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“Ministers of God” – Romans 13

Romans 13 calls those in political office “ordained of God” and “ministers of God.” Romans 13:1,4. What kind of minister? How are they different from pastors and preachers in the Church? Is there a difference between church ministers and political ministers?

First, there must be a difference biblically. In Israel, the priesthood was separate from the political, at least, in governmental function. The king who tried to offer incense as if he was a priest suffered immediate judgment from God, in the form of leprosy. “And they withstood Uzziah the king, and said unto him, ‘It appertaineth not unto thee, Uzziah, to burn incense unto the LORD, but to the priests the sons of Aaron, that are consecrated to burn incense: go out of the sanctuary; for thou hast trespassed; neither shall it be for thine honour from the LORD God.’ Then Uzziah was wroth, and had a censer in his hand to burn incense: and while he was wroth with the priests, the leprosy even rose up in his forehead before the priests in the house of the LORD, from beside the incense altar.” 2Ch 26:18-9 God placed carefully delineated duties and limitations on the priests and levites, in the form of minimum and maximum age for service, limitations on property ownership, etc.

Second, there must be a difference to limit power. When church and state are combined in one entity, the tendency to tyranny is practically automatic. Notice in Romans 13 the distinction. The political office has the “power of the sword.” This is the power to fine, imprison, to even execute, if necessary. Therefore, the sword, the symbol of physical power and threat and death, represents political power. Whereas, the keys represent the power of the church. The church’s power is greater because it carries into eternity. Jesus gave to the Church, not to Peter, the power to lock and unlock forgiveness, entrance into the kingdom, membership within the church, etc.

Third, there must be a difference to distinguish functions. Christ, the head of the Church, exercises healing power and preaches the word of truth, opening the way for people to understand the way to live and the way into the kingdom. Notice that as High Priest, he refuses political power when someone in the crowd demanded he exercise the coercive power of state political power to divide property forcibly. “And one of the company said unto him, ‘Master, speak to my brother, that he divide the inheritance with me.’ And he said unto him, ‘Man, who made me a judge or a divider over you?’ ” Luke 12:13-4.

The state, carrying the power of the sword, is not a healing agency; it would mix functions improperly for the state to exercise a healing function. Therefore, when people demand welfare, healthcare, and all matter of other services from the state, they are demanding what it cannot give. It’s like giving a sword to a soldier and demanding he use it to heal your cancer. The only way to end the cancer with a sword is to end you.

The state’s function is to execute justice. Even if it doesn’t do a very good job of that, at least it is acting within its boundaries and can do little harm in other parts of the society. But when it is given too much power and duties beyond its intended function, it not only expands power improperly, but it does harm by pretending to be the Church. Christ, the head of the Church and the source of all good things, does not use the state as a healing agency.

Fifth, there must be a difference to give glory to God. God can and has granted military victories to His people. See the stories of kings and such in the Old Covenant books of Exodus, Numbers, I & II Samuel, I & II Kings, and I & II Chronicles. However, His Son is the key representation as to how He wants to work in the earth. Jesus had nothing to do with the state and its execution authority, except as a victim of its misuse of the sword for a purpose other than justice, and he had nothing to do with pursuing military power to advance his kingdom (John 18:36).

Look at the terrorists of our day, using every means available, sometimes very inventive, to kill. And they claim to be doing God’s will. But anyone can kill a person; only the power of God can heal and raise from the dead. Therein lies God’s greatest glory – resurrection power not killing power. The state does not exercise that power, and never should attempt to.

So the holders of political power exercise the sword as the ministers of justice, not handling the keys to the kingdom of heaven. And that justice should be a biblically limited one, not the expanded version of Marxists, Fascists, or any other -ist. As long as the state seeks to exercise healing power and attempts to create heaven on earth, it will fail and appear more to bring hell than heaven to earth, as it marches forth misusing the sword of justice.