Disciples and the State
Paul presents principles of conduct when dealing with the State in his Letter to the Romans. Believers must “subordinate themselves to governing powers, for there is no authority except by God.” He wrote this when the infamous emperor, Nero, ruled the Empire. Despite the despotic nature of his regime, he instructed the Church to honor and respect Caesar and his officers.
The existing governmental powers
are “arranged” by God. This English verb translates the Greek word tassō,
meaning to “order, arrange, set, appoint.” Whether we understand His reasons, the
present order has been “arranged” by the Creator of all things and the
Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
[Caesar - Photo by Illona Frey on Unsplash] |
This principle was not new, and Paul based his argument on Old Testament precedents, including passages in the Book of Daniel. Near the start of the Babylonian Captivity, Daniel declared that God ruled over the affairs of the nations:
- “He removes kings and sets up kings… He rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever he pleases, and sets up over it even the basest of men” - (Daniel 2:21, 4:17).
Because God “arranged”
the existing authorities, to “resist” them means resisting the “arrangement
of God.” If God does give political authority to whomever He pleases, rebelling
against them would mean trespassing on God’s prerogative and challenging His sovereignty.
Over the centuries, some church
leaders have argued that tyranny, corruption, and incompetence constitute exceptions
to Paul’s rule. In such circumstances, Christian support for political and even
violent revolution becomes necessary if not justified, but that is an argument
of expedience, not principle - The “end justifies the means” – and it
ignores the historical context of the house churches of Ancient Rome.
First, Paul says nothing in
his Letter about exceptions to the rule. Justifying insurrection on the
government’s repressive policies or corruption is a loophole sledgehammered
into the passage.
Second, Paul wrote to
Christians living under a pagan and authoritarian regime. The Roman Empire
was not democratic and only occasionally just. Caesar held absolute power, and the
government was notoriously corrupt and brutal.
Third, at the time Paul wrote, Nero
was Caesar, and he was so depraved that even by the pagan standards of
Rome he was beyond the pale. Among other things, he murdered his half-brother
and his mother. In a fit of rage, he kicked his pregnant wife to death. Needing
a scapegoat for the fires that burned much of the city in A.D. 64, he blamed
the conflagration on the followers of Jesus, and he became the first emperor to
persecute the Church.
ALLEGIANCE
Considering New Testament
principles and its apocalyptic perspective, the teaching of Paul makes
perfect sense. The disciple of Jesus is called to give his total allegiance
to him and to call him and no one else “Lord.” That is a political action,
and it transcends all national, ethnic, social, and cultural loyalties -
(Galatians 3:28, Revelation 5:9-12, 7:9-17).
The disciple of Jesus is a citizen of a realm that does not tolerate “dual citizenship” or divided loyalties. Commitment to him supersedes all other allegiances and obligations. Moreover, he tasked the Body of Christ with proclaiming the Good News of the “Kingdom of God” to all nations, summoning all men to swear allegiance to him and his Kingdom.
The only political reality that
matters in the end is the Kingdom of God. The day will come when His rule replaces
all existing governments and national boundaries, legitimate or not, and that day
will coincide with his “arrival” at the end of the age. That biblical teaching
alone tells us that no government today will endure forever - (1 Corinthians 15:20-28).
In the interim, every disciple of
Jesus must bear witness to his sovereignty and realm while living in a fallen
world. To work for change in the corrupt institutions of this age means working
for something that will not endure, expending time and energy on “meat that
perishes” - (1 Corinthians
7:31).
The apostolic exhortation to give
proper respect to a despotic regime should give us pause before immersing
ourselves in the political processes of this world, let alone advocating rebellion
against existing authorities. All calls by others to disobey or disrespect an
unpopular government or officeholder must be rebuffed, if for no other reason
than because Scripture demands it.
[Photo by Arthur Miranda on Unsplash] |
The disciple of Jesus must not disengage from the world, but rather, he or she must engage it with the biblical means - faith, prayer, gospel witness, acts of mercy, and above all, self-sacrificial service for others, especially “enemies.”
Moreover, Paul explained in
Ephesians that we are not at war with “flesh and blood,” but against the
spiritual “powers and principalities” that enslave all unregenerate men,
including those who hold political power. The solution is not to revolt against
the government, but to offer salvation through Jesus to every man, woman, and
child.
We are not called to live our lives
in conformity with the ideologies and values of this age. Yes, often the State
is unjust and brutal, and that is precisely the point. We must not do evil so some
alleged greater “good may come.” Ends do not justify means! The Assembly
of Jesus Christ is called to something far different and greater than the political
systems of the present “evil age” that was judged already on the Cross.
RELATED POSTS:
- Greatness in the Kingdom - (His disciple is called to engage in self-sacrificial service for others just as Jesus gave his life as a ransom for many – Mark 10:35-45)
- Mercy and Enemies - (When disciples react to hostility with hostility, whether by government, society, or individuals, Satan triumphs)
- Superabounding Righteousness - (Mercy and love are defining characteristics of the disciples of Jesus, reflecting the true nature of his Father – Matthew 5:43-48)
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