Romans 13:1-7
Submission to lawful authority reflects trust in God’s sovereign ordering of society.
1 Let every soul be in subjection to the higher authorities, for there is no authority except from God, and those who exist are ordained by God.
2 Therefore he who resists the authority withstands the ordinance of God; and those who withstand will receive to themselves judgment.
3 For rulers are not a terror to the good work, but to the evil. Do you desire to have no fear of the authority? Do that which is good, and you will have praise from the authority,
4 for he is a servant of God to you for good. But if you do that which is evil, be afraid, for he doesn’t bear the sword in vain; for he is a servant of God, an avenger for wrath to him who does evil.
5 Therefore you need to be in subjection, not only because of the wrath, but also for conscience’ sake.
6 For this reason you also pay taxes, for they are servants of God’s service, continually doing this very thing.
7 Therefore give everyone what you owe: if you owe taxes, pay taxes; if customs, then customs; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.
Submission to lawful authority reflects trust in God’s sovereign ordering of society.
To instruct believers to submit to governing authorities as ordained by God for order and justice.
Romans 13:1-7 follows Romans 12:9-21, where Paul described sincere love, humility, peace-seeking, non-retaliation, and leaving vengeance to God. Romans 13:1-7 develops the public dimension of that ethic by explaining that God has appointed civil authority as an instrument to restrain evil and punish wrongdoing. The passage then leads into Romans 13:8-10, where Paul returns to love as the continuing debt and the fulfillment of the law. Romans 13:1-7 should therefore be read as part of the transformed life, not as detached political theory.
Paul writes to Christians living in the capital city of the empire. They needed instruction on how to live publicly as followers of Christ without needless rebellion, dishonor, retaliation, or civic irresponsibility. The command follows Paul’s call to non-retaliation and peace in Romans 12. Believers in Rome, including Jewish and Gentile Christians learning how to live as transformed people under the civil authority of the Roman Empire Romans 13:1-7 stands within the new-covenant ethic of the church living between Christ’s resurrection and final judgment. Believers belong to the Lord Jesus, yet they live in the present age where God uses civil authority to restrain evil until the consummation.
Submission to Governing Authorities, Love as the Fulfillment of the Law, and Life in the Light of the Coming Day
Because God's mercy forms a people of order, love, and light, believers submit to rightful authority, fulfill the law through neighbor-love, and live awake to the coming day by putting on the Lord Jesus Christ.