Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves.
For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and he will commend you. For he is God’s servant to do you good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword for nothing. He is God’s servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer.
Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also because of conscience.
This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God’s servants, who give their full time to governing. Give everyone what you owe him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor. (Romans 13:1-7)
It would be impossible to summarize all that the Bible teaches about government in several paragraphs. And it is difficult to say anything at all about it without stirring up related questions. Of course, it does not help that many Christians are more touchy about politics than they are about the Lord Jesus Christ. For our purpose, the solution is to restrict ourselves to the main thrust of the passage. Paul makes a point here that does not always receive sufficient emphasis. It is the Christian’s basic stance toward the government.
The apostles were united in commanding submission to the government (see also 1 Peter 2:13-17). And in Luke’s account of their ministries, they often made it a point to assure the authorities of their compliance, even as they stood firm for their message concerning God and the Lord Jesus. It is worth noting that they did not operate under some civic paradise, but a government that was, to put it mildly, less than righteous, efficient, and compassionate. Yet they instructed believers to submit.
Paul offers two reasons for this.
The first reason is a theological basis for submission. There is no authority except that which God has established. This does not mean that every official exemplify justice and holiness, and indeed the opposite often appears to be the case. Herod and Pilate were no saints. And Nero was insane. The apostle means that God is the one who has established the institution of human government, and the one who providentially installs each official to serve his own divine purpose. Thus even Nebuchadnezzar was called God’s “servant” when he was sent to slaughter and enslave the Jews (Jeremiah 25:9). He was God’s servant not in the sense that he was saved – no, he was not saved, but he was used. In any case, God has established the institution of human government, and therefore Christians are to submit to it.
The second reason contains an element of practical concern. If you do wrong, the government will punish you. If you are punished because you are a thief, or a murderer, or a rapist or perjurer, then you deserve to suffer. If you do not wish to suffer, then do not be a criminal. Paul seems to have in mind an ideal government that rewards good and punishes evil, but his intent is to stress submission, and not to work out the matter from every angle. Peter teaches the same doctrine, but since his subject includes suffering and not only submission, he also recognizes the possibility of unjust punishment: “Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good? But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed” (1 Peter 3:13-14). Even then, Peter does not teach rebellion, but submission to the government. In another place, Peter writes, “However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name….So then, those who suffer according to God’s will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good” (1 Peter 4:16, 19).
The conclusion is that we must submit to the government because of conscience, since God is the one who has established the institution, and because of possible punishment, since the government has the power to punish criminals. This is also why Christians must pay taxes and render to the authorities what is owed.
In some circles it is common for Christians to criticize the government, to lament the loss of religious liberty, to complain about excessive taxation, a biased curriculum, and so on. Although many times our efforts might be better directed elsewhere, this is not forbidden as long as it is performed in a legal manner and with restraint. The apostles worked with the laws of the land to facilitate their work, but unlike many in our day, they did not lose their focus on the gospel.
Even more important than taking advantage of existing laws is to declare the Christian’s basic stance toward the government, and that is one of submission. The Christian approach to spreading the religion of Jesus Christ consists in communication – in speaking and writing – and in charitable deeds. We talk. We help. That is our method. We must make it a point to affirm, both to the government and to believers, that our method condemns violence and subversion. We are not troublemakers, but we are the salt of the earth and the light of the world.