Hello again. Welcome back to Daily Bread and our continuing study of Paul’s letter to the Romans. There are many people who will tell you that there are two things that they don’t like to discuss with other people, and those two things are politics and religion. Well, Paul isn’t afraid to talk about either one of them.

          Don’t forget that this letter was addressed to all that be in Rome, all the beloved of God, and all who are called to be saints, and that most every country that compassed the Mediterranean Sea was under rule of the Roman Empire at the time. You’ve got to assume that many countries, when under the rule of another country are opposed to the idea, unless there is famine or poverty or other hardship that the ruling country is helping to overcome. There was probably a lot of animosity toward the Romans in that area of the world and Paul addresses this issue.

Let every soul be under the authority of the governing powers.

Because there is no power except what comes from God:

the powers that exist are appointed of God.

          Think back for a moment to when Jerusalem was carried away into Babylon. What did God say then?

Jeremiah 27:8

And it shall come to pass, that the nation and kingdom

which will not serve the same Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon,

and that will not put their neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon,

that nation will I punish, saith the Lord,

with the sword, and with the famine, and with the pestilence,

until I have consumed them by his hand.

          Just as in every case, be sure that the authority you are respecting is indeed of God. There will be a time when antichrist will be in authority over the whole world, but you know that his dominance is not an appointment of God. Antichrist Study

Paul is referring to leaders that are appointed by God.

Whoever therefore resists the authority,

resists the ordinance of God:

and those who resist shall receive to themselves judgment.

For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil.

Will you then not be afraid of the authority?

Do that which is good, and you will have praise from those who do good.
For he (your ruler) is the servant of God to you for good.

But if you do that which is evil, be afraid;

because he (your ruler) doesn’t carry the sword without reason:

for he is the servant of God,

an avenger to execute wrath upon those who do evil.

So, it’s necessary to be under authority,

not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake.

Because for this reason you pay tax also:

because they are God's ministers,

and it’s their job to do these things.

Pay to all, what they are due:

tribute to whom tribute is due;

custom to whom custom is due;

fear to whom fear is due;

and honor to whom honor is due.

          Notice that government and law are two different things. Government is made up of servants of God to keep order among peoples and nations, otherwise the world would be utter chaos. Law, in biblical terms on the other hand refers to moral behaviors and decisions which were imposed on mankind in the Old Testament, but was replaced by the New Testament of Faith. So, we can conclude that we are under the authority of the government, but no longer under the old law of the Old Testament, but we are now under the new law of the New Testament.

Owe no man any thing, except to love one another:

because he that loves another has fulfilled the law.

Because these:

Thou shalt not commit adultery,

Thou shalt not kill,

Thou shalt not steal,

Thou shalt not bear false witness,

Thou shalt not covet;

and if there be any other commandment,

are all included in this saying:

Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.

Love does no evil to his neighbor:

therefore love is the fulfilling of the new law.

And knowing the time,

that now it is high time (long past time) to awake out of sleep:

because now our salvation is nearer than what we believed.

The night is far spent, the day is at hand:

let us therefore cast off the works of darkness,

and let us put on the armor of light.

Let us walk honestly, as in the day;

not in rioting and drunkenness,

not in chambering and wantonness

(gangs and unrestraint),

not in strife and envying

(trouble and jealousy).

But put on the Lord Jesus Christ,

and provide no opportunity to fulfill the desires of the flesh.

          At the time of this Daily Bread writing, Israel is currently at war with Lebanon, part of whose government is made up of people from the Islamic terrorist organization called Hezbollah. This group has been terrorizing Israel for some time now, and though the United Nations ordered Lebanon to disarm the group some time ago, this hasn’t been accomplished. Finally, when two Israeli soldiers were kidnapped by Hezbollah, Israel retaliated with war upon Lebanon, with hopes that once and for all, the threat of Hezbollah’s terrorist acts will be stopped.

          Remember now that Paul said, For he (your ruler) is the servant of God to you for good. If you were a citizen of Lebanon, it doesn’t sound like the members of Hezbollah are the servants of God, looking out for the welfare of the Lebanese people. Here’s a little homework for you to do. How does this compare to king Nebuchadnezzar in Babylon? Was Nebuchadnezzar God’s servant? Did Nebuchadnezzar seem to have the welfare of the people of Jerusalem at heart? Back in those days, the prophet Jeremiah advised the people of God’s Word, but how do you discern today who is God’s servant and who isn’t?

          There’s still more to learn in the next three chapters of this great letter from Paul, so hurry on back and we’ll share it together, right here at Daily Bread.