The Christian as Citizen and Neighbor The Royal Law If ye fulfil the royal law according to the
scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, Tim Thomassen Biblically speaking, the word "Christian" refers to a follower of Christ. The word is found three times in the New Testament (Acts 11:26; 26:28; 1 Peter 4:16). Nelson’s Bible Dictionary makes this observation: "In modern times the name Christian has been somewhat emptied of its true meaning as a follower of Christ. To some today, Christian means little more than a European or American who is not Jewish, while others have sought to make its proper use the name of a particular denomination. However, its original meaning is a noble one, of which any follower of Christ can rightly be proud." Since Christians are followers of Christ, it is important to know what Christ taught and to examine closely any other relevant Scriptural teachings concerning the obligations of Christians. Civic Obligations In Matthew 22:17 the Pharisees asked Jesus, "Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?"* In verse 18 we read: "But Jesus, aware of their malice, said, Why put me to the test, you hypocrites? Show me the money for the tax. And they brought him a coin. And Jesus said to them, Whose likeness and inscription is this? They said, Caesar’s. Then he said to them, Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s." This suggests that Christians should be willing to promote the well-being and maintenance of earthly governments. Certainly it is our duty and responsibility to obey the laws of the land as long as they do not conflict with God’s standards. The teachings of Jesus, Paul, and Peter are clear about this. On at least one other occasion Jesus indicated that his followers should comply with the regulations a ruling civil government imposed regarding the payment of taxes (Matthew 17:25-27). It is significant that Jesus spoke to an audience which included some whose objection to paying taxes was made to look like a religious virtue. A Christian’s foremost responsibility is to live a life that is pleasing to the heavenly Father and in accordance with his divine principles. God expects heart allegiance from his children. But this does not release us from our biblically-delineated earthly responsibilities. "While our citizenship is in heaven ... nevertheless, like all other foreigners, we are to be subject ... to the laws of the country in which we may be living" (Reprints, p. 5928). Christians must never do anything that would cause their conscience to be compromised. However, in all other matters, Christians must be submissive to the civil authorities, their laws, and ordinances. In Romans 12:9-21 Paul outlines some general requirements involved in living a new life in Christ, described by the phrase "new creature" in 2 Corinthians 5:17. In Romans 13 he focuses upon the specific example of the relationship of Christians to the state: "Let every person be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God" (Romans 13:1). We read in verse seven: "Pay all of them their dues, taxes to whom taxes are due, revenue to whom revenue is due, respect to whom respect is due, honor to whom honor is due." "Within less than a generation of the founding of the church this [issue of Church-state relationship] had become an urgent problem. It has remained so ever since, but in most ages Christians have tended to ignore it until circumstances have suddenly made it crucially important. A crisis seldom finds the church forearmed with an adequate interpretation of the prerogatives of the state. Under pressure Christians have either granted the ruler too much latitude, or else have refused to concede him what he is fully entitled to claim. As a result they have been unduly subservient in some periods, while in others they have allowed no satisfactory place in their thought for the necessary functions of the state."—The Interpreter’s Bible, vol. 9, p. 598. The readers of Paul’s letter to the Romans were mainly Gentiles. In the two similar situations addressed by Jesus in Matthew 17 and 22 the audience consisted of Jews. Paying taxes to Rome was not unusual. In fact it might be likened to the adage that only two things in life are sure: death and paying taxes. Praying for Governments The Roman government played an important role in the life of its citizens and subjects. Paul and others were undoubtedly thankful for Rome’s provision of relatively safe roads and seas within the empire’s confines. Paul was also most likely grateful for the protection afforded him by the Roman rulers when he was threatened by angry mobs. Paul wrote: "First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all men, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life, godly and respectful in every way. This is good, and it is acceptable in the sight of God our Savior" (1Timothy 2:1-3). When we pray for our leaders and those in authority, we might feel less prone to criticize them and be more cognizant of the heavy burdens which rest upon them. As the kingdoms of earth continue to crumble and disintegrate, we should expect the task of governance to become increasingly difficult. Arnold J. Toynbee was quoted as having once said that "so long as original sin remains an element in human nature, Caesar will always have plenty to do" (The Interpreter’s Bible, vol. 12, p. 115). Leaders in their imperfect condition will make mistakes. The psalmist wrote that he "was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me" (Psalm 51:5). That is true of the whole human race. Therefore Christians should remember that "to err is human; to forgive is divine." Paul gives us another reason for such prayers. As we pray earnestly for our leaders, we are also furthering our own best interests. Such prayers will better enable us to lead a peaceful and godly life. "Our prayer for them [leaders] should be along the lines that would be most helpful for the interests of the Church" (Reprints, p. 4516). Submission Paul instructed Titus to remind the brethren "to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for any honest work, to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all men" (Titus 3:1,2). These characteristics should be engrained so that they become second nature to us. This will be easier to do if we walk by the spirit, and do not gratify the desires of the flesh (Galatians 5:16). "The spirit of submission, rather than of contention, is enjoined upon the whole Church in its relationship to civil ordinances of men" (Reprints, p. 1553). Peter issued a similar exhortation to the brethren: "Be subject for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to praise those who do right. For it is God’s will that by doing right you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish men. Live as free men, yet without using your freedom as a pretext for evil; but live as servants of God. Honor all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor" (1 Peter 2:13-17). Thus Christians should be law-abiding. Yet this does not mean that we should comply with evil as Peter’s statement to the Sanhedrin makes clear: "Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye" (Acts 4:19, KJV). "The Christian, wherever he lives, is not a `man without a country.’ He must acknowledge and bear his responsibility to governmental authority and its lesser authorities in the political realm. Whether that authority is a king, a congress representing the will of the people, or a tyrant such as Nero (who was emperor of Rome at the time Peter wrote these words), the Christian is to honor this power as sent by God properly to order human society, to keep social life from chaos, to be a deterrent to evildoers, and to be a rewarder of those who do right."—The Interpreter’s Bible, vol. 12, p. 114. In addition to informing us of our role as citizens, the Scriptures also contain instruction regarding our responsibility toward our neighbors as well. "Who is my Neighbor" The word neighbor suggests a friend, close associate, or a person who lives nearby. The ninth and tenth commandments (Exodus 20:16,17; Deuteronomy 5:20,21) prohibited the defaming or slandering of a neighbor and condemned the envying of anything possessed by a neighbor. According to the Mosaic law, a Jew was not to cheat or rob his neighbor (Leviticus 19:13). The maiming or disfigurement of a neighbor was punishable by the retribution of an "eye for an eye, tooth for tooth" (Leviticus 24:19,20). We are told that "he who despises his neighbor sins, but blessed is he who is kind to the needy" (Proverbs 14:21, NIV). Consider these majestic words: "These are the things that ye shall do: speak ye every man the truth with his neighbor; execute the judgment of truth and peace in your gates; and let none of you devise evil in your hearts against his neighbor; and love no false oath: for all these are things that I hate, saith Jehovah" (Zechariah 8:16,17, ASV). Paul quotes verse 16: "Therefore, putting away falsehood, let every one speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another" (Ephesians 4:25). "He who is honest with himself will be honest with God, and be honest also with his fellow-men" (Reprints, p. 2944). Jesus summarized the Law in the words of Deuteronomy 6:5 and Leviticus 19:18. When asked which is the great commandment in the law, he said: "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it, You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the law and the prophets" (Matthew 22:36-40). Paul wrote that we should "Owe no one anything, except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law. The commandments, `You shall not commit adultery, You shall not kill, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,’ and any other commandment, are summed up in this sentence, `You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law" (Romans 13:8-10). When one loves his neighbor, all of the separate requirements of the Law are fulfilled. Paul also wrote: "The entire law is summed up in a single command: `Love your neighbor as yourself’" (Galatians 5:14, NIV). We should love our neighbor not because a commandment disobeyed would result in punishment or if fulfilled would bring reward. No, we should do so because it is our [new] nature to do so. Christians should demonstrate the same love for their neighbor that they would have for themselves, the same desire for his welfare, his prosperity, his happiness, his health, reputation, property and feelings (see Reprints, p. 4401). Love proves a Christian has a positive commitment and sincere desire to obey God. The New Testament uses three Greek words that are generally translated neighbor: gei’ton, "one living in the same land" (Luke 14:12; John 9:8); pe-ri’ol-kos, an adjective meaning "dwelling around," used as a noun in Luke 1:58; and ple-si’on, "near," used with the article ho, "the," as, "the (one) near" (Romans 13:10; Ephesians 4:25). Jesus deepened the appreciation of the word ple-si’on when a lawyer tried to test him with the question: "And who is my neighbor?" (Luke 10:29). In the mind of many Jews, a "neighbor" was simply a "Jew" in capital letters. The only neighborhood recognized by this group was the narrow community of Hebrew speech and sympathies. Such a Hebrew mind was as insular as its land. The lawyer may have wished to imply that the Mosaic law did not include everybody as his neighbor. Aware of the reason behind the lawyer’s question, Jesus answered by giving the parable of the Good Samaritan. By his answer Jesus showed that the word "neighbor" is a broad word that cannot be circumscribed by any boundary of race or ethnicity. The Samaritans were members of a race against which Jewish sentiments were strong, but they were a people Jesus cared deeply about. In the end the lawyer answered his own question. After describing the reaction of the priest, Levite, and Samaritan when they came upon a man who was badly beaten by robbers, Jesus asked: "Which of these three, do you think, proved neighbor to the man who fell among robbers? He said, The one who showed mercy on him. And Jesus said to him, `Go and do likewise’" (Luke 10:36,37). The lawyer could not bring himself to pronounce the much despised term, "Samaritan." But that is clearly the one he had in mind as the answer to the question. This parable is an illustration of the Golden Rule: do to others as you would have them do to you, were the circumstances reversed and your places changed. Put yourself in your neighbor’s shoes. The parable also teaches us a lesson of humanity, the neighborhood and brotherhood of man. Mankind is divided into groups with differing customs, languages, and names. But such distinctions are superficial and temporary. God does not show favoritism (Acts 10:34) nor should Christians! Jesus did not see humanity as a group of factions, but as a unit. James wrote: "But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers. For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it" (James 2:9,10, NIV). As Christians we are not to serve the letter of the law but its spirit. Another lesson for Christians concerns the showing of mercy and the sacrificing of self. We should train our eye to see the needs of others, to read their woes. We should be sympathetic, lending a helping hand whenever possible. If we lift a load, bind up the wounds, brighten a life that might otherwise be dark, and put music within our neighbor’s soul, we will be "doing likewise." Let us be living examples of the apostle’s injunction that "as we have opportunity, let us do good to all men, and especially to those who are of the household of faith" (Galatians 6:10). May we take to heart and follow Paul’s instructions: "Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity" (Colossians 3:12-14, NIV). We should cultivate the various graces of the spirit which were illustrated for us in the life of our Lord Jesus. We, like him, should manifest a disposition of largeness and generosity of heart toward everybody and everything—toward our brethren, our friends and relatives, our enemies, the animal creation as well as toward our neighbors, whoever and wherever they might be. |