Everyone 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. Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. For 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. For 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. Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also because of conscience. This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God’s servants, who give their full time to governing. Give everyone what you owe him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.
Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law. The commandments, "Do not commit adultery," "Do not murder," "Do not steal," "Do not covet," and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this one rule: "Love your neighbor as yourself." Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.
Dear Paul the Apostle,
Paul, Paul, Paul… What are we to do with you?
There you were, sitting in Corinth with your friends Priscilla and Aquilla knowing that they had been forced out of their home city Rome through the machinations of the Emperor Claudius. In between making tents, you taught the church there in Corinth that their citizenship was not of this world, but of a new kingdom, the Kingdom of God, so much so that the followers of Jesus would rather die than renounce their faith in favor of worshipping the emperor. You are a man who has experienced the wrath of Roman governmental power, and you will very likely be arrested and die at the hands of the current Emperor Nero. So, how can you of all people come out of nowhere and suggest that all should submit to governing authorities?
You see, we have a problem. All of this sounds good on the surface – this teaching that folks have used as a call to citizenship throughout the years. Yet, when we continue on in the story of scripture, we discover that Romans 13 is countered by John’s vision of governmental power in Revelation 13, a vision in which that power is portrayed as a beast, an evil power that is at odds with the will of God. So who is right, you Paul, or that prophet on Patmos who will come and scare our pants off later in the story?
