34 Joseph and Daniel were not only strangers in strange lands, but they rose to positions of power and influence in public affairs. Thankfully, there are some specific biblical passages that focus on the idea of government. Romans 13:1–7 most clearly reveals a set of biblical principles that demand attention. 1Let 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. 2Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. 3For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, 4for he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer. 5Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God’s wrath but also for the sake of conscience. 6For because of this you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing. 7Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed. This is a rich text full of critical teaching. We have some discussion of how we ought to relate to government — we are to honor, respect, and obey it. We also see a description of what government is called to do — reward good behavior and punish bad behavior. Government officials are referred to as “ministers of God.” This is fascinating, especially when we consider Paul’s audience. Roman Christians were not normally blessed with the kinds of political leaders we would naturally associate with the divine. All of these things matter and are worth exploration, but I wish to focus on how this passage helps us understand three questions. Where does government come from? What is government’s purpose? What is the Christian response toward government? Where Does Government Come From? Life is, in some ways, a process of asking and answering questions. Toddlers are consumed with understanding reality, which compels them to ask questions like, “Why is the sky blue?” As we answer these questions, we are educating. The answers start simply for the sake of understanding. “The light from the sun creates that color.” As children grow, the answers get more complicated. “Because solar light scatters blue
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