This passage poses a special challenge for American Christians. On the one hand, our independent streak makes us hesitant to be “subject” to anyone (v. 1). We tend to want to have our own way on our own terms.

But today’s passage reminds us that in this sinful world, we all need the restraints of human governments at times, whether it be speed limits to keep traffic safe on the road, or laws that prevent men from sexually abusing children. We need human governments precisely because sinful people can’t just do whatever feels good to us. So, yes, we have to follow the laws, even to the point of paying the taxes we owe (v. 7).

But at the end of this passage, we are reminded of a higher law, the Law of God (vv. 9-10). And sometimes, especially when human governments are not properly informed by the gospel, the law of man comes into conflict with God’s perfect law of love. What do we do then?

Our Founding Fathers actually found the answer in this passage. For they understood that, in order to protect their people from wickedness and harm, sometimes it is necessary for a lower level of government to resist a higher level. That’s why the lawfully elected governments of the 13 colonies seceded from the British Empire, and raised militias to defend their people from the foreign attacks that followed. The American Revolution was thus not a chaotic rebellion of individual people, like those that occurred in France and Russia. It was an action by one level of lawful government to correct lawlessness at a higher level.

But because of the American Revolution, Romans 13 has become much more complicated for us American Christians. No longer being subjects of a human king, we have been bequeathed the right to elect our own leaders. That means that the authority Paul talks about in verse 1 doesn’t belong to our elected officials – it belongs to us, the electorate. So if our elected officials misbehave, it is ultimately our fault.

This is why it makes no sense for Americans to employ such tactics as demonstrations in the street or violent protests. Adults do not throw tantrums when their children misbehave – they exercise their authority and punish them. So, if we don’t like what our elected officials are doing, we need to exercise the authority we have according to Romans 13, and simply vote them out of office.

Romans 13:1-14 (ESV)

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.
8 Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.
9 For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
10 Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.
11 Besides this you know the time, that the hour has come for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed.
12 The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light.
13 Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy.
14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.