Romans 13:1-6 “Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. (2) Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves. (3) For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same. (4) For he is God's minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God's minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil. (5) Therefore you must be subject, not only because of wrath but also for conscience' sake. (6) For because of this you also pay taxes, for they are God's ministers attending continually to this very thing.”
In the above quoted passage of scripture the Holy Spirit inspired the apostle Paul to emphasise to us that all authorities in the earth are in fact God’s ministers, for Paul mentions this particular truth three times in this one passage. And so as God’s ministers, each one of them are held to account as to how faithfully they serve Him in the various roles He has prescribed for them. Those that prove faithful are rewarded while those that abuse their authority are judged accordingly. That truth is applicable both in this life and in their day of judgement. So does that mean that an unbelieving ruler that has served faithfully in the role appointed to him by God will therefore be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus? Not at all for all unbelievers stand condemned before God. Nevertheless the unbelieving ruler who proved unfaithful on that day will receive a greater condemnation than the unbelieving ruler that proved faithful. Our Lord Jesus explained that concept to us when He taught us about the differing degrees of punishment that individuals will incur on that day (Luke 10:14). This same principle also applies to believers that God appoints to serve Him in this particular ministry role, with one exception. Although in this life believing rulers are also rewarded for serving faithfully while being judged for serving unfaithfully, nevertheless on their day of judgement the believing ruler who proved faithful will receive their reward from the Lord while the believing ruler who proved to be unfaithful will not be condemned as the unbelieving rulers are, they will only suffer the loss of their rewards; but they themselves will still be saved, yet so as through fire (1 Corinthians 3:15).
Michael E.B. Maher
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