Scripture Means What It Says!

I grew up under the tutelage of an American Sunday School Union missionary. He believed every single word in the Scriptures and taught us unruly, uninterested and sometimes disruptive hoodlums that "All scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness...." Even during the years this little lambkin chose to go her own way, stumbling into dark, dark valleys and enduring incredible pain and regret, still the Good Shepherd reminded me often that His ways were best and that every word in the Scriptures was true.

Maybe that is why I have bumbled, stumbled and tripped over Romans 13. I knew this was written by Paul during the time of Nero's reign so I looked up on the Internet some horrifying truths about Nero's oversight of the fast-fading Roman Empire. It was information that I wish I didn't have in my head!

My point being: If Paul wrote Romans during the time of one of history's greatest reprobates then, well, then I guess it applies today, too. Nobody in their right mind could ever equate current leadership with Nero.

Romans 13:1-7
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. Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. 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, 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. Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God's wrath but also for the sake of conscience. For the same reason you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God attending to this very thing. 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."

The passage says every person (every means ALL!), no authority (no means NONE!), instituted by God (by God, not the will of man!), God's servant (they are working for the Master whether they know it or not!), etc. It does not say that it applies only to good leaders. I have read the arguments from folks who believe that ungodly rulers lose the right to rule and therefore, we do not need to submit to them. Well, I wonder why Paul didn't include that, considering who was on the throne at the time.

As my pastor pointed out in a recent sermon, the reason we submit is twofold: because they are established by God and because the state will judge you, too. Also, we obey, submit for conscience' sake.

Perhaps the biggest impact of this sermon series has been the point made that the person who says, "The government can't tell me what to do!" is really a person filled with pride. It is pride that says nobody can tell me what to do, how to live, whether to obtain a marriage license, what speed to drive, whether to get a building permit, etc.

The bottom line of the sermon was that we obey to avoid trouble, and most importantly to honor God.

The raised, clenched fist, the subtle disobedience of driving over the speed limit, the constant fighting over my rights is not the sign of a humble, obedient heart. It is pride.

And pride is the root of all evils. Just ask the Evil One. How did his pride work out for him? A fallen troublemaker...still under the sovereignty of God, someday to be consigned to the abyss. Not much a future in store for him and his lackeys.

I'm actually much better at pride than at humility. But I would like to be humble (sometimes), but so far this is an ongoing, daily struggle.

I'd likely end up being proud of my humility.