Chapter # 13 Paragraph # 1 Study # 7
November 8, 2020
Humble, Texas
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Thesis: Paul's "minister of God" thesis is heavily weighted toward "retribution" because even "believers" do not escape the problems involved in the antagonism toward "Divine Love" that exists in every human heart.
Introduction: Last week we looked into Paul's argument from "wisdom" that "fearlessness" arises from actually "doing The Good". On the face of it, the wisdom of this is obvious: no one has to "let off the gas" when a police car comes into view if they have already decided to drive at, or below, the speed limit because it is the right thing to do. But, there is a problem and it is significant: those who "do The Good" are not, and cannot be, motivated by "fear", and those who are so motivated are not "doing The Good". On the other hand, however, whether it is "The Good" that people are actually "doing", or a "self-preservation evil" that people are actually "doing", submitting to human authorities will mitigate any experience of negative consequences that would be imposed upon those who refuse to submit. Human authorities care not at all about what a person's "motive" is; they only care if their "laws" are obeyed. God, however, is not like that even though He is the One Who has established human authorities.
This evening we are going to look further into this tangle so that, when we get to 13:5, we can better understand it.
- I. The Reason For Our Deeper Pursuit: Paul's Emphasis Upon "Wrath" In His Instruction.
- A. In 13:1-4 Paul roots his instruction regarding submission to human authorities in the awareness of the negative consequences that fall upon those who do not submit.
- B. This root is itself rooted in the elemental reality of the human commitment to self-preservation.
- 1. This prior root is a tacit acknowledgement of the pervasive sinfulness that exists in human hearts, whether those hearts are possessed by unbelieving people, or are possessed by "believers".
- a. There is no automatic escape from the pervasive selfishness of fallen humanity for those who "believe in Jesus": that "escape" only comes by the gradual growth of "Divine Love" in the hearts of those who are "being transformed" by the renewal of their thought patterns.
- b. And there is no escape from that pervasive selfishness for those who are not "being transformed".
- 2. In the face of this prior root, Paul falls back upon the lesser, and more ineffective, motive to establish civil stability: fear.
- a. "Divine Love", as a motive, takes too long to develop in human hearts to attempt to establish civil stability upon it.
- b. "Fear" is a short-term "fix" that makes civil stability possible to the degree that such is possible.
- C. Thus, in giving his counsel to the yet imperfect Roman believers, Paul sets forth his instruction with a heavy emphasis upon negative consequences.
- 1. What Paul is doing is setting forth a "temporary fix" so that a more permanent and effective "fix" can be developed.
- 2. "Fear" works "for a season" if the negative consequences are actually imposed (all child training assumes this).
- II. The Facts.
- A. The over-arching "fact": God has put human authorities in place to be obeyed.
- 1. Paul's declaration consists of these truths...
- a. There is no "authority" for the common good except "under God" (13:1).
- b. The authorities that exist are in place by Divine establishment and are not rooted in either "character" or "ability" (Daniel 2:37 and 5:21).
- c. Those who resist these divinely established authorities are setting themselves in opposition to God because He has given the "ordinance" (13:2).
- d. Those who resist God will come to "judgment".
- e. God's established "rulers" are in place for the common good (13:3).
- 2. Paul's summary phrase is that these "rulers" are "ministers of God" (a repeated thesis in 13:4).
- a. The term "minister" is, in other texts, translated "deacon" and is a term that focuses upon a person who has been given a specific "task" to which he/she is to be committed.
- b. The weight of this term, in respect to the ability to execute the "task" is identified by a specific "garment" (as an adjunct to the person "bearing" it): a sword.
- 1) Swords are not used against the compliant.
- 2) The sword is not "vain"; i.e., an "empty" symbol.
- 3) Thus, the emphasis is upon "death to the rebellious", not the benefit to the compliant.
- c. The second "minister" reference in this same verse is identified by another noun: "avenger".
- 1) Vengeance is "unto wrath"; i.e., "retribution for misdeeds"
- 2) Thus, as "avenger unto wrath" this is a second emphasis upon "death to the one who practices "evil"; not a benefit to the compliant.
- B. The major point of Paul's presentation is the need for "fear" (13:4 says "be afraid").
- 1. Bad things happen to the rebellious.
- 2. Just things happen to the rebellious.
- 3. Judgment happens to the rebellious.
