Should Christians Obey the Government — Meaning Explained

Romans 13:1-7 is the primary passage: 'Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.' Paul wrote this under the Roman Empire — not a friendly government. He recognized government as God's instrument for maintaining order and punishing evil (13:4). Jesus taught, 'Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's' (Matthew 22:21). Peter echoed, 'Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake' (1 Peter 2:13). However, when government commands what God forbids (or forbids what God commands), believers must obey God. Peter and the apostles declared, 'We ought to obey God rather than men' (Acts 5:29). Daniel refused to stop praying (Daniel 6). Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refused to worship the image (Daniel 3). The Hebrew midwives disobeyed Pharaoh's order to kill babies (Exodus 1:17). Civil disobedience is warranted when human authority directly contradicts God's clear commands.