied along with Exodus 1:17, 2:3; Joshua 2:3-17; Daniel (1:1-21, 3:1-30, 6:1-28; Acts 4:1-23, 5:17-42, 12:1-19; Matthew 5:44, 21:23-27, 22:21; Titus 3:1; and 1 Peter 2:13-17 to not be mis-applied. The state is to be obeyed when it requires biblical ethics (do not murder) and biblical principles (provide safety for your neighbor on your property) and on indifferent matters (release a caught flounder under 14”). Taxes are to be paid, and respect is to be given. However, whenever the state orders a believer to disobey the Bible, the state is to be humbly resisted with no compromise (Exd 10:24-26). We must obey God over man every time (Acts 4:19-20, 5:29, Matt 22:21) when the two are in conflict (e.g., do not sacrifice, do not pray, do not share Jesus, do not sing, do not meet). God is the higher authority; the government only has delegated authority from God that is to be resisted when it defies the God who delegated the authority to it.

I. The believer’s duty to the state and those in authority. vs. 1-7

A. The government’s authority in certain limited areas is from God. vs. 1-7

1.       All human authority is delegated by the Creator, the God of the Bible.

2.       God ordained three institutions: the family, the government, and the church. God alone is over all three. Each has a limited sphere of influence.

3.       Each institution must submit to God and remain only in its allotted domain.

4.       The Christian is to submit to leaders in all three institutions when they can.

5.       There is a difference between blind obedience and submission. Subordinates only submit to lawful orders and humbly accept the consequences of refusing to obey unlawful ones.

6.       The concepts of government, law and order, and natural order are all God’s ideas. He ordained these things (in general) for the earth.

a.    There is no divine right of kings here.

b.    Allowing bad rulers is part of God’s wrath on a sinful people. God allowed Saul to be king, but actively chose David to be king.

c.     A Christian who follows the Bible is the best ruler.

7.       The state is responsible for warning and punishing evildoers and promoting the well-being of all its citizens, keeping order and peace.

8.       The state is to be the servant of humanity, not its master. “The moment, therefore, the state turns itself into a master and into a tyrant, it is disobeying the law of God that brought it into being and it must itself be punished; and the form the punishment takes is that the Government is thrown out and replaced by one that is prepared to abide by the teaching of Romans 13:1-7.” D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, Romans 13: Life in two Kingdoms (2021: Carlisle, PA: Banner of Truth), 46.

B. The taxes and tolls are to be paid on time by the believer. vs.6-7

C. Appropriate honor and respect are to be paid to those in positions of authority.   vs. 7

D. When the state contradicts God’s word, we must always obey God instead and take the punishment humbly in faith. vs. 4

1.       “It is quite clear in the Scriptures that if the state ever comes between me and my relationship to God, then I must not obey it.” (Lloyd-Jones 2021: 52)

2.       A fiery furnace and a den of lions for obeying God (Daniel chapters 3 and 6)

3.       Beatings and a command not to preach (Acts chapters 4 and 5) “We must obey God rather than men.”

4.       Love and pray for your enemies who persecute you. (Matt 5:44)

5.       The early Christians would not say, ‘Caesar is Lord’ and worship him. Jesus was their Lord, and they were martyred obeying King Jesus.

6.       The Particular Baptist John Bunyan was put in jail for 12 years because he obeyed his call to preach when he did not have a license to preach from the state church. He wrote The Pilgrim’s Progress in jail.

E. When the state orders us to violate our consciences, we must obey God’s word and maintain our fellowship with God, accepting the punishment for keeping our consciences pure. (Luther at the Diet of Worms)

F. The state and the church are not one. The church is not above the state. The state is not over the church. The two institutions are separate realms, and both are to be equally under God with different domains and duties. Jesus is Lord of the church, not Caesar.

II. The believer’s duty to love other individual humans. vs. 8-10

A. Avoid being in debt to others. It changes the relationship. vs. 8

B. The primary Christian duty is to love. vs. 8, 9 (Matt 5:43-48)

C. Biblical neighbor love fulfills the moral law concerning humans. These are repeated for Gentile Christians. vs. 9

1.       Do not commit adultery. (Exd 20:14; Deu 5:18; Matt 5:27-30)

2.       Do not murder. (Exd 20:13; Deu 5:17; Matt 5:21-22; Jam 2:11)

3.       Do not steal. (Exd 20:15; Deu 5:19; Luke 18:20)

4.       Do not covet. (Exd 20:17; Deu 5:21; Rom 7:7-8)

5.       All the additional (commandments, mitsvah) moral laws.

III. The believer’s duty to live a godly life. vs. 11-14

A. Be alert, awake, and vigilant vs.11

B. Stop living in the dark; rather, put on the armor of light. vs.12

C. Live a holy life, forsaking wild parties (orgies), drunkenness, sexual impurity, promiscuity (lustful indulgence), quarreling (arguing), and jealousy. vs. 13

D. Instead, put on the Lord Jesus Christ and make no plans to satisfy these fleshly desires. vs. 13