Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God.
Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves.
For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same.
For he is God’s minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God’s minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil.
Therefore you must be subject, not only because of wrath but also for conscience’ sake.
For because of this you also pay taxes, for they are God’s ministers attending continually to this very thing.
Render therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor.
Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law.
For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not bear false witness,” “You shall not covet,” and if there is any other commandment, are all summed up in this saying, namely, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.
And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed.
The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light.
Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy.
But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.
THANK YOU FOR JOINING US!!
Content source: the New King James Version 1982 by Thomas Nelson.
Image source: Our media Team
I see God as a God of orderliness in this chapter. He doesn't boycott processes. Though sovereign, He makes provision for the expression of wisdom He has given to man.
Ultimately, God demands that we show respect to government and in the process show the people we have the mind of Christ which is meek and thereby may be able to reconcile men to God.
Thank you @reliquary for sharing.
God is the one who designates the authorities on earth, and he demands that we obey them so we do not like these authorities, but it is more important to obey God than to obey our heart ... so we must obey and pray for our authorities.
How many of those who have believed in these days are trying to satisfy all the demands of their human nature controlled by sin, but nevertheless they are not preparing for their encounter with the Lord. Serious consideration should be given to placing Christ in the first place in our lives, and carrying the important task of spreading the Word of God.
verse 4
No brother in Christ has to give an account. He is responsible before God for what he does in his life. He is responsible before the Lord Jesus Christ. He is your Master, He is your Lord, and not you or me.
God asks that there be respect and subjection to the authorities as long as they do not invite you to leave the healthy line of the Lord. One day, each authority will be judged by God in regard to his deeds, good or bad.
All authority is set by God, and we owe respect, all framed within the Word of God, which is our manual of life.
The person who receives the Lord Jesus Christ as their Savior receives the very presence of the Holy Spirit, who begins in him a work of transformation.