Subject To Authority

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Subject To Authority By Kirk Hunt

 

Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God.

Romans 13:1 NKJV

 

The Epistle to the Romans is generally considered to have been written sometime in the years 55-57 AD. Paul’s letter is addressed to Romans saints living under the reign of Nero in pagan Rome. Clearly not a government a devout Jew-turned-Christian wanted to be subject to.

 

Paul used his dual Roman-Jewish citizenship to preach throughout the Roman world. Frequently, he found himself in conflict with local government. Still, he remained faithful to his true King, even if he remained subject to a “local” government.

 

Paul’s direction to accept civil government is not based in politics or mere acceptance. With all of his earthly power and authority, Nero ruled in light of God’s sovereign and absolute command over all of creation, time and space. Our confidence as Christians is not in human rulers but in our loving God who appoints them.

 

Christians should be the obedient and dutiful subjects of God. In addition to our primary citizenship, we have a secondary obedience to an earthly government. The problem comes if the earthly conflicts with the heavenly.

 

Our solution is a simple one. We are subjects, first and foremost, of the Kingdom of God. A saint of God turns first to Scripture before he or she responds to a local government. It is our first loyalty to God that makes saints the best subjects of all.

 

Think:             Am I, first and foremost, a good citizen of God’s Kingdom?

 

Pray:               “Lord, help me to be a loyal and faithful subject of Your Kingdom.”

 

 

Copyright © October 2015, Kirk Hunt

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