Believers’ relationship to the state

Romans 13:6-7 For because of this you also pay taxes, for rulers are servants of God, devoting themselves to this very thing. Render to all what is due them: tax to whom tax is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honor to whom honor. Our encouragement today comes from the apostle Paul’s teaching to the Roman church about the importance of arranging oneself under the governing authorities to be a support and blessing to them for conscience sake. In Romans 13:5, he wrote, “Therefore it is necessary to be in subjection, not only because of wrath, but also for conscience sake.” So what Paul wrote in these verses is the outworking of a good conscience in regard to the state. Since rulers are servants of God devoting themselves to serving God in the jurisdiction God has given them, then we arrange ourselves under them to support them (that’s the meaning of submit) by paying taxes. Paul used the same word translated render in Romans 12:17 “Never pay back evil for evil to anyone.” where it is translated pay back. The word carries the idea of paying back something in return for a service. You are receiving something good, such as the service of the ruler, therefore, the loving thing to do is give to him what support he is due for his service. The principle is: Give back to all kinds of men what is due them. Paul then gave some specific relationships where our consciences as believers should guide us. Give back through taxes what is due to the public servant. Pay customs to whom custom is due refers to tolls being paid at the end of a service rendered to you. Give fear to those who have authority to punish evil by doing good. And lastly, give honor to whom honor is due. The word honor conveys the idea of valuing the price of a service or position. If the service rendered to us is of value to us, then we ought to show that value. The encouragement today for us is that as we live to love with Jesus, our consciences will guide the way in how we as Christians are to relate to the state. It is an institution established by God for good. Our consciences teach us that love recognizes that all good comes from God, and the agents through whom God blesses us are a due a return as an expression of our submission to His authority. Whether taxes, tolls, fear, or honor, our support of them is an expression of our love for God. Acknowledgment: Music from “Carried by the Father” by Eric Terlizzi. www.ericterlizzi.com