Governing authorities
Day 572, Friday, Mar. 6
Romans 13:1-7
Today’s reading hits one of the greatest divisions in Christianity in the United States: what is the proper stance of the Christian toward government authority. Most people, even believers, take an inconsistent position of supporting government authority when it serves their interests, and opposing it when it doesn’t.
When we at least mostly support the positions of the government, it’s easy to take verse 1 as absolute: “Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is not authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.”
We don’t have to look far even in the Bible to find times when God’s people opposed the government of the day. Even in the days of Jesus and Paul there were movements withing Judaism that considered Rome to be an occupying government that needed to be thrown off.
Paul, as we have seen, was proud to be a Roman citizen and benefited from that citizenship. And, while the Roman government was pagan, it provided peace, prosperity and protection that helped both Jews and Christians.
Our lives in 21st-century U.S. also have an important difference from Paul’s day. He says in verse 7, “Give to everyone what you owe them: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.” In our country, one of the things we owe is participation; blind obedience runs counter to the nature of representative democracy.
And even those who are disturbed by political protests in the United States often support the same kind of anti-government actions when they take place in Iran, Cuba, China or other countries.
I have not personally found the ideal “Christian” balance of what it means to submit to authorities in a context where the authorities are expected to submit to the will of the governed. Paul, and Jesus before him, seem to teach that Christianity will radically reshape the world, but not through political revolution.

-Rev. Mark Fleming

Friday meditation

Psalms 89:38-52
But you have rejected, you have spurned, you have been very angry with your anointed one. You have renounced the covenant with your servant and have defiled his crown in the dust. You have broken through all his walls and reduced his strongholds to ruins. All who pass by have plundered him; he has become the scorn of his neighbors. You have exalted the right hand of his foes; you have made all his enemies rejoice. Indeed, you have turned back the edge of his sword and have not supported him in battle. You have put an end to his splendor and cast his throne to the ground. You have cut short the days of his youth; you have covered him with a mantle of shame.
How long, Lord? Will you hide yourself forever? How long will your wrath burn like fire? Remember how fleeting is my life. For what futility you have created all humanity! Who can live and not see death, or who can escape the power of the grave? Lord, where is your former great love, which in your faithfulness you swore to David? Remember, Lord, how your servant has been mocked, how I bear in my heart the taunts of all the nations, the taunts with which your enemies, Lord, have mocked, with which they have mocked every step of your anointed one.
Praise be to the Lord forever! Amen and Amen.

Prayer focus
Lord, grant us wisdom to live as responsible citizens of our nation and world while understanding that we are first citizens of your kingdom.