Paul wrote Romans 13:1-7 when Nero was the emperor in Rome.
If these words applied when Paul wrote to the Romans under Emperor Nero, then they apply no less to us under whatever governing authorities we find ourselves under.
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If these words applied when Paul wrote to the Romans under Emperor Nero, then they apply no less to us under whatever governing authorities we find ourselves under.
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God ordains governing authorities toward certain ends: "It is a minister of God to you for good... it is a minister of God, who brings wrath upon the one who practices evil."
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Governing authorities can stray from those ends. When they command us to do something God prohibits or they prohibit us from doing something God commands, we must disobey them. For "we must obey God rather than men" when human authority commands us to disobey God (Acts 5:29).
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Such disobedience ought to be a last resort after other means of redress have been exhausted. In a democratic republic like the U.S., we still have many legal ways to oppose and change public policies that dishonor God. We can even change our government through elections.
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Still, unless our governing authorities command us to disobey God, we should be in subjection to them (1 Pet. 2:13-17).
If anyone opposes their authority on any other grounds, then they are opposing the ordinance of God & will receive condemnation on themselves (Rom. 13:2).
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If anyone opposes their authority on any other grounds, then they are opposing the ordinance of God & will receive condemnation on themselves (Rom. 13:2).
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No human authority is ultimate. Only God's authority is ultimate. But it's because God's authority is ultimate that Christians recognize and honor the fact that God himself has ordained governments to have a legitimate authority over their citizens.
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Basic Christian discipleship requires us to recognize our duty toward governing authorities:
"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."
-Romans 13:7
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"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."
-Romans 13:7
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Beware that your support/opposition to governing authorities not be driven by partisan politics rather than by the clear teaching of God's word. The former will lead you astray. The latter will never lead you astray.
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