Obeying The Law

Obeying the Law

Women Who Heard Paul’s Letter

Read: Romans 13:1-5

Tara snatched the ticket from the officer’s hand and stuffed it into the glove compartment. So what if I didn’t come to a complete stop? she fumed as she drove away. Nobody was coming from either direction, and what a stupid place for a stop sign, anyway. It seemed unfair for her to get this ticket so soon after the two speeding tickets earlier this month. Calming down, she pulled into a handicapped spot to make a quick run into the drugstore. As she walked past the rear of her car, she paused to wipe the dust off her fish symbol.

If the women who lived in first-century Rome felt that it didn’t matter whether or not they obeyed the law, the issue was cleared up when they received Paul’s letter. It must have been hard for them to hear the instruction about submitting to governing authorities at a time when a madman such as Nero ruled the city. Many of these women probably had family members who had been tortured or murdered by the evil emperor. How could they be expected to submit to such an authority? But Paul wrote that when they rebelled against the government, they were rebelling against God, who establishes the ruling authorities.

We might not think that it’s a big deal to disregard laws that seem minor or inconvenient. But even though believers are citizens of Christ’s Kingdom, we are expected to be good citizens on earth, too. Even if we can’t respect the character of a person in authority, we can acknowledge that God has allowed that person to hold the position. Even when we disagree with a particular law, we are responsible to submit to it as long as it doesn’t contradict God’s laws. It may go against our nature, but if first-century women could recognize Nero’s authority, surely we can submit to a stop sign.

Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established.

Romans 13:1 (NIV)