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In even-numbered years, we Americans turn our attention to government as we cast our votes in national elections. With those elections just a month away, I’d like to take this opportunity to share a few biblical insights about government.  

Now, don’t worry! I’m not going to tell you how to vote in this fall’s elections. That’s not my job as a pastor. My job is to teach biblical principles. Your job is to apply them as best as you know how in real-world situations. 

Listen to what Paul writes about government in Romans 13.1-5: 

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. 

In this passage, Paul teaches two important principles: First, submission should be the Christian’s attitude toward government. And second, the government should enforce justice. In an ideal world, there is no conflict between our attitude and the government’s actions. Submission to government is easy when it does the right thing. But we don’t live in an ideal world. Is submission a good idea in an imperfect world? 

To answer that question, we need to talk about what submission is and why it’s necessary. Submission is first of all deference to authority and then obedience to law. To borrow an example from everyday life, submission to government means obeying traffic laws and, when you don’t, being polite to the officer who writes you a ticket.  

Why is submission necessary? Paul mentions two reason: conscience and consequences. God created the authority of government. He delegated law-making and law-enforcing responsibilities to it. So, as a matter of conscience, submitting to government is submitting to God. But submitting to government is also a good idea from the standpoint of consequences. The state, as Paul puts it, bears “the sword.” It rewards good deeds and punishes bad ones. Submitting to government is, all things being equal, good for you. Imagine how awful the world would be if everyone disobeyed traffic laws. 

Must we submit to unjust governments? Yes and no. Yes, we ought to defer to authority. (Even Paul deferred to the governing authorities who imprisoned him.) But we do not necessarily owe government obedience when it legislates and enforces fundamentally unjust laws. In such cases, Acts 5.29 applies: “We must obey God rather than men!”

We’ll talk more about the government’s responsibility to do justice tomorrow.