SINCE 1972 GALLUP HAS CONDUCTED a “Trust in Government” poll of Americans. In its first poll it found that the percentage of respondents who had a “Great Deal” or “Fair Amount” of faith in the Executive Branch and Legislative Branch was 73% and 71%, respectively. By 2020, those numbers had plummeted to 43% and 33%, respectively. Trust in American institutions, and especially the federal government, is as low as it has ever been.
Though we see growing mistrust of government in our own day, it doesn’t come close to the feelings and actions of the Jewish people toward Imperial Rome during Jesus’ day. By the time Jesus was born, the Jews had already been under Roman subjection for over sixty years. This domination by foreign leaders was viewed by many in Israel as an affront to the sovereignty of God. So much so that insurrections were not uncommon and whole parties, like the Zealots, were committed to the overthrow of their Roman oppressors.
On a certain occasion the Jewish religious leaders sought to use the question of loyalty to Rome to trap Jesus. They asked him whether it was morally correct (in line with the Law of God) to pay taxes to Caesar. The Pharisees and Herodians were hoping to get Jesus in trouble with either the crowds (if he answered in the affirmative) or the Roman authorities (if he answered negatively). However, Jesus’ answer stunned them. He said, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's” (Mark 12:17). Jesus was saying that Rome had a certain kind of authority and God had another; they were not the same. By stating his answer in this way, Jesus was denying the deification of the Emperor and the State, but he was also rejecting the idea of an essential Jewish theocracy.
Jesus’ words not only directed the Jews to better understand a godly approach to their relationship with Imperial Rome, but they help Christians discern what our posture toward the civil authorities should be in light of the fact that we are citizens of another kingdom. In short: we should yield to our governing authorities in matters for which they have been granted power and responsibility.
And, in this life, those governing us have been granted much authority by God. Paul writes, “Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment” (Romans 13:2). Likewise, Peter declared, “Be subject for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, or the governors sent by him to punish those who do evil and praise those who do good” (1 Peter 2:13-14).
The anti-government streak that is alive and well today in our society is not driven by the Spirit of God. For if Jesus and Paul and Peter could tell their hearers who lived under totalitarian regimes that they should obey their leaders under the vast majority of circumstances, then we who live in free, democratic societies in which Christians can both vote for their representatives and serve as those representatives should be even more willing to be subject to them. This doesn’t mean that we should necessarily agree with all of our leaders’ decisions or that we should support their policies uncritically. However, it does mean that once we have done everything in our power to support a specific position, policy, or candidate that we believe more greatly approximates the values of the kingdom of God, we should rest in the sovereignty of God and seek to honor our elected and appointed officials.
Here’s a good biblical recipe for a Christian’s responsibility to their governmental leaders:
- Pray for them (1 Timothy 2:1-3).
- Honor them (Romans 13:7).
- Submit to them (Titus 3:1).
- Serve them (1 Peter 2:16).
PRAYER
Father, all authority derives from you, including the power that resides in the halls of government. Teach me to show more honor and respect to those you have placed in positions of civil authority. Grant me peace when my candidate is on the losing end of the ballot or when my party is no longer in power. May my hope for change in this world be ever set upon you and never upon a politician. In all of this I pray that you would be glorified as the King of Kings. Amen.
PONDER
- Why do you think God calls his people to be subject to their governmental authorities – whether they are dictators like Caesar or duly elected leaders like the President of the United States?
- Which of the Bible verses referenced in this study most shocked you the first time you read them? Why?
- How do you need to be more “Christian” in your approach to government?