The Bible Says to Respect Our Leaders
Feb 16, 2008
With all of the campaigning that is currently ongoing, you can’t help but hear a lot about both those who would like to be in office and those who are currently in office. We are all almost sure to hear a great deal of criticism and disrespect directed at our nation’s leaders. It can be pretty easy to get caught up in it. However, if we are going to be Christians who claim to follow the Bible, then we need to be respectful of the government we are under and its leaders. The Bible is clear in its instruction to submit to our government. For that reason, constantly speaking ill of our government, or violating its laws, are activities that Christians must avoid.
God’s word, as we have it in the Bible, states in more than one place that we are to submit to our government. Romans 13:1 says, “Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities.” Titus 3:1 says, “Remind them to be subject to rulers and authorities…” And 1st Peter 2:13 says to “submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake, whether to the king as supreme, or to governors, as to those who are sent by him…” We need to obey the laws of our land because those laws are in place for a reason. I may not agree with or see the point of all our laws, but it is still my responsibility to follow them. After all, I wouldn’t like it very much if someone else stole my car because he saw no point to the laws regarding theft. The enforcers of our laws are “not a terror to good works, but to evil” (Romans 13:3). They are “for the punishment of evildoers and for the praise of those who do good” (1st Peter 2:14). The government and its laws exist by God’s design (Romans 13:1+2, 4). Who are we to question God’s design (Romans 9:20+21)?
I don’t mean to say that we have to pretend to agree with every decision that our government makes. That would be dishonest (Colossians 3:9, Revelation 21:8). We do not have to agree, but we do have to obey whenever possible. The one exception to this is when our country tells us to do something God has told us not to do. The Apostles demonstrated this when they refused to stop teaching Jesus as the Jewish authorities had instructed them to do (Acts 5:27-29). That is the exception, not the rule. Claiming that we ignore the laws of our land because we answer to a higher power is not what God intended. We are not to use our liberty from God as a “cloak for vice” (1st Peter 2:16). Instead, we are to be model citizens who obey our nation’s laws whenever we can do so.
We may not always agree with our leaders, but we are still expected to respect them. They are appointed by God (Romans 13:1). The apostle Paul was abused by both authorities he was under. The Romans bound him and were ready to scourge him until they found out he was a Roman citizen (Acts 22:25+26) and the Jews sought his death (Acts 23:12-15). Despite the harsh treatment he received from those authorities, he still regretted speaking ill of a Jewish leader when that leader ordered Paul to be struck (Acts 23:1-5). When we do disagree with our leaders, we need to do so respectfully.
As campaigning goes on and the leaders of our government constantly present themselves to us, let’s do what the Bible says and show them some respect.
God’s word, as we have it in the Bible, states in more than one place that we are to submit to our government. Romans 13:1 says, “Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities.” Titus 3:1 says, “Remind them to be subject to rulers and authorities…” And 1st Peter 2:13 says to “submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake, whether to the king as supreme, or to governors, as to those who are sent by him…” We need to obey the laws of our land because those laws are in place for a reason. I may not agree with or see the point of all our laws, but it is still my responsibility to follow them. After all, I wouldn’t like it very much if someone else stole my car because he saw no point to the laws regarding theft. The enforcers of our laws are “not a terror to good works, but to evil” (Romans 13:3). They are “for the punishment of evildoers and for the praise of those who do good” (1st Peter 2:14). The government and its laws exist by God’s design (Romans 13:1+2, 4). Who are we to question God’s design (Romans 9:20+21)?
I don’t mean to say that we have to pretend to agree with every decision that our government makes. That would be dishonest (Colossians 3:9, Revelation 21:8). We do not have to agree, but we do have to obey whenever possible. The one exception to this is when our country tells us to do something God has told us not to do. The Apostles demonstrated this when they refused to stop teaching Jesus as the Jewish authorities had instructed them to do (Acts 5:27-29). That is the exception, not the rule. Claiming that we ignore the laws of our land because we answer to a higher power is not what God intended. We are not to use our liberty from God as a “cloak for vice” (1st Peter 2:16). Instead, we are to be model citizens who obey our nation’s laws whenever we can do so.
We may not always agree with our leaders, but we are still expected to respect them. They are appointed by God (Romans 13:1). The apostle Paul was abused by both authorities he was under. The Romans bound him and were ready to scourge him until they found out he was a Roman citizen (Acts 22:25+26) and the Jews sought his death (Acts 23:12-15). Despite the harsh treatment he received from those authorities, he still regretted speaking ill of a Jewish leader when that leader ordered Paul to be struck (Acts 23:1-5). When we do disagree with our leaders, we need to do so respectfully.
As campaigning goes on and the leaders of our government constantly present themselves to us, let’s do what the Bible says and show them some respect.