Responsible Christian Citizenship

“Let every person be in subjection to the governing authorities.  For there is no authority except from God and those which exist are established by God.”-Romans 13:1(NASV). 

In the margin of my Bible at Romans 13:1-7 I have written notes and an outline of a sermon entitled “Responsible Christian Citizenship” that my husband preached more than forty years ago.  Unlike many sermons that have three to five points, he had two major points, very succinct:  “We as Christians are citizens of two kingdoms:  1.  The State and 2. The Kingdom of God.  We are citizens of the state by virtue of our physical birth at the location where we live at natural birth.  We are registered by a birth certificate and counted in the population of the state.  As we grow into adulthood, we have responsibilities of citizenship which include obeying the laws of the land, paying taxes, voting in elections, living morally and responsibly, and making our voice heard in decision-making issues of a moral and political nature.  We are to recognize that the authorities in government exist because God allows them to rule in His ultimate purpose for political entities at various levels, local, state, nationally and the world.

           

We are citizens of the Kingdom of God by rebirth into new life in the Lord Jesus Christ.  We have various names for the transition that comes.  We may call it salvation by faith, being born again, or being received into the kingdom through our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.  No works save us.  But we are saved unto good works—or to do the work of the kingdom as Jesus taught us.  Love is the central cohesive force in the Kingdom of God—His love for us, our love for Him, and our love one for the other.  In each of the kingdoms—we as Christians are to allow Jesus to be Lord of our responsible Christian citizenship.

We have just observed presidential inauguration day with much fanfare and pageantry.  Some were glad for the inauguration of our current president to his second term.  Others who disagree with his policies and governing style—and yes, with what we call his “politics,” were not enthused by his inauguration.  But to abide by the Word of God and to practice responsible Christian citizenship, we should  pray for those in authority, and “be subject for conscience sake” (Romans 13:5)  to the laws of our land.  Could we, in this new year, pledge ourselves to be better citizens of both state and the Kingdom of God and seek to have God’s will done in our lives “on earth, as it is in Heaven”?  Will we pray earnestly for our elected country, state and local government leaders, and for us as citizens of two countries that we may practice what we know to be just and right?  “Love is the fulfilling of the law” (Romans 10b).