Submission to authorities
But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword for nothing. He is God’s servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. 5 Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also because of conscience.
Government has been set up to represent God. When the citizenry of a city or country disobeys its government, in the final analysis it is God himself who is being dishonored and whose righteous anger is aroused. Hence when Paul says that government is “an agent of wrath,” he is not talking about personal anger on the part of the civil authorities. Rather, God’s wrath against sin and disobedience is the basis for inflicting the punishment that is meted out.
Note the double negative: government “does not bear the sword for nothing.” In other words, God has entrusted government with the task of punishing wrongdoers. He expects disciplinary action against them, even to the point of using the “sword.” A sword is not used for simply reprimanding people or attempting to rehabilitate them. The sword kills. Paul clearly teaches that government has been vested with the right to inflict capital punishment. That does not mean the state must necessarily use capital punishment. But it does indicate that those who say that government may never inflict capital punishment are in the wrong.
Use of the “sword” is certainly calculated to instill fear of punishment in people. But fear is not to be the only check against disobedience, or even the main one. Rather, Paul says, it is necessary to submit “not only because of possible punishment but also because of conscience.”
Christians regard civil government as God’s representatives, carrying out God’s will for him. Hence Christians will honor these representatives as they honor God, to maintain a good conscience.*