AP

Romans 13:1 Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.

A characteristic of our present Age is the widespread rejection of authority.  Around the world, in the east as well as the west, individuals and groups are rejecting the established leadership, whether it be in government, in institutions (including the Church), in the workplace, in the home.  The attitude behind such behaviour had its seed-bed in the West in the 1960s and has continued to spread out for over half a century.

What we are experiencing today is that this ‘advancement’ in our culture creates more problems than it solves.  The Apostle Paul penned today’s words, probably when Nero was the ‘governing authority’ and the followers of Jesus were being cruelly persecuted.  In spite of this, Paul is not afraid to defend his doctrine of the absolute sovereignty of the God and Father of the Lord Jesus Christ over all the affairs of men!

It is good for us to remember his divinely inspired words, especially when we are feeling unjustly treated by those over us.  We have a God-given duty to show them genuine honour and respect because of their position (7), difficult as it might be to do this.  And it’s important for us to realise that, the more godless and rebellious our society becomes, the greater the opportunity we have to be salt and light, in contrast with our ‘dark’ and ‘rotting’ culture, as we seek to follow the example of the One who “when they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats.  Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly” (1 Peter 2:23)!
– Bruce Christian