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16. EXTRA-COMMUNITY ETHICS

In Romans 13, Paul provides the ethical settings for the Christian community to relate to those who are outside of the church. First, and this may come as a surprise to many, the apostle asks ‘everyone’ in the congregation to ‘submit himself to the governing authorities’ (vv. 1-7). Second, he raises the rule of ‘love your neighbour as yourselves’ as an overarching principle for the Roman Christians to engage in ethical relationships both within and without the church (vv. 8-10). And then, in the last segment of the chapter, he returns to his familiar refrain of right moral conduct: because ‘our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed’ (vv. 11-14).

That Paul should spend some words on ‘authorities’ has surprised many, especially when these words are positioned in a segment which largely deals with intra-community behaviour. Did the Roman Christians have any particular problems with the authorities because they insisted on submitting to the Lordship of Jesus Christ only? Were they resisting the Romans? These are difficult questions to answer in any particular decisive fashion for lack of data. Some have tried to circumvent the issue by proposing that ‘governing authorities’ could be interpreted as referring to the cosmic forces as well since Paul has on other occasions made mention of ‘principalities’, ‘rulers’, ‘authorities’, and ‘spiritual forces’ (see, e.g., Eph. 6:10ff.). Yet on looking at the context of the passage in Romans 13:1-7, this interpretation will just not do. It is best, contextually, to understand ‘governing authorities’ as the earthly governments of kings and princes and prime ministers and presidents.

Paul enjoins the Romans to submit to the authorities because it is theologically right to do so. Governments are established by God. To disobey civil authority is to rebel against a God-instituted establishment. Further, the one who is in authority is merely a servant of God, empowered to do good for the common citizen, but to punish those who have infracted the law. Thus, submission to the authorities is necessary; positively, because it is conscientiously right (it is submitting to God’s will); negatively, to avoid any form of physical punishment. As a practical example, Paul urges the Romans to pay their taxes. The guiding principle here is, ‘Give everyone what you owe him’. Yet, a real dilemma awaits the Christian when the authority is a ‘Hitler’ or a ‘Stalin’. Should he obey a brutal and tyrannical ruler unqualifiedly or should he give him what is owed (a secondary meaning is intended here)?

Throughout the centuries, relations between the civil and the ecclesiastical powers have been ‘notoriously controversial’ (Stott). At various times, the state has tried to control the church; at others, it is the other way round, the church exerts its dominance over the state; still, at others, there is some form of Constantinian compromise in which the secular ruler gives his patronage and favour to the church in return for some church favours too. Ideally, church and state should collaborate together positively to bring about the rule of God on earth. Yet the ideal seldom occurs (if it ever occurs at all). Today the prevailing doctrine of relations between church and state is that of separation: ‘render unto Caesar that which is Caesar’s and unto God that which is God’s’ is oft quoted.

Paul next enjoins the Romans not to allow any debt to remain outstanding except for ‘the continuing debt to love one another’. This is a clever transition in thought: from taxes owed to authorities to the debt of love owed to fellow human beings. Other than to mention in passing that Christians ought not to have any financial debts rolling and gathering over the years, the apostle positively identifies a universal rule of conduct in human relationships: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself’ (v. 9). It does not matter whether the ‘neighbour’ is inside or outside of the church; love makes no such distinction. To love one’s fellowman is to fulfil all the moral statuettes enjoined in the law of God. If one has love, one will not commit adultery, will not steal, will not murder, will not covet and will not do all kinds of other injurious things to one’s neighbour. As Paul puts it: ‘Love does no harm to its neighbour’ (v. 10).

Finally, in the last segment of the thirteenth chapter, Paul urges the Romans once again to leave the life of sin and embrace the life of rectitude. But Paul, this time, offers a rather surprising theological reason: ‘our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. The night is nearly over; the day is almost here’ (vv. 11b, 12). Is Paul alluding to an imminent return of the Lord Jesus Christ, possibly within his own time? It is difficult to read the mind of Paul here; though, Stott is wont to disbelieve that Paul is impressing on a quick return of the Lord. To be fair, it is quite possible to read Paul’s words here as an elliptical encouragement to the Romans that they are living in ‘the last days’, in which there is always the expectation of a ‘surprise’ return of the Lord and the onset of the judgement day. In this respect, the Romans (and Christians at large) are to ‘clothe [them]selves with the Lord Jesus Christ’ and not to be engaged in loose conduct.

Archive
The Romans Series
1. Being the Community of God’s People
2. Ethno-Religious Tensions
3. The Power and the Wrath of God
4. Justification by Faith
5. Justification Brings Blessings
6. While We Were Still Sinners
7. Died to Sin
8. Slaves to Righteousness
9. The Difference of the Spirit
10. The Israel Problem
11. The Gentile Problem
12. Community Living
13. Community Unity
14. Community Ethics
15. Loving the Enemy Ethic
16. Extra-Community Ethics
17. The Weak and the Strong
18. Community Formation
19. Paul, the Minister
20. Gems in Greetings

Articles on The Da Vinci Code, Gnosticism and
the Gospel of Judas
1. The Da Vinci Code: A Christian Response
2. The Nag Hammadi Documents and Gnosticism
3. The Gospel of Judas
4. The Gospel of Judas - A Retake
5. Teachings in the Gospel of Judas Compared (Part 1)
6. Teachings in the Gospel of Judas Compared (Part 2)
7. Teachings in the Gospel of Judas Compared (Part 3)
8. Canonicity and the Gospel of Judas

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