Obama and Romans 13:8

While taking a trip earlier this month, I saw this scrawled on the back side of a billboard on I-64 while headed westbound in Indiana — graffiti-style:

Obama was appointed by God — Rom. 13:8

I found this a very interesting idea. My mind instantly thought of:

Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God; the powers that be are ordained of God.

Romans 13: — wait a  minute Romans 13:1.  What exactly is Romans 13:8?

Owe to no man any thing, but to love one another; for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.

Now I am entirely clueless, as a Biblical scholar, how Romans 13:8 relates to the assertion, so I’ll go on the assumption that Romans 13:1 was the intended reference, and make my commentary on that basis.

Whoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation. For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same; For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain; for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil. Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake. For for this cause pay ye tribute also: for they are God’s ministers, attending continually upon this very thing. Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour. Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law. (Romans 13:2-8)

I think the graffiti political commentator intended that people be encouraged to not resist or disagree with any suggestion that Obama had for us. But I think that he missed the point about the “tribute to whom tribute, custom to whom custom, fear to whom fear, honour to whom honour.” The Bible verse intends a limited sense of being subject — to anything or anyone but God.

Christ gave us this sense of limits when he said “Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar’s” Matt 22:21; Mark 12:17; Luke 20:25

And what exactly is the role of government, and how we should be subject to it?  Well, Paul, in I Timothy 2 gives us an expanded view of his comments from Romans:

 I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men;  for kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.  For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour;

So, the goal of a Christian is to pray for the government to leave him alone, not to meddle with him. Considering how Paul’s life, and the life of most of the first century apostles and a lot of Christians ended up, you can see why an unobtrusive government would have been preferred.

The government of our graffiti commentator certainly isn’t the unobtrusive type.

Which brings us to the point that scripture encourages us to be wise, and respectful, but to know what to yield unto whom, and to give what is God’s to no one but God.

A good concluding thought is this one said to the Jewish Sanhedrin in Acts 5:29 –” Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.”

We are encouraged to live as peacefully as possible, but to always remember that our primary allegiance is never to the government. That is why governments down through the ages have not trusted the church, and tried to co-opt it, to make us tame and supportive of their goals, when a true read of the Romans 13 passage tells us that governments are intended to support God’s goals, and are only successful when they do, and in fact can be measured and judged by how well they do or don’t support God’s goals.