The Pulpit Commentary — Romans — Section 399

Jurynurn will be a11ked, " H&'99 you rendered a verdict acoordlng to the evldenoe 'I'" The ~,,,ereign mll be asked, "Have you been faithful to your ooronation vows?" Th~Fo~ the (JhtMian should pray for rolers. "For kings, and for all that e.ro in authority; that we may lead a quiet 'and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty" (1 Tim. ii. 2). The Ghristiaft sMuU do a:/l lie can to secure good rulers. What we need in our day is le.1;s of party politics, and more of Christian politics, Ohr.ietian rcople. Christian Churches, should band themselves together, laying a.side all political and all ecclesiastica.l differences, to secure Christian representatives, Christian law- makers for our professedly Christian nation. m THE: CHRISTIAN BECOG1'"IZES ms oWN Rlm'ONSmn.ITY. There are two duties distinct!:'"' specified here for the Christian citizen, 1. ObedienCtJ. " Let every soul be subject unt-0 the higher powers " (,er. 1); "Whosoever resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God" (.er. 2); "Wherefore ye must needs be subject" (ver. 5). If the law is to be upheld, there ruust be an obedient and eubmissive spirit on the part of e..-ery good citizen. Yet there are limits to all this. We are to interpret this pas..--age in the light of other Bible teaching and the examples which it sets before us, The Bible does not t.each the doctrine of passive obedience or non-resistance, At Babylon, Daniel resisted the reigning power. The royal mandate was issued, but Daniel did not obey it. "He k:neeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and ga,e thanks before his God, e.s he did aforetime." The Apostles Peter and Joiin declined to obey the Jewish council at Jerusalem when they were commanded to speak no more in the Name of Jesus. They boldly answered," Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye. For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard." Where the law of a nation or the command of an earthly ruler conflicts with the la.w of God, then it is clearly the Christian's dnty to obey God rather than men. The English people in their past hisrory have acted upon this principle. Twice under the reign of the Stuart sovereigns the subjects of the realm &BBerted, on conscientious grounds, their right of revolution and resi.st.ance. So also did the Covenantere of Scotland. Yet resistance to constituted authority should ever be a last resort, and is only to be resorted to when all more peaceful means have utterly failed to obtain justice and redress of wrongs. 2, Taa;ation. •• For this cause pay ye tribute also" (ver. 6). Thie also was the teaching of Christ. No government can be maintained without expense. National defences, public institn.tions, all of which have for their object the protection and the well-being of all the citizens, require to be kept up. Every citizen is responsible for bearing his share in meeting expendit:lre for the common good. He may not approve of every item of expenditure, bnt that is no valid reason for refusing to contribute hie share of taxation, wi.i.ere the representatives of the nation have decreed that the expenditure is wise and necessary. This rule, of course, has its exception also in the case of any expenditure which would do violence to the individaal conscience, 3. There are other practical duties. The Christian will ever co-operate with rulers in securing and promoting peace 1mtl t.emperance, morality and honesty, truthfulness and justice. All these virtues are necessary to national well-being. Government would be easy if every citizen was a ChriEtian. and if every Christian would realize hie duties as a citizen. The words of Sir Arthur Helps (' Friends in Council') may be fittin~ly quoted h~r«:: "He ~ho does not bring into government, whether as governor or subject, some rehg1ous feeling, some hiaher motive than expediency, is likely to make but an indifferent governor or an indiffer:nt subject. . . . Without piety there will be no good government." -C. H. I. T' ers. 11-14.-Tl.e Ckristian's duty in the pre~ent age, The Christian is not to be insensible to the movements of the world. "Knowing the time," says the apostle (vc:r. ll). Mr. Spurgeon says he reads the newspapers to see how God is governing the world. It is well for UB to know what are the current beliefs and motives of our fellow-men. I. Tm: Cm::ieTIA.i-'s CONFIDENCE, 1. "The night is far spent." (1) The forces of wil o.re far spent. 8oroe Chriet;anB are al way~ luoking on the dark side of things. Tbey Bi:£ no traces of the breaking Gay. ~it~ them it is_ alwayK ?ight, 'l'hcy would havi: ~ believe, with Canon Taylor, that m1Hs1oas_are a failure. 'Ibey would have us bt:Iieve, with Lord WemyH, that prohibition of t.b.e liquor traffic i.H a failure. 'l'hey ou, xm.1-14.] THE EPIB'rLE OF PAUL TO THE ROMANS. 39'1