NOTES ON THE INTERNATIONAL LESSON.
By Ellet Joseph Waggoner
Verse 1: "Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers, for there is no power but of God; the powers that be are ordained of God." By the "higher powers" is meant those who are in authority in the earth. Submission to authority is one of the chief requisites; it lies at the foundation of all goodness. It is everywhere taught in the Bible. The child that is disobedient to his parents, or the man who despises the authority of the Government, cannot be submissive to the will of God. To teach children perfect submission to authority when they are young, is to prepare them to be good citizens of the State, and humble followers of God. "THE powers that be are ordained of God." That is, God has appointed that there should be governments in the earth. Paul has reference more to authority in the abstract than to individual rulers. God has ordered that there should be government; but it does not follow that the men in authority are always men that he would approve. We read that in the redeemed state there will be nations and kings, who will bring their glory and honor into the New Jerusalem. Rev. 21. We may learn, therefore, that God has no sympathy with anarchy and confusion. Those who are trying to overthrow existing forms of government are not doing a work which God approves; a Christian cannot engage in such a work. And right here it is worth while to notice that socialists, communists, and nihilists are almost invariably atheists, as much opposed to the government of God as they are to earthly powers. "WHOSOEVER therefore resisteth the power resisteth the ordinance of God." These words of Paul are greatly misapprehended by many. They do not teach that we are to obey every human ordinance. No Christian is justified in resisting authority, and yet it may be absolutely necessary for him to disobey the commands of rulers. For instance: The apostles were often commanded by those highest in authority not to preach in the name of Jesus, but they paid no attention to this command, saying, "We ought to obey God rather than men." Here was a case where the laws of men were in opposition to those of God. Such laws they were warranted in disobeying, but we will see that they did not resist authority. They said nothing against the rulers, and did not try to create any insurrection among the people; they submitted to authority and took their punishment without a word of complaint. When the hearts of the people were with the apostles, in consequence of the wonderful miracles they had performed, they might easily have organized a force that would have compelled the rulers to revoke their unjust decrees, or even to flee from office. In the course which they did pursue, all Christians have an example to follow. In the ninth and tenth verses we find a statement of our duties as citizens, and of the rights of rulers. The last five commandments are quoted as comprising the whole of the law, with the statement that "if there be any other commandment it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself." To do this, Paul says, is to fulfill the law. Now he has not said anything about idolatry, image-worship, profane swearing, or Sabbath-breaking. Why not? Was it because he regarded these things as of no consequence? No; but because he was writing about our duty as citizens, and not concerning our special duty to God. That this is not all the law, we know from our Saviour's words. He places, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind," first, as being greater than the one which Paul quotes, "Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself." Paul does not repudiate that first and great commandment, as is abundantly shown in his writings elsewhere; but he only quotes so much of the law as is applicable to the case in hand. And there is a thought here for those who would have special legislation by earthly rulers on matters of religion. If all our duty as citizens of the State is comprehended in this saying, "Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself," then it surely follows that all the powers of the rulers of the State are comprised in seeing that the people obey that law. To this extent they are God's ministers (servants). He intrusts to them the enforcing of laws, the violation of which would work ill to man; beyond this they have no right to go. "HE that loveth another [literally, the other] hath fulfilled the law." That is, he obeys all the law that relates merely to our duty to man. No one can kill another, steal from him, bear false witness against him, violate the chastity of any of his family, or covet his goods, and at the same time love him. If he loves his neighbor as he does himself, he will not offend in any of these points, and then he will be doing all that human laws can require of him. But after he does this, there yet remains his duty to God, as covered by the first and great commandment. If he does not fulfill this law, he is amenable to God alone; and if those that resist earthly rulers receive to themselves damnation, who can measure the guilt of him who refuses to render to God the honor that is due him?
E. J. W.