Everyone must submit to governing authorities. For all authority comes from God, and those in positions of authority have been placed there by God. Romans 13:1 (NLT)
As Christ-followers, we have dual citizenship. Peter tells us that we are citizens of heaven and earthly countries. As believers, how should we perform our civic duty? Some of them are prescribed to us by the country’s laws, but we also have responsibilities beyond those because we represent our Lord and Savior as his ambassadors.
A Christ-follower should be the best citizen because what we do and say reflects our Lord. This was Paul’s point to the believers in Rome, who did not enjoy religious liberty or many of the fundamental freedoms and privileges that perhaps we take for granted.
Nowhere does Paul say that our submission to government authority is conditional. The Roman government of Paul’s day was as despotic and cruel as any in any age. The infamous Nero was most likely the emperor when he wrote this letter. Paul instructed Christ-followers to pay their taxes and give respect and honor to the government because God established governmental authority.
The exception to this is when the authorities do not permit us to obey God’s laws or declare God’s praises and salvation. In Acts, religious authorities tried to stop the apostles from speaking about Jesus. When Peter and John heard this, they replied, “Do you think God wants us to obey you rather than man?” We cannot stop talking about everything we have seen and heard.”
Privileges and Responsibilities
We are more at ease contemplating our rights than our responsibilities: the right to worship as we please, free speech, and, if you are so inclined, the right to bear arms, the right to vote, and protection against unreasonable searches.
We are also aware of our responsibilities. As April 15 approaches, we understand that we should pay taxes. There are laws and statutes to obey, but a republic like the United States requires individual integrity and sacrifice. This attitude of honesty, faithfulness, and self-control in the service of your country was referred to by the founders of America as public virtue.
Public virtue means voluntarily sacrificing personal benefit for the good of society. For example, George Washington served two terms as president even when, as he was accepting the post, he wrote that “It would be the greatest sacrifice of my personal feelings and wishes that I ever have been called upon to make.” John Adams said, “Public virtue cannot exist in a nation without private, and public virtue is the only foundation of republics.”
As believers, we should lead in public virtue as citizens and as children of the King. “Learn to do good. Work for justice. Help the down-and-out. Stand up for the homeless. Go to bat for the defenseless.” Isaiah 1:17 (The Message)
We, as believers, should take the lead in these areas. Indeed, through the years, embarrassing things have been done in the name of Christ. Our job of telling the good news of salvation would be much easier if our actions aligned with our words.
We Are To Be Salt And Light
In the Gospels, Jesus told his followers that there were to be two things in particular: salt and light.
“Here’s another way to put it: You’re here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We’re going public with this, as public as a city on a hill.” Matthew 5:14 (The Message)
If we are to be lights on a hill, we can see several purposes for that light. The first is to serve as a beacon to those who are lost and can’t find their way. The second reason is that the deeds of darkness will be exposed for what they are because they will no longer be able to hide.
Christ calls us to be salt, and salt has several notable properties.
“Salt is good for seasoning. But if it loses its flavor, how do you make it salty again? You must have the qualities of salt among yourselves and live in peace with each other.” Mark 9:49-50 (NLT)
Salt Is good for seasoning, but it must be flavorful to be of any use. Additionally, before the days of refrigeration, salt was a precious commodity because of its preservation qualities. Meat and fish would soon decay and rot were it not for the qualities of salt as a preservative. Salt also has the quality of being an irritant, as when you place salt in a wound.
Jesus called us to be salt and light. When we are salt and light, we will affect the world instead of vice versa. When the church is in tune with God, he will forgive our sins, restore our land, and open our eyes, and God will listen to every prayer that his people offer.
Revival Instead of Reform
Sometimes, we may think it is enough to clean up our act, but in the same way that Jesus called the Pharisees whitewashed tombs, you can’t just slap a little reform on a bad situation and hope it improves. Revival is needed instead of reform. Israel had an up-and-down history of obedience to God, so by that time Manasseh became king, Israel had once again slipped into idolatry, and they did not turn their hearts toward God. God attempted to speak to them, but they paid no attention, so God used Assyria to get their attention.
Now that he was in trouble, he went to his knees in prayer asking for help—total repentance before the God of his ancestors. As he prayed, God was touched; God listened and brought him back to Jerusalem as king. That convinced Manasseh that God was in control. 2 Chronicles 33:12-13 (The Message)
God isn’t just interested in fixing our lives. He wants to change them by giving us his life. As he said to Jeremiah, he wants to take away our hearts of stone, which are hardened and unable to respond to Him, and give us hearts of flesh that we might know him.
Certainly, God calls us to do our civic duty as citizens, but it means more than voting and volunteering. It means praying for those in authority and living our lives so that we are salt and light. We are to bring flavor and preservation to the culture. We are to be a beacon of light to the lost, and we glorify God by letting our light shine.
Steve Ekeroth