Romans 13:1–7 – Submission to Governing Authorities
📖 Passage
Romans 13:1–7
Read Romans 13:1–7 (NKJV)
🧠 Context & Background
Paul continues his call for Christians to live as transformed people in the world (Romans 12). After describing love, humility, and non-retaliation, he turns to the believer’s relationship to government. The Roman church lived under an empire often hostile to their faith. Paul reminds them that civil rulers are not outside God’s sovereignty but established by Him for order and justice.
This teaching does not mean blind obedience to unjust commands (see Acts 5:29), but rather a general posture of submission. Christians live as good citizens, honoring rulers, paying taxes, and showing respect, while remembering that their ultimate allegiance is to Christ. Paul frames government as God’s servant for restraining evil, even when rulers themselves may be flawed.
🌿 Key Themes
- God’s sovereignty — all authority is ordained by God.
- Submission — believers respect rulers for conscience’s sake, not just fear.
- Justice — rulers are to restrain evil and commend good.
- Conscience — obedience flows from a heart that honors God.
- Practical duties — paying taxes, showing respect, giving honor.
📖 Verse-by-Verse Commentary
Romans 13:1–2 – God’s Sovereignty over Authority
“Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities.”
- Universal call — Paul makes no exceptions: every believer must submit to civil authority as part of God’s order.
- Authority established by God — even corrupt governments exist under God’s sovereign rule. This truth calls for trust in God’s providence rather than rebellion.
- Resistance has consequences — rejecting authority is, in principle, rejecting God’s order. Such resistance invites both earthly judgment and divine displeasure.
Romans 13:3–4 – The Purpose of Rulers
“For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil.”
- Civil restraint of evil — the God-given role of government is to maintain justice, punishing wrongdoers and protecting the innocent.
- Encouragement of good — rulers are ideally to commend what is right, making peace and order possible.
- Servants of God — Paul strikingly calls governing officials “God’s ministers.” They may not acknowledge God, but they carry out His purpose of maintaining order.
- The sword — government bears real authority to punish crime, symbolized by the sword. This shows the legitimacy of civil justice and law enforcement.
Romans 13:5 – Submission for Conscience
“Therefore you must be subject, not only because of wrath but also for conscience’ sake.”
- Beyond fear of punishment — Christian obedience isn’t simply pragmatic, avoiding fines or imprisonment.
- For conscience — believers submit because they know God has instituted authority. Conscience reminds us that obeying rulers can be an act of honoring God.
- Inner motivation — submission flows not from compulsion but from a transformed heart aligned with God’s will.
Romans 13:6–7 – Taxes, Respect, and Honor
“Render therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes are due… honor to whom honor.”
- Taxes as worship — paying taxes acknowledges God’s ordering of society and is part of our duty as citizens.
- Respect for office — even if rulers are imperfect, their office deserves respect because it is appointed by God.
- Honor to whom honor — believers live with integrity by giving proper recognition, which strengthens their testimony before the world.
- Practical submission — Paul anchors lofty principles in everyday actions, reminding us that faithfulness to Christ includes being faithful in civic responsibilities.
🔍 Trusted Insight
RC Sproul noted that Paul’s command to submit to rulers is rooted in the conviction that “there is no authority except from God.” Sproul emphasized that while Christians may sometimes engage in civil disobedience when rulers command what God forbids, the default posture must be submission. By honoring rulers, believers acknowledge God’s sovereignty and display a distinctive witness in a rebellious world.
🧩 Review Questions
- Why does Paul ground submission to rulers in God’s sovereignty?
- How does conscience play a role in Christian obedience to civil authority?
- What limits exist to submission when government conflicts with God’s Word?
- How can paying taxes or showing respect be acts of worship?
- In what ways does this passage challenge modern attitudes toward government? 💡 Tip: Use the **Ask a Question Bot** to explore these questions more deeply and gain additional biblical insights. ---
🌎 Worldviews
- Anarchism — Anarchism denies the legitimacy of any governing authority and often seeks to abolish it entirely. It portrays authority as inherently oppressive and envisions human flourishing without rulers or laws. While this may sound like freedom, history shows that where there is no authority, chaos and violence usually fill the void. Paul rejects this worldview by affirming that governing authority is ordained by God for the common good (Romans 13:1–2). To reject all government is to reject God’s ordering of society, even when specific rulers are unjust.
- Totalitarianism — Totalitarian regimes elevate the state as the highest authority, demanding total obedience in every sphere of life — politics, family, conscience, and even faith. This worldview treats rulers as ultimate, not accountable to God. Paul counters this by teaching that rulers are “God’s servants” (Romans 13:4), not gods themselves. Submission to government is “for conscience’ sake” toward God (v. 5), not blind loyalty to the state. When governments overstep and require disobedience to God’s law, Christians must say with Peter and the apostles: “We must obey God rather than men” (Acts 5:29).
- Secularism — Secularism views government as purely human, born out of social contracts, power struggles, or evolutionary necessity. It denies that rulers are accountable to God and reduces authority to a tool of human will. This worldview often results in laws shaped only by shifting cultural values. Paul contradicts this by insisting that rulers, whether they acknowledge it or not, are “ministers of God” (Romans 13:4). Government is not merely man-made but part of God’s providential order, established for justice, order, and the restraint of evil.
- Biblical Christianity — Scripture affirms government as a legitimate institution under God’s sovereignty. Christians are called to respect and submit to civil authorities, not out of fear alone but “for conscience’ sake” (Romans 13:5). Paying taxes, honoring rulers, and obeying laws are practical ways believers honor God’s design. Yet Biblical Christianity also guards against idolatry of the state: ultimate allegiance belongs only to Christ. When government commands what God forbids, or forbids what God commands, believers must stand with Christ even at great cost. This balanced worldview avoids both rebellion and blind obedience, showing respect for rulers while upholding the lordship of Jesus.
🙋 Application Questions
- How can you demonstrate respect for authority while remembering your higher allegiance to Christ?
- What practical steps can you take to cultivate submission “for conscience’ sake”?
- When, if ever, is civil disobedience necessary for Christians today?
- How does this passage shape the way you think about paying taxes, voting, or civic involvement?
- How can living as a godly citizen strengthen your witness in your community?
🔤 Greek Keywords
- ὑποτάσσω (hypotassō) — to submit, place under authority (v. 1).
- ἐξουσία (exousia) — authority, power delegated by God (v. 1).
- διάκονος (diakonos) — servant, minister of God (v. 4).
- μάχαιρα (machaira) — sword, symbol of judicial authority (v. 4).
- συνείδησις (syneidēsis) — conscience, moral awareness before God (v. 5).
📚 Cross References
- Daniel 2:21 — God sets up kings and removes kings.
- John 19:11 — Jesus tells Pilate that authority is given from above.
- Acts 5:29 — We must obey God rather than men.
- 1 Peter 2:13–17 — Submit to every human institution for the Lord’s sake.
- Titus 3:1 — Remind them to be subject to rulers and authorities.
📦 Next Study
Next Study → Romans 13:8–14