The document discusses Christians' relationship with governing authorities based on passages from the Bible. It says that Christians should submit to governing authorities as they are instituted by God, but there are exceptions if they are asked to disobey God's commands, commit immoral acts, or go against their conscience. Christians should obey God rather than men in these cases. The document also discusses how Christians have positively influenced social issues throughout history, and areas they are obligated to address as citizens, like protecting life and defining marriage. It emphasizes having a kingdom attitude that God's eternal kingdom should be the model, not the temporal earthly kingdom.

1. The Christian and
Government
Romans 13:1-7

2. Jeremiah 27:5–6 (ESV)
5 “It is I who by my great power and my outstretched
arm have made the earth, with the men and animals
that are on the earth, and I give it to whomever it
seems right to me. 6 Now I have given all these lands
into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon,
my servant, and I have given him also the beasts of the
field to serve him.

3. Wisdom of Solomon 6:1–3 (NRSV)
6 Listen therefore, O kings, and understand;
learn, O judges of the ends of the earth.
2 Give ear, you that rule over multitudes,
and boast of many nations.
3 For your dominion was given you from the Lord,
and your sovereignty from the Most High;
he will search out your works and inquire into your plans.

5. John 18:36 -37 Jesus answered, "My kingdom is
not of this world. If my kingdom were of this
world, my servants would have been fighting,
that I might not be delivered over to the Jews.
But my kingdom is not from the world.” Then
Pilate said to him, "So you are a king?" Jesus
answered, "You say that I am a king. For this
purpose I was born and for this purpose I have
come into the world—to bear witness to the
truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my
voice."

6. Romans 13:1–7 (ESV)
13 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.

7. Context
Nero hated Christians, had them rounded up,
dipped in tar, and lit as torches for his parties. He
covered Christians in animal skins and threw them
to wild dogs. He ordered Rome set on fire and then
blamed the Christians, setting off the first wave of
official persecution. We’ve largely forgotten how
wicked pagan ancient Rome really was. Sorcery and
black magic abounded, abortion flourished,
homosexuality was accepted as normal, and the
masses worshipped Caesar as Lord.

8. Romans 13:1–7 (ESV)
13 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.

9. Romans 13:1–7 (ESV)
13 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.

10. Romans 13:1–7 (ESV)
13 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.

11. Romans 13:1–7 (ESV)
13 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.

12. Romans 13:1–7 (ESV)
13 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.

13. Romans 13:1–7 (ESV)
13 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.

14. Romans 13:1–7 (ESV)
13 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.

15. Romans 13:1–7 (ESV)
13 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.

16. 1 Peter 2:13–17
13 Be subject for the Lord’s sake to every human
institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme,
14 or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do
evil and to praise those who do good. 15 For this is the will
of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the
ignorance of foolish people. 16 Live as people who are
free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but
living as servants of God. 17 Honor everyone. Love the
brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor.

17. Submission Implies Obedience. But
there are exceptions.

18. Exceptions
(1) If you’re asked to violate a command of
God.

19. Exceptions
(1) If you’re asked to violate a command of
God.
Acts 5:29
29 But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey
God rather than men.
Acts 4:19–20
19 But Peter and John answered them, “Whether it is right
in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you
must judge, 20 for we cannot but speak of what we have
seen and heard.”

20. Exceptions
(2) If you’re asked to commit an immoral or
unethical act.

21. Exceptions
(2) If you’re asked to commit an immoral or
unethical act.
Bible Example: Shadrach, Meshach and
Abednego.
Example: Kill the innocent – abortion, the
holocaust.

22. Exceptions
(3) If you’re asked to go against your
conscience.

23. Exceptions
(3) If you’re asked to go against your
conscience.
Example: Daniel and friends eating meat
sacrificed to Idols, or Daniel refusing to give
up prayer to God.

24. Cautions
But when you resist authority be willing to
accept the consequences. Submission is never
easy and frequently there are grave ethical
dilemmas.
Even when refusing to obey, do so with a spirit
of submission.

25. Should Christians be involved in social
issues?

26. Christians have influenced governments positively
throughout history. These changes have also facilitated
the spread of the gospel. These changes include
outlawing infanticide, child abandonment, and abortion
in the Roman Empire; outlawing the gladiator battles in
Rome; outlawing branding the faces of prisoners;
instituting humane prison reforms; stopping human
sacrifice; outlawing pedophilia; granting property rights
and other protections to women; banning polygamy;
prohibiting the burning alive of widows in India (due to
William Carey’s influence); outlawing the crippling
practice of binding women’s feet in China; advancing the
idea of compulsory education for all children in Europe;
and abolishing slavery.

27. Issues we are obligated as citizens of this world to
address:
•protection of life (abortion; euthanasia; capital punishment; self-
defense and gun ownership);
•marriage (including incest, adultery, homosexuality; polygamy;
divorce; pornography);
•the family (including child-rearing and education);
•economics (including taxes; Social Security; health care);
•the environment (including global warming);
•national defense (including war; pacifism; homosexuals in the
military);
•foreign policy (including immigration);
•freedom of speech;
•freedom of religion;
•and, a number of other special topics, such as affirmative action,
farm subsidies, the National Education Association, Native
Americans, and gambling.

28. Kingdom Attitude
• Be Somber
• The World’s Kingdom is transitive and
temporal. God’s Kingdom is never changes
and is eternal.
• The eternal Kingdom should be your model for
living in this kingdom.

29. Proverbs 21:1
The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of
the LORD; he turns it wherever he will.
John 19:11
11 Jesus answered him, “You would have no authority
over me at all unless it had been given you from
above. Therefore he who delivered me over to you
has the greater sin.”

30. “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your
name. Your Kingdom come, Your will be
done, on earth as it is in heaven.”