God and Government: Biblical Wisdom for Christian Citizens

Romans 13:1-17 (ESV)

Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. (v. 1)

1. The default disposition of Christian citizens should be to those in positions of governmental authority.

² Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. (v. 2)

2. If we governing authorities, we should expect bad things to happen to us.

³ For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, ⁴ for he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer. (vv. 3-4, ESV)

3. God has put governmental authorities in place as his for our .

4. God has put governmental authorities in place to those who do right and to those who do wrong.

Be subject for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, ¹⁴ or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good.
(1 Peter 2:13-14, ESV)

⁵ Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God’s wrath but also for the sake of conscience. (v. 5, ESV)

5. We should obey governing authorities not only to avoid punishment, but because it is the thing to do.

⁶ For because of this you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing. (v. 6, ESV)

6. We should our .

7 Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed. (v. 7, ESV)

7. We should and those who are in governing authority.