July 4
“Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil,” Romans 13:1-3.
Today is July 4, the date on which United States citizens celebrate the birthday of our nation. It is a day to thank God for the many blessings and the freedoms that we enjoy in our beloved land. It is also a day to humble ourselves and to kneel penitently before the almighty God whom we have offended in many ways.
In Romans 13:1-7, the apostle Paul is addressing both the people who are governing and the people who are being governed. Both need to be told that they have a responsibility toward God. God is the final authority in all things.
Civil government has been established by God. If we intentionally disobey the laws of the land, we are disobeying God’s ordinance. As citizens, we should obey the laws of the land, unless they are contrary to God’s Law. Scripture speaks clearly: “We ought to obey God rather than men,” Acts 5:29. This applies to both those who are governing and those who are being governed.
While Paul clearly addresses those being governed, at the same time he points out the responsibilities of those who are engaged in government: “Rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil.” That is how it ought to be. However, often they are a terror to those who are doing good, while they protect and defend those who are doing evil. Those in government are God’s servants, and should govern for the good of the people. However, often they think primarily of themselves and what they think that they need to do to keep their job in government. Those governing should “not bear the sword in vain,” which means that they should uphold and enforce the laws.
It has been said that, “Government is the problem!” The history of the world in every generation from the beginning of time to our very day testifies that government often is the problem!
In our land, we have three branches of government – the legislative, the executive, and the judicial. The responsibilities of each branch are spelled out. The people in government should be “attending continually” to their responsibilities. Often, this is not the case. Some are vacationing and carousing around at the expense of the citizens and neglecting their responsibilities. Those in government need to be told that no one is above the law!
As citizens in our beloved land, let us remember to follow the admonition of St. Paul in his First Epistle to Timothy: “I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence, for this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth, for there is one God and Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus,” 1 Timothy 2:1-5.
All of us, those who are governing and those who are being governed, should storm the gates of heaven with our prayers so that we might “lead a quiet and peaceable life,” and conduct ourselves in such a way that the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the only Savior for sinners, will be able to be proclaimed throughout the length and breadth of our beloved land!
“Great King of nations, hear our prayer,
While at Thy feet we fall,
And humbly with united cry
To Thee for mercy call.
The guilt is ours, but grace is Thine;
Oh, turn us not away,
But hear us from Thy lofty throne,
And help us when we pray.” Amen.