If you have read the Bible, you know it’s full of hard sayings. One of those hard sayings is found in Romans 13:1–2, “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. Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment.”

That saying is easy when the person you like is in charge or that party you support is in power. That saying is easy when the person in charge is good. But haven’t you found it to be tough when your person or party is not in power or when the person in power is incompetent or wicked? It certainly is.

Yet, here we have the Word of God clearly telling us to do what our governing authorities tell us to do. And keep in mind that this was written to Christian men and women living under the dictatorship of the Roman emperor.

Beloved, Christianity is no excuse for lawlessness. We are to live and function within the laws of the society we find ourselves in. Why? Well, the Holy Spirit through Paul says because God has ultimately set up the authority of that government. God has ultimately ordained that leader. They’ve been set up to uphold what is good and to punish that which is bad. And to resist the governing authorities of our community just because we want to is to bring the judgment of God on ourselves.

Well, what if the governing authorities command you to do bad, to do wickedness? Then, in that moment, you follow God instead of the governor. Render to Caesar that which is Caesar’s but to God what is God’s, as Jesus said. When government goes against God, we must civilly disobey because God is our ultimate authority.

But in all other situations, we are to be obedient to the governing authorities. They are God’s servant for good.

May we as Christians be the model citizen right here in our community, city, county, state, and nation!

Change begins in you!