Peter Barnes | Romans 13:5-7
SERMON NOTES
THE CHRISTIAN AS CITIZEN
(Romans 13:5-7)
1. We are subject to the authorities not just for the wrath but for the sake of conscience.
– 13:5; it could be God’s wrath or the authorities’ wrath or both
– second motive is conscience – 1 Pet.2:13; Acts 24:16
2. We are to pay our taxes.
– 13:6;; Tacitus says that in A.D. 58 there was agitation in Rome against taxation.
– taxation authorities are like priests! (Rom. 15:16; Heb.8:2)
– Calvin says that authorities should regard revenue as public property.
3. We are to carry out all civil duties.
– 13:7; two tangible items and two less tangible ones; not only to a just state.
– Augustine: ‘Therefore if anyone thinks that since he is a Christian he should not have to pay taxes or tribute, nor to show the respect due those authorities who look after these things, he errs greatly. And likewise if anyone thinks he ought to be so submissive that he holds some officer superior to him in administering temporal matters as authoritative even over his faith, he lapses into greater error. But one ought to serve as the Lord himself prescribes, by rendering to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s (Matt.22:21).’