Romans 13:1-7 Let every soul be subject to the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.… I. THE DUTY WHICH WE OWE TO CIVIL GOVERNORS. 1. Submission. This injunction is given to "every soul." And with regard to its extent, Peter says, "Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man." If anything, indeed, were enjoined on us inconsistent with God's will, "we are to obey God rather than man," as did the three Hebrew youths, Daniel, and Peter. For the commands of the greatest potentates in the world are of no weight against the paramount authority of the King of kings and Lord of lords. When, however, they are not at variance with the law of God, the Scriptures expressly enjoin an unreserved obedience. 2. Support (ver. 6, 7). Expenses must be incurred, both in carrying on affairs and in supporting the dignity and remunerating the labours of the officers of state. Hence there must be taxes, "tribute" and "custom." Hence all shrinking from bearing our proportional weight of the public burdens is not only against the law of the land, but the Word of God. Christ Himself paid taxes from which He was properly exempt. 3. Respect. "Fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour," i.e., reverential homage due to kings and principal rulers, and the respect due to all who are in authority. Here, then, is forbidden everything that is disrespectful either in manner or language. The blazoning abroad the faults of our rulers, so as to degrade them in the eyes of others, is an offence against God. When Korah, etc., gathered themselves together against Moses, you know how God expressed His indignation against these contemners of constituted authority. The Scriptures regard it as a daring thing to "speak evil of dignities, to despise dominion." II. THE GROUNDS ON WHICH OUR OBLIGATION RESTS. 1. The penalty which those incur who transgress. A law becomes a dead letter, unless its penalties are enforced: and it is the duty of such as are in authority to be "a terror to evil works," and not to "bear the sword in vain," for they are appointed "as the ministers of God, as revengers to execute wrath on him that doeth evil." Yea, it is said that they that resist, "shall receive to themselves damnation." We acknowledge this is a low motive. Still, low as it is, we fear, so great a lack of higher principle prevails amongst us, that, were it not employed, such a thing as obedience would hardly be known. Each would be an Ishmael. 2. The advantage we derive from civil government (vers. 3, 4). So appalling is the evil of the want of a regular government, that the very worst government is better than no government at all (see Judges 18). We have so long enjoyed the blessings of an equitable government, in which even the king dare not, if he would, invade the rights of the beggar, and in which every crime is prosecuted, and, in consequence, we have been so long privileged to "sit each one under his vine and under his fig-tree, none daring to make us afraid," that we seem almost to forget that we owe this happy security, not to any improvement in man himself, but to a well-ordered government. It might help us to realise these advantages if we were to suppose for a time, a suspension of the laws throughout the land; and that every one was left to follow the full bent of his own will, without fear. 3. The consideration of the authority wherewith they are invested (ver. 1). This applies to all that hold legitimate authority. It is not necessary, in order to make any power the ordinance of God, that it should be nominated by God Himself: as Moses, and Saul, and David were, for instance. For the apostle is speaking of the Roman emperors, who were elected by the army. It is mutual consent and contract that makes two persons man and wife; and yet matrimony is God's ordinance; and the subjection under which the wife is required to be unto her own husband in everything arises not just from mutual contract, but from God's appointment. Again, one becomes master, and another servant, by consent and covenant: but the master's authority over the servant is derived, not simply from the covenant entered into, but from the ordinance of God. Hence, when Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron, Moses says to them, "Your murmurings are not against us, but against the Lord." And, moreover, when Israel rejected Samuel as their ruler God regarded it as a rejection of Himself. (J. Sandys, A.M.) Parallel Verses KJV: Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. |
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