¹ Every person is to be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God. ² Therefore whoever resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God; and they who have opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves.

Much debated among Christians today, our passage represents a key text in dealing with our relationship to government. Should Christians vote, or should we let God choose the leaders through some other method? To what extent should Christians be involved in politics? Does criticizing our political leaders violate being “in subjection”? What about the peaceful non-violent resistance of Martin Luther King? Should the German churches have resisted the rise of the Third Reich and Adolf Hitler? Christian-political treatises have abounded dealing with these questions.

Living under a dictatorship differs from living in a free and democratic society. In the former situation, there are no “freedoms” or “rights” of the citizens. The teaching here overlaps with the teaching to slaves about being submissive to their masters (Eph 6:5-6). A person’s greatest impact on the oppressive authority is one of submissiveness—that is the general principle laid down by the apostle Paul. This sounds repugnant in our modern and Western world, but Christianity was not founded as an institution whose goal is to revolutionize governmental systems or cultures. To be sure, Christians should and will affect these things. But the goal of the Gospel message, the goal of the church, is to change people individually, one at a time.

The unfortunate truth is that there will always be repressive governments and institutions. In reality, none of us deserves the right to “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness” as the American Declaration of Independence asserts. Far above any political affiliation or earthly citizenship, we believers, justified as we are, stand in grace, undeserved. And we are on assignment from God as His ambassadors to bring individuals into reconciliation with God (2 Cor 5:20). If Christianity doesn’t work in the most repressive of situations, then it doesn’t work at all.

Throughout the book of Romans, Paul has emphasized the sovereignty of God in salvation. His sovereignty extends to the nations. Witness rulers like Pharaoh, Nebuchadnezzar and many others. How can God raise up ungodly world leaders? In his book, the prophet Habakkuk wrestled with this very question. God does in fact raise up bad leaders. The general role for us as believers is to submit to what God is doing through those leaders.

Lord, help me have a submissive attitude when it comes to things of my country.