THE AUTHORITIES HAVE BEEN ESTABLISHED BY GOD

Romans 13:1-7 / Keywords 13:1

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.

Submission to Governing Authorities

13:1 Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. 2 Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. 3 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 you will be commended. 4 For the one in authority is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are God’s servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. 5 Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also as a matter of conscience.

6 This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God’s servants, who give their full time to governing. 7 Give to everyone what you owe them: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.

  

1. The passage tells us that all authority has been established by God. The passage tells us do what is right, and we will be commended. Our boss may be sometimes against us, and even harsh to us. But we need to trust in God’s sovereignty in all these things. We should believe that God is the one who put them in that place of authority.

 

2. Even with a bad boss, if we do what is right, God promises us that we will be commended. When we trust in God’s authority and do our best to be commended by the rulers and bosses, God will be honored and he will be pleased.

 

3. Rulers can be the governing authority, our bosses, our teachers, etc. We need to serve them and be excellent at our work before them since God put us in that place. When God trains us through our bosses or the people in authority over us, we need to humbly learn to submit to them since it is God who establishes authority.

 

Prayer Lord, please help us, so we may not have a rebellious spirit but have a humble submissive spirit to those rulers you put over in our lives. We believe that you are in control and you put them in that place. Through our humble submission and serving our rulers and authorities, may your name be praised and honored.

One Word Submit to the authority