Romans 13:6-7
For because of this you also pay taxes, for they are God’s ministers attending continually to this very thing.Render therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor.

Application: 

As Paul concludes this brief section on government, his words intentionally echo those of Jesus. Paul instructs us: Pay taxes to those you owe taxes, and give honor to those you owe honor (13:7). Jesus said, “Give, then, to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s” (Matt 22:21). We owe government leaders our taxes. We owe them earthly honor. But both Paul and Jesus remind us that we must never give them our hearts. They cannot have our ultimate allegiance, since we are created in the image of God and not in the image of government rulers. God is above all.*

Paul refers to the governing authorities as God’s servants, thereby emphasizing their role (13:4). When God is excluded from government, a vacuum forms in which government seeks to be God. In a democratic republic like ours, we citizens have the privilege of choosing many of God’s servants; therefore, part of our duty is to oversee and guide them by pointing to the truth. If we fail in this, then “one nation under God” could turn into “one nation under chaos.”*

All authority comes from God (Romans 13:1); however, we must realize that God sometimes allows us to choose the worst of leaders so we can distinguish between good and evil when a good leader is in power.

Reference: Tony Evans, The Tony Evans Bible Commentary (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2019), 1138–1139.

To God be the glory!

Our Lord Jesus Christ created everything! By Him, For Him!

“The Lord bless you and keep you; The Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; The Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.” Numbers 6:24-26

Disclaimer

When God inspires me, I write or post articles that glorify God. I invite you to view this post as a Bible study. Like the Bereans in Acts 17:11, I encourage you to search the Scriptures to determine whether what I have posted is true. Always consult your church ministers regarding biblical matters. I am not a professional writer, so there may be grammatical or spelling errors. I strive to write as clearly and efficiently as possible. Your brother in Christ, Ricardo.

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