God Gave the Authority

Learning today from Romans 13:1-7.

Instructions given to believers.   
Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.
Remember... God puts things in place.  Remember how yesterday we were reminded to leave vengeance to the Lord?  How God is in control of what happens to those who are our enemies, leaving us to just manage our stuff and not worry about the end result of things?   Well here again, God reminds us that HE is the one who is control, and his control is such that all others with authority only get there because he consents to it. 

Think about what that means.   I mean really think about it.  It's hitting me like a brick over my headachy head... God put those in authority into that position.  And ultimately he's the one with all the authority.

So when people in authority are unkind or mean or thoughtless or .... fill in the blank.... the end responsibility is God's and HE will take care of those who use their positions wrongly.

² Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. ³ For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, ⁴ for he is God's servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God's wrath on the wrongdoer. ⁵ Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God's wrath but also for the sake of conscience. ⁶ For because of this you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing. ⁷ Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed.

So if we fight against the authorities placed over us...we are ultimately fighting against God. Now.. I stop and think about this, and how Martin Luther didn't let the authorities change his spiritual convictions. How he fled from them.   So I don't know all the answers about how this all plays out sometimes.  It ultimately comes back to this... are you obeying God?  Are you going against the convictions of your spirit if you were to obey an leader using his position incorrectly?  It's more important to obey God than to heed a ruler acting against God. 

But lest I get too fair afield here... we need to realize Paul's point here... we need to obey the laws of the land.  And we need to pay our taxes, and respect our leaders, and give honour to those for whom honour is owed.   Why?   Because God put them in the position he did.   So they are meant for our good (at least they should be) and that means they act for God (at least they should).  Ergo... respect them.  Pay your taxes.  Give your respect.

Do as God would have you do. 

What say you?

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