{"id":15986,"date":"2024-10-08T04:30:00","date_gmt":"2024-10-08T08:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/christoverall.com\/?p=15986"},"modified":"2024-10-09T05:32:51","modified_gmt":"2024-10-09T09:32:51","slug":"romans-13-submission-not-unquestioning-obedience","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/christoverall.com\/article\/concise\/romans-13-submission-not-unquestioning-obedience\/","title":{"rendered":"Romans 13: Submission, Not Unquestioning Obedience"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Romans 13 has been a critical text in Christian theology regarding how believers should relate to governing authorities. Historically, among some Christians, it has often been interpreted as demanding absolute obedience to governments. However, a closer examination reveals that this passage calls for submission not marked by blind, unquestioning obedience. This article explores how the terms \u201csubmission\u201d and \u201cobedience\u201d differ, considers the textual context and historical context of Romans 13, and offers suggestions on how Christians ought to engage with governing authorities in our Constitutional Republic. This article seeks to give counsel for times when governing officials use their positions to advance immoral causes and injustices, encouraging criminal behavior and suppressing righteousness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Context of Romans 13:1\u20137<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Apostle Paul\u2019s admonition, \u201cLet every person be subject to the governing authorities,\u201d has contextual preparation earlier when Paul exhorts Christians to \u201cbe transformed by the renewal of your mind\u201d to be able \u201cto discern what God\u2019s will is\u201d (Rom. 12:2). He expands on what this entails by addressing how (A) believers are to behave as members of Christ\u2019s body (12:9\u201313), (B) Christians are to behave toward those outside the church, especially \u201cthose who persecute you\u201d (12:14-21), (B1<\/sup>) everyone who confesses \u201cJesus is Lord\u201d (10:4) is to submit to governing authorities (13:1\u20137), and (A1<\/sup>) believers are to be governed by Christ\u2019s love in every facet of life (13:8\u201310).[1]<\/a><\/sup> Here is a visual of the chiasm.[2]<\/a><\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
1. Observe the chiasm. Thomas R. Schreiner follows Jean-No\u00ebl Aletti in seeing a different chiasm: A (12:9\u201316); B (12:17\u201321); B1<\/sup> (13:1\u20137); A1<\/sup> (13:8\u201310) (\u201cChurch and State in Romans 13: How Universally Applicable Are Paul\u2019s Exhortations?\u201d Paul\u2019s Letter to the Romans: Theological Essays<\/em>, eds. Douglas J. Moo, et al. [Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Academic, 2023], 285\u201386).<\/h6>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. A chiasm is a literary device that shows emphasis by arranging words\/phrases\/concepts with their counterparts in an ascending and then descending order.<\/h6>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

A\u00a0\u00a0 Love for members of Christ\u2019s body, the church (12:9\u201313).<\/p>\n

B\u00a0\u00a0 Behave peaceably in the hostile world (12:14\u201321).<\/p>\n

B1\u00a0\u00a0 <\/sup>Behave submissively toward governing officials (13:1\u20137).<\/p>\n

A1<\/sup>\u00a0 Love for members of Christ\u2019s body, the church (13:8\u201310).<\/p>\n

Paul\u2019s deliberate chiastic arrangement of the text aids in seeing Romans 13:1\u20137 within the larger framework. His chiasm also compels us to recognize crucial words occurring in both Romans 12:14\u201321 and 13:1\u20137. Consider these words linking the two passages.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Romans 12:14\u201321<\/strong><\/td>\nRomans 13:1\u20137<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
vv. 17, 21<\/td>\nevil, good<\/td>\nvv. 3\u20134<\/td>\ngood, evil<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
v. 19<\/td>\nGod\u2019s wrath<\/td>\nvv. 4\u20135<\/td>\nGod\u2019s wrath<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
v. 19<\/td>\nvengeance<\/td>\nv. 4<\/td>\nvengeance<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
v. 17<\/td>\nrepay<\/td>\nv. 7<\/td>\nrepay<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Recognizing these important verbal links between Romans 12:14\u201321 and 13:1\u20137 suggests we correctly read these two passages as complementary. Especially noteworthy is Paul\u2019s prohibition:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

Repay no one evil for evil but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, \u201cVengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord\u201d (12:17\u201320).<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

The chiasm and word connections beckon us to read Romans 13:1\u20137 in tight association with Romans 12:14\u201321 with the two portions mutually informing one another. What we read in Romans 12:14\u201321 prepares us for correctly understanding 13:1\u20137. So, in Romans 12:14\u201321, Paul provides directives concerning how Christ\u2019s people are to behave toward all who are outside the body of believers, including governing officials. We are to bless those who curse us, sympathize with others whether they rejoice or mourn, always endeavor to live peacefully with others, associate with the lowly, never be conceited, never retaliate but trust God to judge rightly, lend aid to those in need, and overcome evil with good. Paul takes these significant general directives concerning how Christians are to behave in relation to people outside the church and applies them to how Christians are to relate to governing authorities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. The Distinction Between Submission<\/em> and Obedience<\/em><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Christians should always advocate for justice to prevail over injustice, and where injustice threatens, we ought always to appeal for justice, as the Apostle Paul did on multiple occasions.[3]<\/a><\/sup> Paul\u2019s conduct aligns with his admonitions to Christians concerning how we should behave toward civil authorities, especially in the letter he sent to the Christians in Rome, the governmental seat of the entire empire.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. In Phillipi, as a Roman citizen, Paul appealed for the city magistrates, who had arrested and publicly beaten and imprisoned him and Silas without any trial, to come and release them from prison, not secretly, but publicly and officially (Acts 16:35\u201340). Again, as a Roman citizen, Paul appealed to have the Jews\u2019 charges against him tried before Caesar (Acts 25:6\u201312).<\/h6>\n\n\n\n

Romans 13:1\u20137 begins with the Apostle Paul\u2019s well-known injunction: \u201cLet 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\u201d (Rom. 13:1). On the surface, this seems to imply a blanket command for obedience to government officials, but correctly understanding the verb \u201cbe subject\u201d is critical to grasping Paul\u2019s intent. The word used here and repeated in Romans 13:5, translated as \u201cbe subject to,\u201d is the same word Paul uses in Ephesians 5:21\u201322. There Paul first characterizes a body of believers as engaged in mutually \u201csubmitting<\/em> to one another out of reverence for Christ,\u201d[4]<\/a><\/sup> and then he begins a new paragraph and topic when he exhorts, \u201cWives, submit<\/em> to your own husbands, as to the Lord.\u201d[5]<\/a><\/sup> Neither of these uses in Ephesians 5 substitutes for the verb \u201cobey\u201d or \u201cbe obedient,\u201d as if Paul meant to say, \u201cobeying one another\u201d or \u201cWives, obey your own husbands.\u201d For Paul, \u201csubmitting\u201d (hupotass\u014d<\/em>) is distinguishable from \u201cobeying\u201d (hupakou\u014d<\/em>). Believers \u201csubmitting to one another\u201d and wives \u201csubmitting to their own husbands\u201d are distinct and different from \u201cChildren, obey your parents in the Lord<\/em>, for this is right\u201d (Eph. 6:1). The words, \u201cin the Lord,\u201d sufficiently bind children\u2019s obedience to God-honoring acts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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4. See Ardel Caneday, \u201cThe Myth of Mutual Submission in the Home (Part 1)<\/a>.\u201d<\/h6>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

5. Though most Greek manuscripts do not include the verb (hupotass\u014d<\/em>) in Ephesians 5:22, translators acknowledge that it should be inferred from verse 21 and included in verse 22. Unlike the Nestle-Aland text, the Tyndale House Greek New Testament does include the verb based on the editors\u2019 principles for identifying the text closest to what was originally written.<\/h6>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

So, within two other spheres of God\u2019s ordered governance, the church and marriage, submitting<\/em> is not equated with obeying<\/em>. We misread Scripture if we read calls for wives to submit to their husbands as demands for unqualified obedience to their orders so long as their commands are not intrinsically sinful (Eph. 5:22; Col. 3:18; 1 Pet. 3:1). Likewise, we misunderstand Scripture if we presume that Christians are to yield \u201cunqualified obedience\u201d to church elders. Rather, the NIV correctly translates Hebrews 13:17, \u201cHave confidence in your leaders and submit to their authority, because they keep watch over you as those who must give an account. Do this so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no benefit to you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thus, in Romans 13:1 and 5, \u201cLet every person be subject to the governing authorities\u201d does not command \u201cunqualified obedience.\u201d Rather, the word entails honor<\/em> and respect<\/em>, which the apostle explicitly explains when he admonishes Christians to show \u201crespect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed\u201d (Rom. 13:7).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

God has appointed multiple \u201cspheres of sovereignty\u201d\u2014the individual, family, employment, church, and state\u2014each one entailing defined authority and self-governance. Enforcing justice and executing retributive punishment for criminal behavior does not belong to individual Christians but to the state and civil magistrates. Justice and vengeance belong to those whom God appointed as governing authorities. Paul explains the governing official\u2019s God-appointed role: \u201cFor he is God\u2019s 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\u2019s wrath on the wrongdoer\u201d (13:4).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Paul wrote his letter to the Christians in Rome, a diverse and persecuted community under the rule of the Roman Empire. The Roman authorities were often hostile to Christians, and many scholars believe Paul\u2019s instruction was meant to address the community\u2019s precarious social and political situation. Christians were viewed as a potential threat due to their allegiance to Christ as \u201cLord\u201d rather than Caesar. Thus, Paul was not necessarily promoting submission to governing authorities for its own sake but encouraging believers to live peaceably, recognizing that all authority ultimately belongs to God.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Submission, as commanded in Romans 13, is an act of acknowledging the legitimacy of authority and recognizing its role within God\u2019s created order. This does not imply that one is obligated to obey the laws or directives of a governing authority if they contradict God\u2019s higher law. This can be seen in how Peter and John responded to the Jewish High Priest\u2019s and his associates\u2019 command to cease preaching in Jesus\u2019 name and \u201cbring this man\u2019s blood upon us\u201d (Acts 5:28). The two apostles countered, \u201cWe must obey God rather than men\u201d (Acts 5:29). While they submitted respectfully to the governing religious authorities, they refused to obey when their specific prohibition contradicted their duty to God. Their behavior shows that submission does not preclude civil disobedience when human laws conflict with divine commands.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. Governing Authority Is From God and Is Not Infallible<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

We might easily misconstrue the meaning of Paul\u2019s assertion, \u201cFor there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained<\/em> of God\u201d (Rom. 13:1; KJV) to refer to God\u2019s sovereign foreordination of everything that comes to pass. The highlighted verb, ordained<\/em>, is variously translated as \u201cappointed\u201d (NKJV), \u201cestablished\u201d (NIV, NASB), and \u201cinstituted\u201d (ESV, CSB). Paul\u2019s only other use of the verb is in 1 Corinthians 16:15, where he speaks of Stephanas\u2019s household, \u201cthey have devoted themselves<\/em> to the service of the saints.\u201d The word refers to an appointment or devotion to a task. Therefore, John Murray correctly observes that, in Romans 13:1\u20132, Paul does not speak merely of \u201cGod\u2019s decretive will\u201d but rather of God\u2019s \u201cpreceptive will,\u201d which, if the magistrate refrains from executing just judgment against crimes, his failure to carry out justice \u201cwould be sinful.\u201d[6]<\/a><\/sup> God appoints civil magistrates to execute his vengeance on evildoers (cf. Rom. 12:19 & 13:4).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

6. John Murray, The Epistle to the Romans<\/em>, reprint 1975, (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1968), 2.148\u201349. God\u2019s decretive will refers to everything he enjoins in scripture: \u201cdo not murder,\u201d \u201cdo not steal,\u201d etc. God\u2019s perceptive will refers to everything that happens under his divine sovereignty, including the breaking of his commandments, as when Jesus Christ was murdered on the cross (Acts 4:27\u201328).<\/h6>\n\n\n\n

Government, according to Paul, has a God-given role: to promote good and restrain evil (Rom. 13:3\u20134). However, history is replete with examples of governments that do the opposite\u2014promoting injustice and suppressing righteousness. Of course, Paul understood this when he wrote these words in his letter bound to arrive in Rome, where Caesar resided. Hence, the apostle\u2019s directives concerning the role of civil authorities implicitly obligate ministers of the gospel but also all Christians to teach our own families and our neighbors concerning our roles as citizens and also to remind those who govern us:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

(1) that God appointed them to their seats of governance;<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(2) that they are ministers of God for the well-being of those whom they govern;<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(3) that justice\u2014punishing evildoers and rewarding doers of good\u2014is their primary role;<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(4) that they are in positions of authority not to serve themselves but to serve those for whom they are entrusted with governing.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

The apostle\u2019s directives forbid us from engaging in activist rioting, insurrection, and disorder, but they do not keep us from peaceful protestations against injustice. The apostle\u2019s teaching restrains us from retreating from public life within a safe Christian cloister hermetically sealed from the wicked influences around us\u2014including evil-doing elected officials, magistrates, and bureaucrats who become tyrants. Instead, the Apostle Paul obligates us Christians to confront evil governing officials with holy rebukes to remind them of their God-appointed calling, even removing them from their roles by recall or scheduled election.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. Christian Responsibility in Our Constitutional Republic<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Paul was a citizen of an empire ruled by a pagan emperor. When writing to Christians in Rome, the emperor\u2019s home, he admonishes them to submit to governing officials whose God-appointed role is to punish evildoers and reward doers of good. That we reside not under an emperor but under \u201cthe rule of law\u201d in a constitutional republic does not mitigate the Apostle Paul\u2019s admonition. We also are to submit to civil authorities not only because we fear the magistrate\u2019s wrath, who is God\u2019s servant for good, but also conscientiously, as to the Lord Christ himself. Because greater freedom increases one\u2019s accountability, indeed, as citizens of a constitutional republic, where citizens are invested as the electorate, we can reasonably argue that the apostle\u2019s appeal to submitting from a convinced conscience places responsibilities on us as voters that the Roman Empire\u2019s form of government robbed its citizens.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yes, God providentially bequeathed to us not only \u201cthe power of the ballot\u201d but the freedom to appeal to other voters to join us in the righteous cause to hold magistrates accountable to conduct themselves properly as God\u2019s servants for good. These freedoms obligate us to use our ballot to honor God by calling unjust civil authorities to account. True, our two-party political system has its offensive and restrictive qualities, but God\u2019s providence presents us with a binary choice. Therefore, Stephen Wellum has recently observed correctly<\/a> that voting is not only a citizen\u2019s duty but a Christian\u2019s responsibility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

As we think about political parties, we must first stand as Christians and not partisans. As a Christian, as I evaluate the GOP, I think it\u2019s a disaster. Yet, there is still within it a direction that is not as anti-human as the Democrat Party. Further, the GOP still allows conservative Christians to influence their Party. So unless we\u2019re going to start another Party, which presently is not viable, we have a binary choice. To sit out is not a responsible option since we lose the influence of our voice entirely<\/em><\/strong>. We need to make wise decisions, and for me, the only option is to vote GOP. Donald Trump is not my first choice, and I opposed him in the primaries, but as the candidate of the GOP, he\u2019s the one I will vote for. (Emphasis added)<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

5. Conclusion: Submission with Discernment<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Romans 13 does not demand blind obedience to every decree or policy enacted by a government. In fact, the Apostle Paul\u2019s command is not that we are obligated \u201cto obey\u201d governing officials but \u201cto submit\u201d to them, acknowledging that all authority ultimately comes not from humans but from God. Therefore, our submission to civil magistrates is not absolute. Submission does not preclude civil disobedience when a government\u2019s laws conflict with or contradict God\u2019s moral law. God\u2019s law obligates us to live peaceably, respect governing authorities, pay our taxes, and work for the common good, but we are also called to resist evil, act justly, advocate for justice, and engage responsibly as citizens who call to account civil authorities who betray their roles as God\u2019s servants for good. Thus, our submission to governing authorities requires wisdom to discern when to follow laws and when to resist them in faithfulness to the Lord Christ. Our challenge as Christians is to navigate this tension with wisdom, courage, and a commitment to righteousness in every circumstance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

What does submission to the government look like when the government has gone off the rails?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":15991,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"12","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"What does submission to the government look like when the government has gone off the rails?","_seopress_robots_index":"","inline_featured_image":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[32,12,1812,38],"tags":[1692,107,467,82,491,549,500,270],"scripture-reference":[],"post_folder":[],"ppma_author":[25],"class_list":["post-15986","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-article","category-concise","category-october-2024","category-theme","tag-boldness","tag-civil-disobedience","tag-government","tag-political-theology","tag-romans-13","tag-submission","tag-totalitarianism","tag-worship"],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/christoverall.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/joshua-earle-v6tP8JnABbw-unsplash-scaled-e1728304488678.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"publishpress_future_action":{"enabled":false,"date":"2026-01-13 11:57:45","action":"change-status","newStatus":"draft","terms":[],"taxonomy":"category","extraData":[]},"publishpress_future_workflow_manual_trigger":{"enabledWorkflows":[]},"authors":[{"term_id":25,"user_id":0,"is_guest":1,"slug":"ardel-caneday","display_name":"Ardel Caneday","avatar_url":{"url":"https:\/\/christoverall.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/ardel-caneday.jpg","url2x":"https:\/\/christoverall.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/ardel-caneday.jpg"},"author_category":"","job_title":"","church_city_state":"","last_name":"Caneday","first_name":"Ardel","church_site":"","user_url":"https:\/\/abcaneday.com","description":"Ardel Caneday<\/b> continues as an adjunct faculty member at University of Northwestern<\/a> after recently retiring from his role as Professor of New Testament & Greek. Ardel completed the MDiv and ThM at Grace Theological Seminary and the PhD in New Testament at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. He is a founding teaching elder of Christ Bible Church (Roseville, MN). He co-edited with Matthew Barrett Four Views on the Historical Adam<\/i>, co-authored with Thomas R. Schreiner The Race Set Before Us<\/i>, and has published many articles in Christian magazines, journals, books, and online."}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/christoverall.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15986","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/christoverall.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/christoverall.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/christoverall.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/christoverall.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=15986"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/christoverall.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15986\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":22547,"href":"https:\/\/christoverall.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15986\/revisions\/22547"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/christoverall.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/15991"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/christoverall.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=15986"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/christoverall.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=15986"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/christoverall.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=15986"},{"taxonomy":"scripture-reference","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/christoverall.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/scripture-reference?post=15986"},{"taxonomy":"post_folder","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/christoverall.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/post_folder?post=15986"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/christoverall.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/ppma_author?post=15986"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}