“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
God’s timeless Word is always timely. Because it is eternal, it always fits perfectly into any season. The question at hand in Romans 13 is an important one: How should Christians respond when there is conflict between God and government? As believers in America, we are citizens of God’s Kingdom first and residents of our nation second. So, what do we do when the laws of our nation differ from God’s laws?
Romans 13:1 makes it clear that every person is subject to governing authorities. But what does that mean practically? The following is a list of important truths about God’s authority:
- God has and is ultimately the source of all authority; all other authority is derivative. There is no one alongside or equal to God. His Word – the Bible – is our highest authority, and through it, God communicates with and convicts us.
- God’s authority is both external and internal. External authority comes through parents, pastors, politicians, or police officers, to name a few. Internal authority comes through the Person, presence, and power of the Holy Spirit. The flesh is our predisposition toward sin, folly, and rebellion, but if you have God’s internal authority and are led by the Spirit, you don’t need as much external authority.
- God’s authority is on a continuum from parental to civil. The first authority God establishes in our lives is parental – we are supposed to honor our mothers and fathers. The Bible says children are born sinners and need to be born again by their Savior. They also need parental authority to help save them from foolish decisions. As a parent, if you don’t instruct your children about obedience to authority, you are raising them to be bad citizens of both the state and God’s Kingdom. The result is an independent generation of fools and rebels.
- Sin is rebellion against authority, and it is the default of our flesh. We are sinners by nature and by choice, and when we are conformed to the pattern of this world, our first instinct is to push back and bristle against or even disregard authority. We need to be transformed by the renewing of our minds and learn to relate rightly to authority in honor of God, who is over all authority.
In tomorrow’s devotional, we will look at four more truths from Romans 13.
Are there any of these four truths that you find difficult to accept? If yes, take some time to pray for God to reveal the truth of His Word to you.
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