Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates, to be ready to every good work. Titus 3:1
A man from a middle eastern country who held a diplomatic position in his country’s embassy in the United States committed a crime, an assault on a woman. There was plenty of evidence that he was the man responsible. But when police questioned him, he claimed that they could not charge him with any crime because he had diplomatic immunity. The case created considerable outcry among the American people, until the police arrested him anyway, and jailed him to await his trial. Efforts by his embassy to have him freed were unsuccessful, because the diplomatic immunity that the man claimed did not apply to violent crimes. His case serves as a reminder to us that as Christians we do not have diplomatic immunity from the world’s laws.
Our salvation has made us citizens of Heaven, and we are ambassadors for Christ while we remain here on the earth. Our citizenship has brought us into all of the rights and privileges of our new homeland. But as ambassadors, we have a responsibility to not only appreciate our new citizenship, but to also honour the responsibilities of a good ambassador. Consider the ambassador of a country who seeks to be a good representative while he serves in the foreign country to which he has been appointed. While honouring his own country’s laws and traditions, he seeks to show due respect to the laws and traditions of the country where he serves. It’s the same with us; our heavenly citizenship does not negate many of our earthly responsibilities. Romans 13 provides us with a clear argument for being subject to the higher powers.
When the Children of Israel were making their way toward the promised land, they encountered peoples with whom they had to fight. But when they encountered the Edomites, who refused to let them cross their land, the Israelites did not fight against them. God told them not to ‘meddle with them, for I will not give you of their land (Deuteronomy 2:5). In the same way, you and I are not to meddle in the affairs of this world, because it is not our possession. Like the Israelites, we are just passing through. Solomon also advised his son ‘fear thou the Lord and the King, and meddle not with them that are given to change (Proverbs 24:21). Sadly, many Christians become involved in the various efforts to change the governments of this world. In doing so, they are entangling themselves in the affairs of this world, something that every good soldier of Jesus Christ is instructed not to do (2 Timothy 2:4). Those who are in authority here, regardless of whether we agree with them or like them, are placed in their positions by God (Romans 13:1). Surely we can see the folly of opposing those who God has established. Our obedience to earthly powers does not extend to violating the laws of God. His Word must take precedence over all others. Remember how the disciples told the Jewish leaders that ‘We ought to obey God rather than men’ (Acts 5:29).
Being submissive to the lordship of Jesus Christ means we are also submissive to the powers and magistrates of this world, as a good testimony to our Lord. -Jim MacIntosh