Devotional Messages

Submission to Authorities

In today's reading from Romans, Paul writes concerning submission to authorities. Paul insists that "the authorities that exist have been established by God" (v.1). It is tempting to say that 'the fair authorities that exist have been established by God', yet Paul draws no distinction between tyrranical rulers and upright, God-fearing leaders.

Soon after this letter was written, the Church faced much persecution from authorities of the land; and persecution has continued to various extents right throughout the history of the Church up until today, where many countries still offer the death penalty or similar for anyone believeing in Christ.

It is tempting to feel that under such tyrranical rule, the believer should happily rebel against the authorities. But this is not the case.

When Jesus was questioned as to his allegiance to Caeser, He replied "Give to Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God what is God's" (Matt. 22:21). When Peter and the Apostles were sent before the Sanhedrin, Peter asserted that he must "obey God rather than men!" (Acts 5:29).

The point being made here, is that all governments and all leaders are given authority by God; they exist to promote peace and justice on earth. However, when the authority given is abused, and what is rightly God's is claimed by a human, believers must remain loyal to God. Peter and the apostles were being asked to stop preaching the word by the authorities, yet Christ had specifically said to them: "go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you" (Matt. 28:19-20).

Similarly, believers are given certain rules and guidelines to live by in the Bible, and obedience to these must be sought whole-heartedly by all believers. One of those rules is to live according to the law of the land. Obviously, where the law of the land conflicts with God's desires we must "obey God rather than men", but in the democratic countries of the world, we are very lucky to have religious beliefs protected, and such legalised persecution is not likely to occur.

We must now return to the point of Paul's writing: governments, authorities and leaders are God's servants - even when they do not themselves know God. To break laws of justice is to disobey God and to rebel against Him. So as believers, we must not obey the law simply because we fear punishment, but out of devotion to God.

Pray now, praising God for religious freedom in your life and praying that you may always 'give to Him what is His'; and pray for our brothers and sisters in Christ in less fortunate countries or situations, suffering legalised persecution; that they may glorify God in their obedience to all laws of justice in the land, and obedience to God in all His laws.