News flash: Christians are not called to live only within their Christian community. They also have live in the real world, with pagans and secular (and sometimes hostile) authorities. So how should Christians live in relation to “the world”? This is the very issue that Paul addresses in Romans 13. What is specifically in question is obeying those in authority.
Respect My Authority!
One thing to keep in mind is that when Paul wrote Romans, Nero was the emperor. Yes, that Nero—the one who eventually launched the first persecution of Christians; the one who used Christians as human torches to light his gardens. Yes, that one.
Strange as it sounds, though, when Paul wrote Romans, Nero was not yet the madman he eventually became. The first five years of Nero’s reign were actually among the best of the Roman Empire. He was under the influence of Seneca, and therefore it was “good times” for Christians when Paul wrote this. The major question for Christians regarding Romans 13, though, is how does all this “submission to authorities” talk jive with Acts 1-7, where the apostles said to the Sanhedrin, “We must obey God rather than man!”? They clearly were not “submitting to the authorities.” In addition, in Revelation, it is assumed that Christians should “resist the Beast,” and that the Beast and the Whore of Babylon were enemies of Christ. Clearly, John didn’t want Christians to “submit” to Rome then, and actually worship the beast-like emperor.
So what gives? How can one passage in the Bible tell us to submit to authorities, whereas other passages teach us clearly to resist them?
The answer actually is pretty simple: it depends on the circumstances.
- When should you obey authority? When that authority is promoting what is good and just (as in Nero’s early reign).
- When should you not obey authority? When that authority is promoting evil and injustice (as during the reign of Domitian).
“Tribulation” and “Wrath” (Why Dispensationalists Get Everything Wrong)
Now here is where something else must be emphasized: the difference between tribulation and wrath. Biblically-speaking, God’s people suffer tribulation, but not wrath. Tribulation is what God’s people suffer at the hands of “anti-Christ” rulers and governments, whereas wrath is God’s judgment on those who are rebellious, and essentially, “anti-Christ.”
Incidentally, this is where dispensationalist theology reads Revelation wrong. They talk about the “Great Tribulation” from Revelation 7:14-17 and claim that Christians will be spared from it. In reality, the angel tells John that the crowd he sees has come through the great tribulation (presumably a reference to Domitian’s empire-wide persecution of Christians)—they have suffered martyrdom, but are now with Christ. They have conquered the beast Domitian through their suffering of tribulation.
The New Testament is clear: Christians suffer tribulation. By contrast, what Christians will be spared from is God’s wrath. Later on, in Revelation 17-18, we see that Babylon the Great (i.e. Rome) will be forced to drink the cup of God’s wrath, precisely because she inflicted tribulation on His people (i.e. she got drunk of their blood).
Submit to Authorities (Romans 13:1-5)
With that in mind we can now look specifically at Romans 13. Remember, at this time, things were good for Christians in the Roman Empire. In Romans 13:1-5 Paul’s imperative was to “submit to authorities because God ordains authority.” Paul’s point is that authority is God’s gift to a fallen world. The law exists because people by their very nature aren’t good. Therefore, God has ordained that those in authority make sure that people, who by their very nature aren’t good, live good lives in harmony with each other.
By extension, Paul says that if you do what is good, then you won’t have to worry about suffering judgment and wrath by the hands of authority. The only people who have to be afraid of the authorities are those who do what is bad. As Paul says, the one in authority is God’s servant who punishes with wrath the one who does wickedness (13:3-4). Of course, Paul also makes it clear in 13:5 that you shouldn’t do good just so you won’t get punished, but rather because of conscience—because you’re a Christian.
Taxes…Yes, Stop Complaining Already, and Pay Them (Romans 13:6-10)
Another issue that would be pressing for Christians is “Should we pay taxes to Caesar?” The Jews certainly didn’t like paying taxes because they saw Roman as the Great Evil. And, just like Jesus said when he was questioned in the Temple about paying taxes, Paul’s answer in 13:6-7 is, “Yes, you should pay your taxes.” This is a logical outgrowth of 3:1-5—if the governing authority is God’s instrument to promote the good, then you should pay taxes to help the govern authority promote the good.
Paul then plays off the idea of “owing” things, and says that ultimately the only thing you “owe” to others is to love them (13:8-10). In fact, the one who loves the other fulfills the Torah. This echoes what Paul said back in 8:4: the just requirement of Torah is fulfilled by those who walk in the Spirit. Therefore, since love does not do evil to his neighbor, love is a fulfillment of Torah.
Soldier On and Use Your Weapons of Light (Romans 13:11-14)
Paul then gives one last word regarding “the flesh” in 13:11-14 by using both “soldier” language and “day/night” imagery, by saying that “the night” (i.e. the old age of the flesh) is almost over, and “the day” (i.e. the consummation of the new Messianic age of the Spirit) is near.
Therefore, Paul calls for the believers to “walk in the day,” use “weapons of light,” and put off the “works of darkness.” And what are those “night time activities”? Paul articulates things that are normally associated with the pagan idolatrous world: immoral feasting, drunkenness, sexual promiscuity, perverted behavior, rivalry and jealousy. These things (especially those first four!) are things normally done at night. So they are not only literally night-time activities, but they are also things that represent spiritual darkness. And so, Paul says, “Don’t do them! Put on Christ and don’t give an inch to the lusts of ‘the flesh.’”
Pretty straightforward stuff.
Thank you so much for this clarification!!