Having declared our starting point here last week in the consideration and effort of all that we set our energy to in life, and in the present discussion, the way nations are to be governed and our relationship to the State, let's see if we can now review the key Scripture references to the state.
Perhaps the most important place to start is the time when our Lord gave a response to the Pharisees and Herodians concerning the payment of taxes to the state (Matt 22:15-21).
These people, approached Jesus in a particularly hypocritical way, with a number of items of praise calling Him "teacher", a man of truth and integrity, a person unmoved by popular opinion and a man who taught the truth of God's Word. The problem was that they didn't mean a word of it. They set out to deliberately trap the Lord in His words, and thus posed the question "is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not?"
Remember that Caesar was the pagan occupying force in Israel. Jesus, however, saw their evil intentions and not only challenged their hypocrisy, but also silenced them with a brilliant response. He asked to be shown a coin used for paying the tax. On it was the portrait of Caesar, and Jesus said, "Give to Caesar what is Caesars and give to God what is God's."
This is an extremely significant passage for our consideration.
Another passage Deuteronomy 32:18, which is restated in the New Testament in a different form, speaks of God creating Adam, and from him making every nation and the entire human race, so that they would inhabit the whole planet. God did this, and "determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live" (see Acts 17:26).
We find the apostle Paul has something quite specific to say. Under God he brings us the Word of the Lord and says, "Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God established." (Rom 13:1), to which the apostle Peter adds, "Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every authority instituted among men: whether to the king, as the supreme authority, or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right." (1 Peter 2:13-14). A few verses further Peter declares, "Show proper respect to everyone: love the brotherhood of believers, fear God honour the king." (vs 17).
We are to understand that all authority in this world is subject to God's sovereign authority and is established by Him, whether they accept that and realise it or reject it. We are therefore to submit to worldly authority (in as far as we do not sin against God) and to respect the governing authorities.
There are other passages again which add to our understanding of the relationship of the Christian to the state authorities.
In Daniel 3 we are told about the three men who refused to bow down and worship the image the king had erected, and who were thrown into a furnace of extreme fire and heat. Several chapters later we are told how Daniel ignored the kings command and how a trap was created by his enemies which required people to only pray to the god the king decided. Instead Daniel went on praying three times every day - as he had done all along - to the God of heaven and earth, and as a consequence was thrown into the lion's den.
The disciples found themselves in similar positions in the New Testament.
In Acts 4 the disciples were commanded not to preach the name of Christ and were imprisoned for disobeying. In Acts 16, we have the opposite, where the apostle Paul refused to leave prison until the magistrates, who had unlawfully put him into prison, came in person to release him.
Later the apostle also made an appeal to Caesar, exercising his right as a Roman citizen to put his case to the emperor (Acts 25:11).
As we think through the whole issue of how Christians are to live in this world and the particular attitudes we must hold concerning the government of nations, the Scripture references noted provide us with an outline which must now be developed. I will seek to do that further next week.