Romans 13:1-7a

Government is not separate from God's design. It is one of three institutions He established for human life, alongside the family and the church. Romans 13 makes clear that governing authorities exist under God's sovereignty and are meant to serve as His instruments for justice and order. Christians are called to live lives of genuine virtue, not merely legal compliance, and to pray for those in authority over them. Because God has entrusted justice to governing authorities and will ultimately settle all accounts Himself, Christians are freed from personal vengeance and empowered to forgive. Every human being bears the image of God, and that truth is the foundation for why every life has infinite value. The church is not a bystander in civilization. It is one of the most essential forces for good the world has ever known.