09/03/2026
If you missed last night's Bible study, we encourage you to watch the posted video.
THE BOOK OF ROMANS: UNDER AUTHORITY
ROMANS 13:1-7
1 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.
Context:
The theme in chapter 12 is the idea of being transformed. In this chapter, Paul is continuing that idea and how we react to authority. It matters that the two chapters are connected. At this time Nero, who is one of the worst emperors in Rome is in charge. He was a wicked man who burned christians as decorations in his garden. Rome caught on fire and he blamed the christian’s when it was really his fault.
Paul, as he wrote this, was not writing this about a perfect government. In our lifetime the government can also be underhanded and wicked. Paul is teaching us, while human authorities are imperfect, but the institution was put in place by God. The one who established it is perfect and we follow it because of him.
HOW DO WE LIVE UNDER AUTHORITY
*RECOGNIZE THE SOURCE OF AUTHORITY
(vs 1-2)
Subject” carries the idea of placing oneself in proper order. Order is important. Every organization has order. What Paul is saying, we all answer to someone. We are all accountable to someone. None of us are free agents. Paul starts this with God, he is the ultimate source. The reason we recognize authority is because we recognize God as our authority. The Bible doesn’t teach that God approves every government leader but he allows them to be in place.
Proverbs 21:1
21 The king's heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord; he turns it wherever he will.
The fact that God is consistent should give us perspective in every political cycle. We might disagree or be concerned but this world is not our home. Our hope is only in God.
Submission is not the same as absolute obedience. The Hebrew midwives refused to kill the babies after Pharaoh gave the order. Shadrach, Meshack and Abednego were ordered to bow to a golden image but they refused. Daniel was told to quit praying, he didn’t. When the apostles were commanded to stop preaching the message of Jesus, they didn’t. There is a boundary when it comes to submission. When human authority commands us to do what God forbids us to do we must draw the line. Our submission is ultimately to God.
*RESPECT THE PURPOSE OF AUTHORITY
(vs 3-4) Why did God create the government?
Paul uses a word here that in English means deacon. He says they are “decons” over us. It means servants or ministers. It doesn’t mean every government is a christian. Paul’s point is that the government has a God ordained function to restrain evil and promote order. We live in a fallen world and we require restraint.
*RESPOND WITH A CLEAR CONSCIENCE
(vs 5) Talking about the heart of a transformed christian.
Anyone can obey when they are afraid of getting caught and in trouble. Like when we speed down the highway and see a police officer. What changed? Our conscience.
Submitting to authority should operate out of a clear conscience of doing what is right.
Our choices should honor God. The government can regulate our authority but only God can transform our hearts.
*RENDER WHAT AUTHORITY IS DUE
(vs 6-7) We need to render to Caesar that belongs to Caesar and to God what is God’s. Pay to all what is owed to them not just in money but in respect and honor. We will not always like or agree with our elected officials, but we must be careful to watch what we say about them or how we act toward them. We must be careful to not destroy our testimonies. The world is watching us. We must honor God in all things.
1 Peter 2:17
17 Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor.
Romans 13:1-7 isn’t so much about government but rather lordship. God is the Lord of our life and that’s why our faith doesn’t rise and fall with elections.
Please let us know if we can pray for you or if you need anything from us.
