Homily of St. Augustine: Explanation of Propositions from the Epistle to the Romans: Ch. 72

 

Homily of St. Augustine: Explanation of Propositions from the Epistle to the Romans: Ch. 72

 

Every soul must be submissive to its lawful superiors; authority comes from God only, and all authorities that hold sway are of his ordinance.  In speaking in this way the Apostle gives us a very necessary warning: if the Lord has called us to liberty and has made us Christians, no one should take occasion to be lifted up in pride, to think that in the course of his earthly journey he is not bound to fulfil the duties of his state, or to believe that he is dispensed from obeying the authorities placed over him, and who have been given the government of temporal affairs in this life.

 

We are made up of body and soul, and during our life on earth, temporal goods are necessary to maintain life; hence we should, in what relates to this present life, submit to authorities, that is to say, to the men raised to the government of human affairs. On the contrary, when faith is concerned, or vocation to the kingdom of God, it is a duty to refuse submission to anyone who wishes to destroy in us what God has given in view of eternal life. If then a Christian believes that he can empower himself, by virtue of his Christianity, not to pay taxes or tribute, or to give to the authorities here below the honors due to them, he is greatly deceived. But it is a much greater error, if a Christian believes that it is his duty to push his submission so far as to submit his faith to the men loaded with honors, who govern this world. On this point the just mean taught by our Lord himself must be observed: Give back to Caesar what is Caesar's and to God what is God's.

 

It is true that we are called to a kingdom where no temporal power can be exercised; but as long as we live, until the hour when we shall arrive at the world from which will be excluded all the pre-eminences and dignities of earth, we must put up with our condition as men with all it demands, without ever dissimulating, and thus not so much obeying man as obeying God, who has commanded this submission.