Let every person be
subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from
God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore whoever
resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist
will incur judgment. For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad.
Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good,
and you will receive his approval, for he is God’s servant for your good.
But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he
is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer.
Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God’s wrath but also for
the sake of conscience. For because of this you also pay taxes, for the
authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing. Pay to all what
is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed,
respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed. (Romans
13:1-7)
At the time of writing
this, early voting is open and Election Day 2022 in Wisconsin is still a week
out. At the time of distribution, though, we’ll—assumedly—know who won the races
for governor/lieutenant governor, the State legislature and other state offices,
as well as the U.S. Senate and House seats. Some people will be happy, some
will be sad, some will be angry, bewildered, or already calling for recounts or
shouting accusations of fraud. If that’s what you see and hear when reading
this, it’s not that I can predict the future. Those things just tend to be true
in the aftermath of every recent election.
Each of those emotions is
a gut reaction. A choice was before us (citizens of counties and of the state
of Wisconsin—or whatever state you’re voting in), and we voted according to our
beliefs and opinions. Whether our vote ended up aligning with the majority of
other voters or not will generate some type of response. Not all responses are fitting
for a Christian—we should guard ourselves from sinning. But that we have
a response is indicative that we care about the presumed impact these leaders
will have on our towns, counties, state, and country.
Obviously, citizens hold
wildly different views of the role government and politicians have when it
comes to healthcare, economics, domestic and foreign policy, law enforcement,
and many other things that factor into why we vote the way we do. Just drive
around St. Croix County and you can find neighbors whose political signs seem
to be battling each other. But what now?
As citizens who are
Christians—meaning our ultimate allegiance is to God and his Kingdom, that
impacts how we live regarding earthly governments/leaders—how do we live
post-Election Day? According to the apostle Paul, inspired by God, we are to be
subject or to submit to the authorities. In those seven verses above he repeated
that: Let every person be subject to the governing authorities…Therefore one
must be in subjection... The last verse lists for believers then and now
actions which fit someone living in appropriate subjection: Pay to all what
is owed them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed,
respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed.
It’s important to bear in
mind that Paul was writing this to Christians in Rome. Christians were
undoubtedly in the minority. Their rulers were not Christian. There was no
impression that they were in a “Christian nation” or that they were living
under a “God-fearing government.” What might be considered Christian morals and
values today were not sacred to that government in power. Paul was writing to Christians in those
circumstances to submit to their authorities. Lest we try to twist our way out
of this, the Greek word used here for “submit” is the same one we find in
Ephesians 5:24, instructing how the church submits to Christ.
This is our duty as
citizens. We are to listen and respect our leaders. We are to submit to and
honor them. We are to pray that God’s will be done. Every leader—whether we
like them or voted for them or not—is a sinner just like us. They may or may
not profess the same faith that we do. They may or may not be as mature or
disciplined or adult-acting as we think they should be. Our duty does not
change.
Where we disagree with
whoever has ended up in office and believe that the Bible teaches opposite of
what they believe and are seeking to implement, pray that God will change them.
Trust God’s will. Be subject for the Lord’s sake to every human institution,
whether it be to the emperor as supreme, or to governors as sent by him to
punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good…Honor everyone. Love
the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor (1 Peter 2:13-14, 17).
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