Respect Governing Authorities
June 7, 2016
For the most part, people give or withhold loyalty, whether to individuals and/or organizations, until a level of credibility has been established. For the most part, that is a prudent and judicious approach. So it is interesting that Paul, in Romans 13, instructed the faith community to give unreserved commitment to a government that was not given to Judeo-Christian values. Paul went on to write that the governing authorities were established by God and derived their authority from Him. The government represented God’s commands for keeping law and order. Those who resisted God’s agents of authority were guilty of rebellion against God. For this reason it was important for believers to be subject to governing authorities, do what is good, act out of conscience and pay due taxes, motivated by their need to fulfill their debt of love and by the imminent return of Christ.
It is human nature to complain, finding fault with churches, friendships, community leaders and/or government. Now consider, if you would, what society might be like if believers fulfilled their mandate to be salt and light, engaging governing authorities with the purpose of fulfilling their debt of love. What if believers collectively decided to respect and submit to all governing authorities unequivocally? What if all believers spoke well of their respective government representatives, offering words of encouragement and prayer support? I have it on good authority that believers would exponentially improve their influence on government authorities and might even be sought out for wisdom and direction.
So what might the Spirit be telling you in terms of engaging governing representatives? What might your strategy be for giving words of encouragement, validating governing authorities, offering your prayer support to those who are involved in serving our communities?
pj
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