1Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. 2Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. 3For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and he will commend you. 4For he is God's servant to do you good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword for nothing. He is God's servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. 5Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also because of conscience. 6This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God's servants, who give their full time to governing. 7Give everyone what you owe him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor. (New International Version)
I guess my quesiton about this passage is what exactly it means in terms of Christians and the way we interact with the government. Does it mean that we are supposed to keep every law (save, of course, for those that go directly against God's law). And if we are required to keep these man-made laws, does that mean that we sin by breaking them?
The other idea I get from this passage is that Paul is telling us that secular governments have the authority to uphold laws-- so, for example, they can sentence a man to death for violatation of the law. Therefore, we must respect their authority in upholding and creating their laws and not resort to uprisings or anarchy because we believe we are not under the punishing power of the state, but only of God.
So, under this assumption, it wouldn't nessecarily be a sin to break the speed limit, but it would be a sin to reject the idea that the police officer who pulls you over has the right to give you a ticket?
This is a topic I've been struggling with lately. On the one hand I don't see myself as one who would be generally lawless and going around breaking rules just for the purpose of breaking them. However, I also know that lately, as a result of this passage, I've become fairly neurotic about whether or not I'm keeping all man-made laws accurately, and I feel as though it is draining me both spiritually and pysically. I don't want to use that as an excuse to not follow the law if this is what Paul is really asking us to do-- I just want to know if this is really what Paul is asking here.
Thanks in advance to everyone who responds. I would be very greatful for anyone's interpretation. :]
--Emily
I guess my quesiton about this passage is what exactly it means in terms of Christians and the way we interact with the government. Does it mean that we are supposed to keep every law (save, of course, for those that go directly against God's law). And if we are required to keep these man-made laws, does that mean that we sin by breaking them?
The other idea I get from this passage is that Paul is telling us that secular governments have the authority to uphold laws-- so, for example, they can sentence a man to death for violatation of the law. Therefore, we must respect their authority in upholding and creating their laws and not resort to uprisings or anarchy because we believe we are not under the punishing power of the state, but only of God.
So, under this assumption, it wouldn't nessecarily be a sin to break the speed limit, but it would be a sin to reject the idea that the police officer who pulls you over has the right to give you a ticket?
This is a topic I've been struggling with lately. On the one hand I don't see myself as one who would be generally lawless and going around breaking rules just for the purpose of breaking them. However, I also know that lately, as a result of this passage, I've become fairly neurotic about whether or not I'm keeping all man-made laws accurately, and I feel as though it is draining me both spiritually and pysically. I don't want to use that as an excuse to not follow the law if this is what Paul is really asking us to do-- I just want to know if this is really what Paul is asking here.
Thanks in advance to everyone who responds. I would be very greatful for anyone's interpretation. :]
--Emily
