God and Government

Building and Breaking Laws for the Glory

We are aliens on earth because our citizenship is in Heaven, yet the Lord has placed us here to be his ambassadors to this world and he has set up governments to rule over us. What then are our responsibilities to this world, our governments and our God? In this series, John Piper answers five questions. First, why and how is the existence of civil authority and civil order always good for us? Second, why does Paul not qualify his terms when he describes the goodness of governments in Romans 13:3, though there is obviously evil authority? Third, when is civil disobedience appropriate and what should it look like? Fourth, how should Christians glorify God with their personal involvement in the processes of government? Finally, what does it mean that love is the fulfillment of the law and how does that relate to our submission to authority?

• Subjection to God and Subjection to the State (Part One), Romans 13:1-7
• Subjection to God and Subjection to the State (Part Two), Romans 13:1-7
• Subjection to God and Subjection to the State (Part Three), Romans 13:1-7
• Subjection to God and Subjection to the State (Part Four), Romans 13:1-7
• Love Is a Fulfilling of the Law, Romans 13:7-14