Romans 13 – Authority And Submission

What’s The Point?

Romans 13 continues Paul’s practical directions and exhortations for the Church. The crux of this passage has to do with submitting to authority. This is practical for believers today, but we must understand this directive in light of Paul’s and the Roman church’s context.

Context matters. This passage is a great example of why we should strive to understand the context in which Scripture was written and received. It is easy for us to interpret Scripture according to our situation; this is perfectly natural, which is why we have to make an effort to understand the situation of the author and audience.

Paul was writing to Roman Christians, who were very familiar with persecution from the governing authorities. Many Roman Christians were forcibly removed from Jerusalem during the reign of Emperor Claudius between 41-54 AD. After Claudius came Nero. History tells us that Nero burned Christians alive as torches, had Christians killed in the gladiatorial games, and crucified them like the one they followed. Paul and Peter are also believed to have been killed under his reign.

So, why on earth would Paul write that Christians should be subject to authorities? And if rulers have been “instituted by God” (v. 2), why did Nero ever come to power? These are hard questions with hard answers.

First, we cannot get the order of authority wrong. According to Paul, did these evil emperors have authority? Yes. But who has ultimate authority? God. So believers must, whether in Ancient Rome or modern day America, obey God before they obey men. In fact, this is why the Church in Rome was persecuted so aggressively. Christians were unwilling to worship the emperor and were willing to accept the punishment for worshiping the Jesus.

In this sense, Christians were subject to God’s authority as they met together, worshiped, and proclaimed that Jesus was God, not the emperor. Then they were willing to be subject to the governing authorities in death. In Matthew 22 Jesus tells his disciples to pay their taxes to Caesar and points to his image on their coins. But the greater challenge he gives them is to give their lives to God because they bear his image by creation (Genesis 1:27).

If Roman Christians being persecuted were to remain subject to their authorities, and if Jesus commanded his followers to honor the laws of the pagan empire that ruled over them—how are we to live subject to our authority today? In the same way! Our obedience is primarily to Jesus, and our trust in the sovereignty of God means that we obey earthly authorities above us. Christians living as good citizens are a great testimony to the Gospel. God has set this up in such a way that Christians will thrive under good government, and the spread of the Gospel will not be stopped by an evil government. His sovereign plan really is at work whether under pagan emperors, Christian monarchs, or elected officials.

Paul then encourages believers to live in obedience to Christ! This is beautiful because he makes important points about how we should obey authorities and governments but then ultimately encourages believers towards holy living. This highlights that obedience to Christ is of utmost importance. Living in pursuit of Christ, living according to the Spirit and not the flesh, this is what truly matters.

If we were going to summarize this chapter in a sentence: Honor those in authority over you, not out of obedience to them but out of obedience to Christ, trusting that he has ultimate authority, and live in submission to Jesus’ will for your life.

Scripture Memorization

Romans 13:14

[14] But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh,

to gratify its desires.

Prayer

Lord, may my outward life reflect the reality of what you have done in my heart. You have made me new; now, help me live as a new creation. I don’t want any corners of my life to hide sin or selfishness or pride. Expose all the areas of darkness in my life with the light of your glory and your grace. Show me the areas where I need to grow and then lead me as I pursue you in those areas. I trust you completely, but I need help everyday to live that out. Help me submit to you every moment of every day. Amen.

Reflection

1. God’s sovereignty extends into every aspect of life and creation. Reflect on the fact that all history and all people have been in submission to God’s divine will.
2. Ask the Lord to show you areas of your life where you are not submitting to authority or are not representing Christ in how you treat authority.
3. We spent most of our time in vv. 1-7. Spend some time reading through vv. 8-14 and journal a thought for each verse.

Discussion Questions

1. What are some biblical examples of God working through the lives and decrees of people in power? And what did God do to show his sovereignty in those circumstances? (Hints: Egypt, Babylon)
2. There are still difficulties that come up with the topic of obeying government. What are some hard questions you still have regarding this text?
3. Most of this study was spent on the first half of the chapter; spend some time discussing the last seven verses.

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If you have any questions feel free to reach out: harry@swoutfitters.com. All of the Scripture referenced in this study is from the English Standard Version (ESV) unless otherwise noted.