Smoodock's Blog

Paul begins chapter thirteen of Romans by saying everyone of us need to submit to the authority of the government. But, if Love is the only law we need to have, what does love have to do with paying taxes, or obeying the local traffic laws? Does this make sense? Yes, in fact, it makes very good sense.

Paul claimed that every government is in authority either by God’s direction or his permission. Authority—all authority is from God. It makes no difference if the government is a dictatorship or a democracy, a monarchy or a republic. The authority of that government is given it by God, and it is our responsibility to obey God’s authority. Remember, when Paul wrote this letter, he specifically had Rome in mind. He was writing to the Roman Jews and Christians, after all. The Romans were the specific authorities who crucified Jesus, and they were the authorities, who in a few years would be responsible for many deaths of Christians, including that of Paul and Peter.

Government is necessary. Without it, we would be forced into a situation where most people would be at the mercy of terrorists, those who get their own way through power and intimidation. Government usually provides the necessary protection against the tyranny of evil men. It also provides many needed services, such as ample water supply, schools for our children, sewage treatment and the like. The fact is, government usually provides advantages necessary for or helpful to the preaching of the Gospel, like peaceful communities, a good infrastructure for communication and travel and good education of its citizenry so that the Scriptures could be read and understood.

Paul says we need to cooperate with our governments, helping wherever possible as good citizens. This is not a retraction of what he said earlier concerning the law. It just makes good sense and is really expressing love for one another. How so? Well, most laws are enacted to protect the rights of others—our neighbors as well as our own. Normally, obeying the laws of the land is a way of expressing love for one’s neighbor. We obey traffic speed laws not because we don’t want a ticket, but because we value the lives of those around us. We pay our taxes, not because we don’t want an audience with the local IRS agent, but because we recognize the need of society’s protection against evil men, the common education of our citizens and to keep the rights of others from being trampled upon by powerful men and / or businesses.

Love is really the only law we need to obey, and we need to keep in mind that it is the only debt we owe others that we can never pay in full. Obeying the law of love throws a completely different light upon good citizenship. We obey, not because we wish to avoid trouble, but because we have the common good of all in view. The Christian who practices living by the law of love doesn’t see government—the politicians, the policeman, the tax collector etc.—as threats. On the contrary we view government as an opportunity to express our love for our fellow man beyond the boundaries of our own neighborhood and realm of influence. Through our governments we are able to take part in protecting, feeding, educating and providing hope for many more people than we could possibly hope to reach on our own. Thank God for government and pray for our leaders whoever they may be—whatever political party they represent. Don’t accuse them unnecessarily of wrongdoing, but in every possible way try to make government work for all and so in many ways fulfill the law of loving our neighbor.

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