Church and State pt 4: What Paul is Saying in Romans 13
Written by Mark Van Steenwyk : February 5, 2007
As I promised, today I will offer my general understanding of Romans 13. More accurately, I’ll be be sharing my understanding of Romans 12:9-13:10 (the chapter break between 12 and 13 is forced and betrays a “Christendom” reading of the text).
I’ve ben focusing on this passage because it has traditonally presented problems for an anarchist and/or Anabaptist position (read my thoughts on the passage here and here).
I thought I’d share my take on what Paul is saying in Romans 13 by offering a comtempory paraphrase of sorts (in other words, how would Paul address us today in the spirit of his letter to the Romans):
ROMANS 12:9-13:10: A CONTEMPORARY PARAPHRASE
Church, don’t be fakers when it comes to love (love is too important to fake). Fight evil as you embrace good. Lovingly commit to each other like family, respecting one another (instead of seeking your own best-interests), not growing weary but burning with passion as you serve our Lord. Be joyfully hopeful, tenacious in hardship and persistent in prayer as you care for the needs of your spiritual family and live out radical hospitality. I know it is hard but this hospitality extends to your enemies too. This means that you should bless them (and never curse them).
Laughing with the happy, crying with the sorrowful, live in unity with each other. Don’t be snobs—be friends with those who are “beneath” you. I know that arrogance and pride are at epidemic proportions in America, but knock it off—stop thinking that you are better than everyone else.
The sort of humility I’m asking of you applies even to bad people. You should love them too. When someone does evil, don’t strike back with evil. I know this is an American past-time these days, but remember what I said earlier in my letter? Don’t do what you see everyone around you doing (Romans 2:2). Remember: people are watching to see what you do.
Because of this, I want you to do your best to live at peace with everyone. Don’t seek revenge—that is God’s job. That’s why he said: “I’m the Avenger; I’m the one who settles the score.”
Instead, do what God tells you to do in Deuteronomy 32:35: If your worst enemy is hungry, shell out a few bucks and take them to McDonalds. If your worst enemy is thirsty, pull out some extra change and buy them a soda as well. This sort of thing will not only surprise your “enemy” but also show them that you love them.
I guess what I’m trying to say is: don’t be overwhelmed by evil, but overwhelm evil by doing good.
This applies to your relationship to the local and national government as well. I know you pledge allegiance to Christ now, but that doesn’t mean that you can rebel against the powers-that-be. Instead, you should submit to them. Why? Because God is in charge and America is restrained by God. If you rebel against America, you will get slapped down.
Most of the time, you’ll be safe if you do good. Usually, you’re only in trouble if you do evil—and if the police punish you for doing evil, your punishment is justly deserved. You need to remind yourself that the police and the army have weapons for a reason (and have no problem using them), and when they punish bad people for the evil they do, they are actually serving God’s purposes. In addition, even the government can find good behavior praiseworthy…so just stick to doing good and you should have nothing to fear.
And so, it is important that you submit…not simply out of fear, but because of your conscience. Likewise, you shouldn’t resist the IRS. The United States serves God’s purposes (for now) and your tax money is footing the bill.
And so, give everyone their due: taxes to the government, money to the bill collector, fear to God, and respect to the government. The only debt you should have is the debt of love, because when you love your neighbor (in the Good Samaritan sense of the word), you fulfill the Law.
Jesus himself taught us that the commandments (you know: don’t commit adultery, don’t murder, don’t steal, don’t covet, etc.) are summed up with this: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore Love fulfills the Law.
Mark Van Steenwyk is the editor of JesusManifesto.com. He is a Mennonite pastor (Missio Dei in Minneapolis), writer, speaker, and grassroots educator. He lives in South Minneapolis with his wife (Amy), son (Jonas) and some of their friends.
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I can't believe I haven't properly responded to any of these posts yet!
Though I'd agree with most of what's in your other posts, I'm not sure that I'd go along with this paraphrase. It seems to allow too close a co-operation between the State and God. I'd also want to argue that God is 'in charge' of "America" in the same sense that he is in charge of Creation. I'm not sure that it makes any statement about how good or (usually godly) the State is. I find it preferable to think that God has set America in its place, namely under Him. And any authority she does has is from Him.
The passage is then a call to Christian Anarchy in that rather than asserting the authority of the State it is putting the State in its place as nothing but an instrument under God.
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'Instead, you should submit to them. Why? Because God is in charge and America is restrained by God. If you rebel against America, you will get slapped down.'
I wouldn't have used the word 'submit', personally. It also sounds a little too like, 'when you are slapped down you are actually being slapped by God'. I know that some would agree with that, but I'm not sure you would.
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