Romans 13:1-7
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. 2 Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. 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. 5 Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God’s wrath but also for the sake of conscience. 6 For because of this you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing. 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.
“There are two equal and opposite errors into which our race can fall about the devils. One is to disbelieve in their existence. The other is to believe and to feel an excessive and unhealthy interest in them.” —C.S. Lewis
There are two equal and opposite errors when it comes to government and politics:
One error is to
care at all.
A second error is to care
much.
There is an
over our governing authorities.
Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. —Romans 13:2
“There is not a square inch in the whole domain of our human existence over which Christ, who is Sovereign over all, does not cry: ‘Mine!” —Abraham Kuyper
How we approach our governing authorities
.
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. —Romans 13:1
…honor to whom honor is owed. —Romans 13:7b
Government is given authority for a specific
: to be a source of God’s
.
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. —Romans 13:4
How we approach government and politics provides a platform for
our enemies and being
in the darkness.
In a contentious time, what if you
the fruit of the spirit in your political engagement?
In a cynical time, what if you
for what is right, even if it is unpopular?
In a divided time, what if you
with brothers and sisters in Christ?