The Bible has much to say about how to be a good citizen. In the Old Testament, the references are mostly about how to be a good citizen in the Kingdom of Israel and Judah, except for the period of captivity. Daniel has a great deal to say about how to behave in an ungodly culture.
In the New Testament, the references largely regard being a citizen in a secular, or even pagan, government. Three writers in the New Testament refer to the topic of citizenship. Paul writes about citizenship in Romans, Titus, and 1 Timothy. Peter covers the topic in 1 Peter, and the writer of Hebrews also gives instruction.
Perhaps the most-cited passage regarding citizenship is found in Romans 13 where Paul taught even secular leaders are instituted by God, and we should submit to their authority, pay taxes, and honor and respect them.
The coming presidential election will be my 12th participation as a voter. Over the previous eleven, I was happy with six of the leaders we chose and not so happy with five. However, regardless of whether my choice was elected or not, he was the President, and I owed him the honor and respect Paul instructed.
“But Paul just didn’t understand how bad some of our presidents would be,” some might argue.
Most Bible scholars believe the epistle to the Romans was written between 54 and 59 AD. Nero was the Roman Emperor during that period. He was one of the most famous and notorious Roman Emperors. Even today, controversy swirls about what he did and did not do. Most historians describe him as tyrannical and self-indulgent. Roman historians from his era viewed him as compulsive and corrupt. Nero had his own mother murdered, and many still believe he was to blame for the fire that destroyed much of Rome in 64 AD. What we know for sure is that, after the fire, he blamed the Christians and tortured and killed many.
Throughout the history of the United States, we have had bad presidents, but I don’t think anyone would argue the worst of U.S. presidents was worse than Nero. Therefore, if Paul wrote this book to Roman Christians, instructing them to honor, respect, and submit to the authority of Nero, we need to do the same regardless of our opinion about the election outcome.
About the Columnist: David Brown is director of Free Will Baptist Foundation. To learn more,
visit www.fwbgifts.com.
