Romans 13:1-7
Submission to the Authorities
1Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. 2Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. 3For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and he will commend you. 4For he is God's servant to do you good. 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. 5Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also because of conscience. 6This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God's servants, who give their full time to governing. 7Give everyone what you owe him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.
St. Paul teaches us we live in a world of governments, local laws, police and people of authority...There are generally a large set of rules and officials, whom seem to be in charge, of man made laws and keeping them enforced and in keeping peace for their specific government...St. Paul tells us we should submit to these governments and authorities...
When Jesus came and walked the earth, the Romans were in charge...Roman officials and the Roman government ruled His and a large part of the earthly world...Jesus also knew the Chief Priests of the Sanhedrin, who had some local authority under the Roman officials...Many, who believed in the Messiah, thought Jesus would be a government leader, a politician, or a great general who would take over Israel...Jesus did not overthrow the Roman authorities...Jesus did not, during His time in Israel, overthrow the ruling council of the Sanhedrin...The believers, and their hope of the coming Messiah, thought more in terms of populism and a populist attitude...God's Son was not sent to be a military hero or warrior...He was a Spiritual Hero, a Spiritual Warrior...He came for what is important, our immortal soul...
God knows what is going on in our world...God is in control...He gives us free will to change these governments, local laws, police, and these people of authority...However, St. Paul's approach is that these people of authority do not hold any fear or terror for those who do right...We only live on this earth for a short while...If we love our neighbor, then we live in peace...If the people we live around love us, and if we love our neighbors and are living within the Law of God and also the law of man, things should be alright...
St. Paul concludes it is best to submit to our surrounding governments and local authorities...His point is that man can have power over our laws and our property, but he cannot control how we think, our conscience, our souls...Let us focus on God, love and the spiritual...
We do learn from St. Peter that when given the ultimatum, like he and John were in the Acts 4:19-20, that we must obey God rather than man...What we owe our the one in authority is our love, even if he is our enemy...When we love all people, we have filled God's absolute moral law...
Jesus did not come to earth to judge the world...He came to save it...God gave Jesus His commands, and assisted Him in what to say, and more importantly how to say it...Jesus knows that God's commands lead to eternal life (John 12:47-50)...Jesus did not come to overthrow the Romans or the Sanhedrin...He came for us...The government and the local leaders were there and around Him at different times...He went around Israel for three years teaching and ministering...Jesus did not give us a lot of teachings on governments...We know He teaches us about taxes and governments, when ask about paying taxes to Caesar...Jesus tell us to "Give to Caesar what is Caesar's, and give to God what is God's" (Matthew 22:21)...