The Highest Form Of Love

Romans 13:1-2 - Obey the government, for God is the one who has put it there. There is no government anywhere that God has not placed in power. So those who refuse to obey the laws of the land are refusing to obey God, and punishment will follow.

 

Paul did not mince words here….it says clearly that we are supposed to obey the government. God allowed whomever is in power and disobeying them would be disobeying God. It does not say obey the rules you want too…or obey only if it matches with God’s law…it just says…obey the government.

 

I admit how very hard it is to let those words really govern our hearts.  Some governments are less than Godly…clearly not letting God rule the decisions of how to treat people with the love Paul talks about next. Even in the US…decisions have been made by my own government that are clearly not God inspired.

 

I think about Moses…who broke the law of his land and murdered.  God used the time that he ran to hide to teach him how to be a leader….but when God sent him back to Pharaoh…he waited for God to put the words of freedom in Pharaoh’s mouth before he left Egypt.

 

I also think of Daniel…who was thrown in a lion’s den….and his 3 friends that were thrown in a fiery furnace for not obeying the rules of prayer to their God or bowing down to the king. A decision to follow the government would have denounced their belief in Yahweh.  God used them as examples that He has complete control over all circumstances…that obeying the government has its limits if it breaks a law of God.

 

It is an example to me to never take the Bible out of context…or base a belief on one scripture alone.  God gave us a huge manuscript…full of everything we need to make the decision that follows God’s will for all mankind. Respect for the government that God is using….even if we struggle to see how it is God’s plan…is different from denouncing our faith. Paying our taxes….and following all the laws that govern the US…or the country you were born in….are our God given privilege.  The only time it is okay to break one would be if it requires us to go against what we know God has taught us with His word.

 

Paul calls it the highest form of love.He says pray for your enemies…and love them to death….even if it requires our death in the process. That is one of the things God meant with that second commandment … love others as yourself.

 

Father…thank you for the reminder that I am bound by your love to respect and honor the laws of the government where you have placed me to serve you. Forgive me for the times that my thoughts have been so faithless to think that you are not in control of America anymore. Renew my heart with enough faith to believe that all the evil and immoral government decisions I see in my country today are within your plan….and that you are going to use everything that happens to your glory and the good of all mankind.  Amen.