Are You Submitting To The Governing Authorities

Everyone must submit to the governing authorities. For no authority exists except by God, and the authorities that do exist have been established by God. Romans 13:1 

This is a hard teaching of God to accept. If you are a republican, it is hard for you to accept that a democratic president or congress could ever have been established by God. If you are a democrat it is hard for you to accept that a republican president or congress could have ever been established by God. 

Now put yourself in the Apostle Paul’s sandals. How could the government of Rome have ever been established by God? The emperors have been all-controlling and never-loving. Christianity has been denied any legitimacy in the empire. Christians, themselves, are the subjects of distrust, ridicule, and outright persecution. So how could Paul have the audacity to say that these authorities have been established by God? 

As you read through the entirety of Romans 13, this truth unfolds. Governments, even the most corrupt of governments, still provide blessings for people, even persecuted Christians. The God-ordained role of the government is to keep peace and order. To do this, God has given them the sword. God has ordained for governments to punish offenders, and in this way, to keep sin and its effects under control. 

Yes, even the government of Rome, was a blessing to the Church. Rome built a massive system of roads to be able to move troops quickly and put down violence in her conquered territories. This same system provided a highway over which the Gospel of God could also travel quickly. Rome enforced peace at the tip of the sword. But this peace afforded missionaries the ability to travel in relative security. Roman justice helped key zealot vengeance at bay saving thousands of lives of people who could be reached with the Good News. Even oppressive Rome served God’s purposes. 

How much more so should we submit to the governing authorities? God has blessed us with presidents, governors, mayors, congresses, councils, and boards in the government. He has blessed us with bosses, supervisors, and foremen at work. He has blessed us with pastors, staff ministers, and teachers in the church. None of these are perfect. But all of them serve the purpose of keeping peace and order. 

If we do not submit to the authorities, God has promised we will live under fear of judgment and punishment for our actions. But as we submit to the authorities, God has promised a clear conscience and praise for our actions. Having been redeemed by Christ so we will stand faultless and guiltless on the last day, let us submit ourselves to governing authorities He has instituted for our good. Blessings. 

Frank Van Brocklin 

Principal Teacher 

Coming up in the near future at Immanuel Lutheran School:

❖ Due to Medford Public Schools not being in session October 18-20, there will be no bus service for Immanuel Lutheran Schools on those days. 

❖ The faculty will have their monthly meeting on October 17 following school. ❖ Wednesday, October 25, marks the end of our first quarter at Immanuel Lutheran School. It will be an early release day from school to afford our faculty the opportunity to travel to Milwaukee for our conference. Students should be picked up at school at 1:40 PM. There will be no bus service provided for this early dismissal. 

❖ In addition, Wednesday, October 25, is also the day of our first quarter Accelerated Reader field trip. Students meeting their reading goal will be going to Rainbow Gymnastics in the morning. 

❖ Our teachers will be attending the Wisconsin Lutheran State Teachers’ Conference on October 26 and 27. The theme for the conference will be Let His Work Your Pleasure Be. There will be no school on October 26 and 27.