Positions for Healing Grace in an Election Year #4

How many of you love to be told what to do? It runs against the grain of our nature and our culture. One of the most challenging passages of scripture relates to our positions for healing grace in an election year. It is one that today’s culture and today’s church have often forgotten.

Romans 13:1-7 “Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. 2 Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. 3 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 you will be commended. 4 For the one in authority is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are God’s servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. 5 Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also as a matter of conscience. 6 This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God’s servants, who give their full time to governing. 7 Give to everyone what you owe them: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.” The older NIV says “Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities.”

We submit when we win, but not when we lose. How does that make us any different from the world and we are the example. If you say “not my president” too bad, he/she is God’s president.

You say “I don’t like where America is headed." Do you think Paul liked where his world was headed? He didn’t have the right to vote for the Emperor, but he was a Roman citizen. In the Message translation of these verses it says “be a good citizen.”

If you think we have it bad, think of the rulers in Paul’s day – Roman emperors – many were psychos. Paul would have taken Trump or Harris any day over those violent and impetuous rulers. Or even closer to home, Paul had deal with the corrupt religious rulers of Israel. And yet, look what Paul said about rebellion – rebelling against the authorities is not just the authorities, but God. Notice it isn’t submit out of the fear of possible punishment, but out of conscience – just because it’s the right thing to do.

And the clearest example of how to do it according to Paul is to pay your taxes. No where does the Bible say “pay your taxes if you agree with them.” You might say "What about the Boston Tea Party?" This is part of our history, but not in the Bible. Don’t elevate American history to the level of Biblical truth and morality. No where does Paul or Jesus decry “no taxation without representation.” They never criticized the tax code or tax rates. Some countries don’t even pay their taxes. So why do we? Because this truth in Romans 13 has been part of our culture back at the inception of our nation. So our position for healing grace in an election year #4 is – we submit to our governing authorities regardless of their stances, worldview or morality, because we submit to God’s rule. It doesn’t mean we just sit pack passively as the world goes to hell, but our primary responsibility is not human kingdoms, but His kingdom. We will talk more about that in coming weeks.