Honoring Authority
“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.” Paul (Romans 13:1-2)
Love and Lordship in Focus…Honoring governing authorities is not always easy but unless they are contradictory to God’s laws and commands let us humble ourselves to do so. May we spend time in God’s Word and prayer to discern our choices and in so doing always honor Him!
Our next “one another” comes back full circle as Paul is wrapping up his letter to the Romans under the inspiration of The Holy Spirit. He has commanded (remember, not demanded but commanded those who will obediently follow through in love) believers to be devoted to, honor, live in harmony with and be at peace with…one another.
So in Romans 13:8-10 he echoes what John shared in his Gospel that we are to “love one another.” However, in this text Paul has moved from personal discipline and maturity, even beyond relational and communal love (all of which certainly still apply) and he is talking about honoring all authorities (even in the midst of the pagan, polytheistic Roman government and religion).
He tells us that in our honoring of the authorities, which God Himself has ordained and established, that the best and only way to fulfill the law and honor all authority is by owing nothing to anyone except that…we love one another.
As the early Christians followed these commands they turned the world upside down. That same Love of God in and through Christ’s followers today can and will accomplish the same thing in a world whose love has grown and is growing increasingly cold (Matthew 24:12). We are the ones, as Christ followers, who alone can show a hardened world the real Love of God!
So let’s continue to grow in our love for God and allow His Love in and through us to impact this world and culture to know Christ.
Food for Thought…Respecting authority, even that which does not honor God is difficult. However, it begins with our love and respect of God Himself and then we can discern through prayer and time in His Word as to when and how we should honor governing authority and when we should obey God rather than man (Acts 5:29)
Love in Action –
- Spend time with Him in His Word and prayer daily – read and study the Scriptures in this post as a way to start
- Ask The Holy Spirit to teach you
- What has been your experience in honoring government authorities? How has that honored God?
- Has there been a time when you chose civil disobedience? How did you discern that and how did it honor God?
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Love and Lordship Prayer Focus…Heavenly Father, respect and honor for governing authorities has been fairly simple most of the time. However it seems that more and more because we have pushed you out of our lives, homes, churches, schools and media, as well as many other areas of influence, we are reaping a government that is either hostile or ambivalent to You. May we always honor You as we seek to honor authority in our culture. In Jesus Name. Amen.