Part of the opening ceremony of every Olympics includes the parade of nations. Athletes from each country march into the arena under the banner of their country’s flag. It’s an honor to represent their nation in the games and viewers from all over the world will tune in to cheer on their fellow citizens as they compete.
Of course you don’t have to be an Olympic-caliber athlete to represent your country. If you’ve ever traveled abroad, you’ve represented your home nation whether intentionally or not. In the way you’ve talked, dressed, carried yourself, and interacted with people, you’ve communicated something about where you’re from.
As Christians, we aren’t just citizens of a country, we are citizens of God’s kingdom. We march under Christ’s banner and our actions reflect our King. We are demonstrating to others what it means to be kingdom-people. Christians have dual citizenship.
In this series we’re exploring what it looks like to have this dual citizenship. We’re considering how to think about the responsibility we have to our nation and its people while recognizing that our primary allegiance is to our eternal king. We are to act as his ambassadors here and now.
Day 1
This week we’re going to unpack Paul’s instructions to the Christians of Rome in Romans 13:1–7. When it comes to Christians and government, this is a seminal passage, so it helps to understand the context.
Paul was writing to the tiny minority of Christ’s followers in the capital of the Roman empire. Christians existed on the margins, especially in Rome. They were considered strange for following a crucified carpenter from Nazareth. To the Romans, they were an odd sect of a peculiar religion, Judaism. In other words, to most Roman citizens, Christians were weird.
Nero was the emperor, and while at this point in time he wasn’t as bad as he going to get, there was no guarantee of impartial or just treatment under his rule. While the Roman church was not yet experiencing the full force of persecution that Nero would later bring, they were hardly in positions of power or influence.
Sword-wielding soldiers would have been a common sight in the city. Many fought in Caesar’s army, some were in an elite force that protected the emperor and his court, and some collected taxes, worked to prevent arson and investigated petty crime. Like other poor, powerless groups, Christians were at the mercy of those who represented the might of the empire.
Yet while Christians may have numbered fewer than 200 people in a city of a million, they found strength and confidence in the saving power of Jesus Christ. This was no beat-down, hopeless, minority, but people filled with the Holy Spirit who believed the good news that Jesus was Lord. No matter what their social and political status, they had been given dignity and worth, because they were loved by God. They celebrated the in-breaking of Christ’s kingdom and all the goodness, righteousness, justice, and peace that it would bring. While the letter to the Romans demonstrates all the ways that these Christians were trying to work out what the gospel meant for their everyday lives, they were people of faith, hope, and love.
As for Paul, his priority was spreading the gospel. He wanted all the gentiles in the outermost parts of the empire to hear the heavenly decree that Jesus was the Savior, Son of God, and eternal Ruler of all. Jesus was superior to Caesar. Yet, the apostle was not preoccupied with the affairs of the Roman empire. Throughout his life, Paul would use his Roman citizenship as a tool to deal with government opposition to his message (See Acts 16 and 22). But like his Lord, he was no earthly insurrectionist.
With all this in mind, read Romans 13:1–7. Can you imagine how the Roman Christians might have reacted to it?
Read
Romans 13:1-7
13 Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. 2 Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. 3 For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and you will be commended. 4 For the one in authority is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are God’s servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. 5 Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also as a matter of conscience.
6 This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God’s servants, who give their full time to governing. 7 Give to everyone what you owe them: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.
What insight can you gain into this passage from knowing a little bit about its history and the people it was written to?
Reflect
In ancient Rome, declaring that anyone but Caesar was Lord was risky, yet Paul and his fellow Christ-followers boldly proclaimed that a crucified Jew from Galilee is the ultimate and eternal Lord. Paul was determined to announce the reign of the true King in spite of opposition from Jewish and Roman authorities. He had received his mission from King Jesus himself. Yet, he insisted that Christians live under the authority of the empire because it had been instituted by God.
As we dive into Romans 13:1–7, it’s important to keep the same perspective as Paul and the early Christians. For them and for us, Jesus brings peace, hope, and ultimate justice. We acknowledge and respect the earthly rulers he’s placed over us, but their authority never supersedes that of God. We shouldn’t live either enthralled with earthly power, or in constant fear of it, because Jesus is Lord.
This week, we’ll look at how this passage fits into Romans by reading it along with parts of chapter 12, we’ll think about how it illuminates the purpose of government while making it clear who’s really in charge, and we’ll discuss how Christians might respond to a government that is failing in its God-given responsibilities. Follow along each day, and get ready for the sermon on Sunday!
