Ouachita Stories

Of all the passages to wake up to, this one can be one of the toughest to digest given the current political climate. Ask me to quit my job or move overseas, but please don’t ask me to subject myself to the rulers of this fallen world.

While some may feel that our own governing authorities are bad, we can all agree that many around the world are being subjected to some of the most horrifying travesties at the hands of their own governments. So how do we digest these words when our own experiences make us question the authority around us?

 

Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except by God’s appointment, and the authorities that exist have been instituted by God.

Romans 13:1

 

First, we must recognize the ultimate authority in all our lives rests in the hands of God. He is our Creator, our Savior and our Sustainer as Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Until we can willingly accept God’s authority in our lives we will never be able to subject ourselves to institutions led by fallen humanity. Second, we must recognize that Paul, as the author of Romans, lived out these words in his own ministry. He endured persecution and imprisonment, which ultimately led to his martyrdom at the hands of Nero. When he wrote these words, Paul knew the extent to which he was challenging each of us. He lived as persecutor (Saul) and persecuted (Paul).

The ultimate challenge for many of us comes from our limited perspective. On this side of heaven it can be easy to allow our daily struggles (sin, sickness, relationships, coworkers and governmental authorities) to block our view of God’s perspective. Only from God’s vantage point can we begin to see an eternal viewpoint that will empower us to submit to human authorities. We must be rooted in a foundation established by God. It is only then that our human governments can be seen in their proper context within God’s eternal kingdom.

By Jason Bean, Director of Recreational Life