Authority Gets Legitimacy from Obedience to God

PRAY WITH US about authority gets legitimacy: Father God, we exalt You as supreme and as the source of all authority. You have given all authority in heaven and on earth to Christ. And He establishes authorities for Your purposes. So show us how to submit to Your authority first, and how to submit to the authorities You have placed over us. Show us what authority we have, and how to use it will. For we need Your moral authority to speak Your truths in love to our authorities.

So impress on them that they ultimately serve You. Show them what duties they have to You and to others, and help them to fulfill their duties. For You will judge them according to what You have given them to do. Judgment begins in the household of God. So judge us first, that we may know how to judge other for their good, before the final judgment comes. In Jesus’ name, amen.

PRAYER ALERT: Authority Gets Legitimacy from Obedience to God

Most Christians I know don’t like Romans 13:1-7 because they think it means we never question authority. But if we’re good Bereans and we read this passage closely, we will see it says something quite different. In fact, it clearly states that God has expectations for rulers. And He establishes them to fulfill these expectations and duties.

In verse 3 God expects authorities to praise “what is good.” If we do good, we should have no fear of them. In verse 4 He expects them to act as “a minister of God to you for good.” And to use armed force to bring wrath on whoever does evil.

In verse 6 God expects them to be “devoting themselves to this very thing.” But what thing? To be “servants of God.” They may not know God, but He still considers them His servants. In verse 7 He expects authorities to operate on what “tax is due” and what honor is due to them. That means not taking more than what is due to them.

To the degree they fail in these duties, they lose legitimacy and act against their God-given authority…

Read more in ETG article Authority Gets Legitimacy from Obedience to God

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