Do Christians Have to Submit to Governing Authorities?

The Apostle Paul said, Let every person be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.

Whoever resists authority resists what God has appointed. Likewise, Peter said, Be subject for the Lord's sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, or to governors sent by him to punish those who do evil and praise those who do good.

But this is only when they're godly, right? We don't have to submit to ungodly authority. After all, rulers are to punish evil and praise good, so whenever they aren't following the

Bible, we don't have to follow them. No, you still have to obey the government, or you bring judgment on yourself.

Daniel said that God removes kings and sets them up, even tyrants. Jesus told Pilate, you would have no authority over me at all unless it had been given you from above.

And Pilate was a guy who liked to kill Jews in the temple just to show them he could. Government is a blessing from God, because without it, things would be a whole lot worse.

God also uses government to bring about His judgment. We are to obey our rulers because God said so.

We pay taxes out of obedience, because that's how He made government to run. Now, if that authority tells you to renounce your faith or be silent, follow the

Apostles' example and keep preaching Christ. It's the will of God that we should submit to earthly authority, putting to silence the talk of foolish people who would otherwise paint us as lawbreakers.

The Bible says to pray for our governors, not rebel against them, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way when we understand the text.