Romans 13:1-7 "God and Government"
Is it ever right to break the law?
No authority is given except by God. How can that be true?
Did God ordain the authority of Hitler or Stalin, or in Paul’s day, Caesar Nero?
The Call (13:1a)
Our text begins with an amazing command – God’s call to civil obedience for the Christian.
Our text does not specify what kind of government we are to obey.
- Demonic
- Socialist
- Communist
- Totalitarian
We are called to obey by God Himself.
The Basis (13:1b)
God has ordained human government because of human;
- Rebellion
- Transgression
- Lawlessness
Without human government, the situation would be like that described in Judges 21:25.
God has given us government for our good – to keep evil in check and to maintain an orderly society.
The Resistance (13:2)
When we resist the authority of the state, we resist God.
God has called every Christian to be in subjection to governing authorities because those authorities have been set in place by Him for the good of society.
The Foundation (13:3-5)
The foundation upon which governments are established is to punish evil and establish the good.
A properly functioning government keeps evil in check by punishing it. It establishes the good by rewarding it.
Here we find the biblical ground which justifies a government’s existence.
The biblical principle is that we are to obey civil authority when it does not call on us to disobey God.
“There is only one way to achieve happiness on this terrestrial ball, and that is to have either a clear conscience, or none at all.” Odgen Nash
The Illustration (13:6-7)
Paul illustrates for us the practical outworking of civil obedience.
We are to pay our taxes and we respect and honor those to whom respect and honor are due.
Obedience to God and His Word means that we become better citizens, better people.
