The following student report was submitted by Ambassador League Agent Luke W. during the 2009-2010 League.
Mission: Research on Civil Government
The subject of civil government brings up some questions for Christians. We know our citizenship is not in this world but for the time being we have certainly taken up residence here. Knowing how difficult this becomes, the thinkers and the Pharisees of Jesus' day tried to trick Christ into saying something that would damage him in his ministry.
They asked Jesus if the people should pay taxes to a godless Roman government. If Christ said yes, then he would be endorsing evil. If he said no, Roman authorities would have had reason to silence him. Instead, Jesus answered with a question by asking them whose picture was on the coin. When they replied that it was Caesar, he had them beaten. Jesus declared to them, "Give to Caesar what is Caesar's and to God what is God's."
Moreover, government has enough power over the believer to take away a portion of their work. But God has also ordained that there are areas of our lives of which only He can be Lord. To this end, examine Paul in his service to God. He wrote to the Roman church about how to live under their government:
"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. Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves." Romans 13:1-2
Paul did not write this to the Romans because submission was easy – it was hard. The leader in power had taken office when his mother had poisoned his father. Later he killed his mother and commanded his chief of staff to commit suicide. After growing tired of his wife he ended her life and then married another woman who masqueraded as a Christian. When a fire destroyed most of Rome he blamed the Christians and began slaying them. The brutality only ended with his suicide. The leader's name was Nero and he controlled Rome at the time Paul wrote his letter. Yet government is so highly valued by God that even while Christians are being persecuted Paul tells them to submit to the government.
However, we do not worship a King of this world. Caesar claimed to be God and demanded that people worship him. Had Christians worshiped the God of the Bible and Caesar, they would have escaped punishment. A Christian, however, cannot worship both God and money. Because Paul would not bend the knee he was beheaded. Where government demands our earthly allegiance and material possessions we are compelled to respond in submission. However when government forces us to do what God forbids or forbids us to do what God commands, we must resist even to death. This is what it means to be a statesman - in the world but not of it.
Another hero of the faith, Daniel, knew how to be a Christian citizen. Because of good service Daniel distinguished himself from all the others and rose to second in command of the entire Babylonian empire. Jealous men tried to trap Daniel, knowing that he was filled with fidelity for God. The conspirators convinced the king to sign an edict that instructed men only pray to him for a certain period. Despite this threat, Daniel prayed to God in plain view of everyone because the allegiance of his soul belonged to the King of Kings. As his punishment, the king threw Daniel into a den of lions. God delivered him.
The Christian is charged with something difficult – to live in a world without any citizenship. As the dues of our residence, however, we pay earthly rulers out of our material possessions. In our submission to the government, we give our souls to Christ.
