Does Romans 13:6 imply that all government authorities are established by God? Text of Romans 13:6 “For this reason you also pay taxes, because the authorities are God’s servants, who devote themselves to attending continually to this very thing.” Immediate Context: Romans 13:1-7 Paul has just commanded, “Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God” (v. 1). Verses 2-5 develop accountability and conscience; verse 6 applies the principle to taxation; verse 7 applies it to all civic dues. Verse 6 therefore rests on what Paul has already asserted in verse 1. The question is whether Paul means that every single governing person or regime is positively willed and morally approved by God, or whether he is speaking at the level of the divine institution of civil authority itself. Biblical Witness to Divine Institution of Government 1. God raises kings and removes them (Daniel 2:21; 4:17). 2. By God “kings reign, and rulers enact just laws” (Proverbs 8:15-16). 3. Yahweh calls even pagan Cyrus “My shepherd” to accomplish His purpose (Isaiah 44:28 – 45:4). 4. Jesus affirms Pilate’s delegated power: “You would have no authority over Me if it were not given to you from above” (John 19:11). These passages show that the concept of authority, and the fact of any ruler’s existing tenure, are under divine sovereignty. Scripture therefore views government as a common-grace ordinance established after the Flood to curb violence (Genesis 9:6). Institution vs. Approval of Specific Actions Romans 13 speaks of God’s ordination (tassō, v. 1). It does not teach that every decree of every ruler is righteous. Otherwise Scripture would contradict itself when it condemns tyrannical acts (Isaiah 10:1-3; Habakkuk 2:12). The same God who “established” Nebuchadnezzar calls that king “My servant” (Jeremiah 25:9) and yet judges him for pride (Daniel 4:30-37). Thus: • God establishes the office and permits particular rulers. • God commands rulers to punish evil and reward good (Romans 13:3-4). • Rulers who invert that mandate stand under judgment (Psalm 2; Revelation 19:11-21). Biblical Limits of Obedience Obedience to government is never absolute. When commands conflict with God’s higher law, “We must obey God rather than men” (Acts 5:29). Examples: • Hebrew midwives disobey Pharaoh’s infanticide order (Exodus 1:15-17). • Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refuse Nebuchadnezzar’s idolatry (Daniel 3). • Daniel prays despite Darius’s edict (Daniel 6). • Apostles continue preaching Christ despite Sanhedrin bans (Acts 4-5). Romans 13 therefore affirms a default posture of submission, not an unqualified endorsement of all governmental demands. Reconciling Romans 13 with Revelation 13 Romans 13 depicts what government ought to be under God; Revelation 13 depicts what government can become when demonically co-opted. The same divine sovereignty that institutes authority also limits and finally judges it. These strands converge in Revelation 11:15: “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ.” Early Church Reception • 1 Clement 5-6 cites Romans 13 while urging obedience to legitimate commands yet celebrates martyrs who refused ungodly edicts. • Justin Martyr (Apology I, 17) teaches that Christians pay taxes and pray for emperors, yet he himself suffered execution rather than sacrifice to idols. Early usage confirms the dual truth: God-ordained authority; God-bounded allegiance. Practical Implications: Taxes and Civic Duties Because rulers are “God’s servants,” believers pay taxes (v. 6) and render “respect to whom respect is due” (v. 7). Jesus parallels this duty: “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s” (Matthew 22:21). Christians honor fiscal obligations even under imperfect regimes, trusting divine providence. Philosophical and Behavioral Considerations Government restrains humanity’s post-Fall propensity for violent self-interest (Genesis 6:11-13; Romans 3:15-18). Empirical studies in criminology corroborate that credible sanctions deter crime—a reflection of the “sword” in Romans 13:4. This alignment of biblical revelation with observable societal dynamics underscores intelligent moral design in human governance structures. Answer to the Question Romans 13:6 does affirm that governing authority itself is established by God and that existing rulers hold office only by His permissive will. Yet the verse does not imply that every specific ruler’s policies carry divine approval. God ordains the institution, requires rulers to serve as His ministers for good, and reserves the right to judge and replace them. Christians therefore submit, honor, and pay taxes, while retaining the higher obligation to obey God when civil commands defy divine law. Summary 1. Government as an institution is divinely established. 2. Specific authorities exercise derived, accountable power. 3. Submission is the normal Christian stance; disobedience is sanctioned only when obedience would entail sin. 4. Romans 13 and Revelation 13 together display God’s sovereignty over, and judgment of, political power. Thus Romans 13:6 teaches divine establishment of government without granting carte-blanche endorsement of every government action. |
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