Conscience

Romans 13:1-7 (NLT)

“Everyone must submit to governing authorities. For all authority comes from God, and those in positions of authority have been placed there by God. So anyone who rebels against authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and they will be punished. For the authorities do not strike fear in people who are doing right, but in those who are doing wrong. Would you like to live without fear of the authorities? Do what is right, and they will honor you. The authorities are God’s servants, sent for your good. But if you are doing wrong, of course you should be afraid, for they have the power to punish you. They are God’s servants, sent for the very purpose of punishing those who do what is wrong. So you must submit to them, not only to avoid punishment, but also to keep a clear conscience.

“Pay your taxes, too, for these same reasons. For government workers need to be paid. They are serving God in what they do. Give to everyone what you owe them: Pay your taxes and government fees to those who collect them, and give respect and honor to those who are in authority.”

                                  

Why is it so necessary to honor our authorities? It is necessary because we are called by God honor the human authority that He has put in place. It’s a question of God’s sovereignty. If we truly believe that God is sovereign, then we realize that nothing that happens, no one who is elected, is not first approved by God. Now it doesn’t mean that all those in authority are godly people. We don’t have to look too far to know that this is the case. But if we believe in God’s sovereignty, then we must also believe that He has placed in those positions, those who are in authority over us.

With that said, we must honor them, not only to avoid being punished, but to keep our consciences clear. If we stand up for what is right, and we are punished for it, so be it…our conscience is clear when we honor authority.

A great example of this is in the third chapter of Daniel where the three Hebrew children, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah (better known to us by their Babylonian names, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego) were summoned before King Nebuchadnezzar when they refused to bow down to the king’s image of gold. Their first allegiance was to God, and they would not disobey Him by bowing before an idol. But when they were brought before the king, they were respectful of him. They didn’t defy him with threats, but they did tell him that their God was greater, and even if their lives were forfeit, they would still honor God over him.

We must respond like they did, and be willing to accept any consequences that may come our way for stating our position. We may lose friends or position or reputation, but we must always do what is right for the sake of our conscience.

So think about that today, and God bless you!

Comment on what you feel it is “out of bounds” for the government to ask of the citizenry, and what you would do if it came down to it.