CHAPTER 63
INTERPRETATION OF ROMANS 13:3-4 (CONTINUED)
[ We cannot be true servants of God unless we follow the precepts of Christ. Secular authority is too much confused with evil and violence. Christ said, ]
If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there shall my servant be also; if anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.[462]
Therefore, to serve God according to Christ’s faith means to follow his example in patience, in humility, in poverty, and in saving work. It is an extraordinary thing that the world cannot recognize this service; neither can an evil man recognize it, but only he whom He chooses; for it depends on the true love of God – a love which the world has not, knows not, and cannot comprehend, since it is filled with evil graces contrary to the Divine love. A dirty barrel … cannot be a fitting container for new wine; similarly, the service of God cannot be confused with the ways of this world… [ Serve God, or serve Nero and the pope – you cannot serve both. ]
CHAPTER 64
INTERPRETATION OF ROMANS 13:3-4 (CONTINUED)
Says Saint Paul about the servants:
If you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain; he is the servant of God to execute his wrath on the wrong-doer.[463]
[ The pagan ruler, says Paul, is the rod of God’s anger, and therefore His servant. ] It would be little virtue, akin to pagan virtue, if the Christians were doing good only because of fearing the sword. Before this (passage) Paul wrote them about fear saying,
For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the spirit of sonship. When we cry, “Abba, Father!” it is the Spirit himself bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that also we may be glorified with him.[464]
