How does Acts 22:25 connect to Romans 13:1-7 on authority? Setting the Scene in Acts 22:25 • Paul has been seized in Jerusalem; the Roman commander orders flogging to extract information. • “But as they stretched him out to be flogged, Paul said to the centurion standing there, ‘Is it legal for you to flog a Roman citizen who has not been found guilty?’” (Acts 22:25). • The question halts the punishment. Roman law forbade scourging an uncondemned citizen. Paul invokes that law—calmly, respectfully, factually. Paul’s Appeal: Submission and Savvy • Paul does not curse, threaten, or revolt. • He submits to legal process yet uses his God-given civil right. • This shows: – Submission is not passivity; it can include lawful self-defense. – Respect for authority includes expecting that authority to keep its own laws. The Romans 13 Blueprint for Authority “Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which is from God. The authorities that exist have been appointed by God” (Romans 13:1). • Government’s origin: divine appointment. • Government’s task: reward good, punish evil (vv. 3-4). • Believers’ duty: submission (v. 5) and material support—taxes, respect, honor (v. 7). Connecting the Dots: How Paul Models Romans 13 • Romans 13 instructs; Acts 22 illustrates. • Paul, the human author of Romans, practices what he preaches: – He recognizes Rome’s God-given authority. – He expects that authority to function justly, as Romans 13 describes. – By appealing, he calls the authorities back to their God-ordained role (to protect the innocent). • The centurion’s immediate reaction (Acts 22:26-29) shows the system working: injustice checked, citizen protected. Balanced Obedience: When to Stand and When to Submit • Submit unless commanded to sin (Acts 5:29). • Use lawful means when wronged (Acts 16:37-39; 25:11). • Honor rulers even when they are pagan (1 Peter 2:13-17). • Remember ultimate sovereignty belongs to God (Daniel 4:17). Takeaways for Today • Respect governmental authority as God’s instrument. • Know and lawfully use your rights; doing so is not rebellion. • Expect rulers to operate under God’s standard of justice; hold them to it with honor. • Live so that, like Paul, your conduct under authority adorns the gospel and upholds God’s design for civil order. |
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