Because the authorities are from God, the believers should not resist them. “He who resists the authority opposes what God has appointed, and those who oppose will receive to themselves judgment. For the rulers are not a terror to the good work, but to the evil. Would you have no fear of the authority? Do the good, and you will have praise from him” (vv. 2-3). It is not good to resist authority. Either the judgment will descend upon you from the authority or it will come to you directly from God.
In verse 5 Paul says, “It is necessary to be subject, not only because of wrath, but also because of conscience.” Because of conscience, we need to learn, by being transformed through the divine dispensing, to be subject to authorities.
In being subject to the government, the believers should pay taxes and revenues to the authorities as God’s officers. In 13:6 Paul explains, “Because of this you also pay taxes; for they are God’s officers, attending constantly to this very thing.” Then in verse 7a he continues, “Render to all their dues: tax to whom tax is due, revenue to whom revenue.” The Greek word rendered “officers” in verse 6 literally means public servants. To pay tax and revenue indicates that we are subject to authority. In relation to the government the believers must be honest and pay whatever taxes are due. On the one hand, the believers are in a good condition, enjoying a good country with a good government; on the other hand, the believers need to pay for this by paying taxes and revenues to the authorities as God’s officers.
In 13:7b Paul tells us to render fear to whom fear is due and honor to whom honor. All believers need to learn how to subject themselves to authorities, honoring them and fearing them. Rendering fear and honor to whom they are due also indicates that we are subject to the government.
In Titus 3:1-8 Paul charges the saints to keep a good relationship with the government. According to the healthy teaching in the New Testament, we must respect the government. Verse 1 says, “Remind them to be subject to rulers, to authorities, to be obedient, to be ready unto every good work.” To be subject to rulers is to recognize God’s authority and to respect His government over men. To do every good work means to live a testimony for God.
Before Paul could teach the saints to respect the government, he himself had to experience a certain amount of transformation. When he was Saul of Tarsus, he was a patriotic Jew and wanted to be free from the yoke of the Roman imperialists. But in Titus 3:1 he instructs the saints to subject themselves to rulers and authorities, being ready unto every good work. According to Paul’s word in Romans 13, governmental officials have been appointed by God. Paul recognized that even those officials appointed by Caesar were rulers appointed by God, His deputy authority. If Paul had not been transformed from a natural person into a spiritual person with a spiritual understanding, it would have been difficult for him to give such instructions. In like manner, we need to be transformed through the divine dispensing in order to be subject to rulers and to be ready unto every good work. We have a proper relationship with the government not by ethical teachings, philosophical instructions, or by our natural life and ability but through our experience of the dispensing of the processed Triune God. We have a heavenly, divine, and spiritual supply that enables us to be subject to the government.
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