The way you can be part of the solution for America today is to pray, vote the Bible, and vote against big government. In this week’s Success Scripture we are going to talk about step #1 – Pray.
Romans 13:1-7 (NKJV)
1 Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God.
2 Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves.
3 For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same.
4 For he is God’s minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God’s minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil.
5 Therefore you must be subject, not only because of wrath but also for conscience’ sake.
6 For because of this you also pay taxes, for they are God’s ministers attending continually to this very thing.
7 Render therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor.
First, evidently God has something to do with who our government leaders are. Do you see it there in verse 1 – the (governing) authorities that exist are appointed by God. Therefore, if you don’t like who’s in office, pray instead of protesting because who’s in office is ordained by God.
Second, government rulers are in office to enforce good and punish evil. Do you see it there in verse 4 – “For he is God’s minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God’s minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil.” In other words, government rulers are supposed to uphold the law. For example, if someone breaks the law by trying to come into the United States illegally, they are to be punished, plain and simple.
Third, taxes are collected to pay government leaders. Do you see it there in verse 6 – “For because of this you also pay taxes, for they are God’s ministers attending continually to this very thing.” Government leaders need to be paid because they are serving God in what they do. This was the original intent for government – serve God first, and then serve the people.
Finally, we are to respect and honor our government leaders because God said so. Do you see it there at the end of verse 7 – fear (or respect) to whom fear, honor to whom honor. Incidentally, those whom the Apostle Paul said to respect and honor were pagan rulers who eventually beheaded him. The point is that we are to respect the office of our President (and other government positions) even if we don’t agree with everything the people in those positions stand for. According to the Apostle Paul and the Apostle Peter (in 1 Peter 2:17), hating government leaders is an ungodly attitude.
I like to pray that God’s will would be done in the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of the federal government, and that the three branches of government would function as outlined in the United States Constitution.
The first step to be part of the solution for America today is to pray for federal, state, and local government leaders.