October 1, 2026
I have been reminding folks over the last year that in 1787, while Benjamin Franklin was walking out of the convention hall, a woman approached him and asked him, “What have we got? A republic or a monarchy?” Franklin said, “A republic, madam - if you can keep it.”
Benjamin Franklin is reminding us with this statement that we live in a republic, not a monarchy. In a monarchy, a citizen’s first responsibility is to obey. But our first responsibility in a republic is to participate. As citizens of the United States who are Christians, we have a responsibility to make sure that we participate as the salt and the light that Christ has made us.
God has given us the responsibility to maintain our nation in the same way that He gave the responsibility to the Israelites to maintain the promised land that He had given them.
The Apostle Paul also reminds us, in 2 Corinthians 5:20, that as believers we are all “ambassadors for Christ,” and this includes in government too! An ambassador is someone who represents someone else before others. That is our work in America as believers in Christ.
With this in mind, let’s look at what I call “God’s will for Government” from a Biblical perspective in Romans 13:1-10:
First, government’s purpose came from God. (vv. 1-2)
“1. Every person is to be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God. 2. Therefore whoever resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God; and they who have opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves.” (NASB)
That's right, God is the one who established government. God has placed three institutions here on earth to carry out his will. He is the one who gave us the home, the church and yes, government.
God tells us that he has a will for us on earth, as well as in heaven. Jesus tells us in the Lord’s Prayer, Matthew 6:9-10 (KJV),“…Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.”
God has just as much interest in what goes on here for us as he does in heaven. Recognizing that government is divinely established helps us understand our duty to pray, engage, and uphold its principles in accordance with God’s will.
Second, government is to encourage good, not evil. (vv. 3-4a)
“3. For rulers are not a cause of fear for good behavior, but for evil. Do you want to have no fear of authority? Do what is good and you will have praise from the same; 4. for it [government] is a minister of God to you for good.” (NASB)
God has given us a representative republic and the ability to make laws, so they will promote good, not evil. You see, the better the people are that we have in government, the better the laws we're going to get, and the more we will be able to promote good and not evil. That's why elections do have consequences!
We have to understand that just because something is a law does not make it necessarily right. But when the laws enacted by the government are based on God's laws from His commandments, that does make them right.
Laws are not so much about legislating morality as they are about restraining evil. All laws are based on some standard of morality, and those based on what God’s Word says make the biggest difference and help teach society what is right and wrong, whether one is a Christian or not.
Third, government is to punish evil and reward good. (vv. 4b-5)
“4. …But if you do what is evil, be afraid; for it does not bear the sword for nothing; for it [government] is a minister of God, an avenger who brings wrath on the one who practices evil. 5. Therefore, it is necessary to be in subjection, not only because of wrath, but also for conscience’ sake.” (NASB)
When we look at Romans 13, we come away with the fact that there are basically two areas that government is primarily responsible for. The first area is protecting innocent human life and the second is punishing evil doers.
You see, when a government’s laws are based on God's laws, they will exponentially bring blessings to our citizens. There is nothing more important than protecting life and punishing evil! That is what God has put government here to do.
When government follows God’s plan, it shepherds its citizens by protecting, caring, and leading them down the right paths of life here on earth. When this happens, it will be for our good and God’s glory!
Fourth, government is to minister according to God’s will. (v. 6)
“6. For because of this you also pay taxes, for rulers are servants of God, devoting themselves to this very thing.” (NASB)
You see, because government originated with God, it is not secular, but rather spiritual. And since we live in a republic, rather than a monarchy (as it was in the first century church), we as Christians can make the biggest difference in government functioning in the way that God intended it to.
In 2006, when I ran for state representative, someone mentioned to me that they were concerned about me getting out of the ministry and going into government. But the bottom line was that I was not leaving any ministry; I was just expanding it by the possibility of serving in government.
Romans 13 talks about those serving in government as being ministers and servants of God. Since this is true about those in government, therefore they are to minister to others based upon God’s will from a Biblical worldview perspective for life.
As citizens of the United States of America, we all ARE “the government.” The first three words of the Constitution are: “We the people.”
As we used to say when we were playing “tag,” and we caught someone, we said, “You’re it!” We are the government, and as Christians being “salt and light” for Christ, we can make the biggest difference in the government.
Our U.S. Declaration of Independence reminds us that, “Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just Powers from the Consent of the Governed.”
Fifth, government is to be honored and respected within God’s law and our conscience. (vv. 5/7)
“5. Therefore it is necessary to be in subjection, not only because of wrath, but also for conscience’ sake. 7. Render to all what is due them: tax to whom tax is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honor to whom honor.”(NASB)
God calls us to honor and respect government from the greatest perspective of all: seeing life on the basis of God's law in our hearts. We can obey laws just because we don’t want to be punished, or we can obey them because they are laws based on what we already believe in our conscience, based on God’s laws.
Self-government is the greatest asset to maintaining Biblical morality in our constitutional republic. Look at what Robert Winthrop, the former Speaker of the US House of Representatives (1847 to 1849), said:
“Men, in a word, must necessarily be controlled, either by a power within them, or by a power without them; either by the Word of God, or by the strong arm of man; either by the Bible, or by the bayonet.”
His point was that you can’t make enough laws to govern someone’s heart if the truth is not already there within them. When our hearts are aligned with God’s laws, not as many governmental laws are going to be needed. Now, we live in a day when it seems like we can’t have enough laws, because so many issues and situations seem to be out of control.
We are also reminded of what John Adams (signer of the Declaration of Independence and second President of the United States) said from the beginning of our nation:
“Our constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It's wholly inadequate for the government of any other.”
You see, again, there is only so much that can be done legally when the common moral code based on God’s laws has eroded in our nation.
Conclusion:
“8. Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law. 9. For this, “YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT ADULTERY, YOU SHALL NOT MURDER, YOU SHALL NOT STEAL, YOU SHALL NOT COVET,” and if there is any other commandment, it is summed up in this saying, “YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.” 10. Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law. (vv.8-10) (NASB)
There is no doubt from looking at (vv. 8-10) that loving God and loving your neighbor is key to a moral and civil society in government. When you go back and look at the Ten Commandments, you will see that the key to obeying the first four commands is loving God. The key to obeying the next six commandments is loving your neighbor.
Friends, this is why representing Christ and the gospel in the public square is central to saving our nation from destruction.
Charlie Kirk, who was assassinated in Utah on Sept. 10, declared the fact that there are clear moral standards from God’s Word that must be proclaimed and lived, even on our college campuses. But the ultimate point he made could be summarized by the fact that it is the life-changing power of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ that makes the biggest difference in all of our lives!
This is why we must address the issues of our day (even from the pulpits) and proclaim that Jesus Christ is the answer and solution to all of life’s problems, including those in government.
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Mike Griffin is the Public Affairs Representative of the Georgia Baptist Mission Board.
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