Romans 13:2 - Truth #2: Rebelling against government is the same as rebelling against God. As a rule, we are to obey our earthly government. The obvious exception would be when government requires us to do something in direct disobedience to the Word of God.
Romans 13:3 - Truth #3: As a rule, government is the friend of those who do good. Even those governments that are neutral or opposed to Christianity welcome biblical virtues and work ethic (even if they would never label it as such) because these values make their nation a better place for all.
Romans 13:4 - Truth #4: Government is God's minister. God has given earthly governments the ministry of securing the common good for their people and punishing evil-doers.
Romans 13:5 - Truth #5: Obedience to government should be both externally and internally motivated. The fact that governments are given the right to "bear the sword" is a natural deterrent from disobedience. However, Christians should also demonstrate obedience from a conscience that is captive to the Holy Spirit.
Romans 13:6 - Truth #6: It is good and acceptable for us to pay taxes. We can argue about how much is too much, but the principle remains... It is not unreasonable nor unfair for a government to ask its people to provide the resources it needs to carry out its God-given function. (Which, in turn, benefits those paying in.)
Romans 13:7 - Truth #7: We owe our authorities not only our taxes, but our respect and honor. To be certain, we may disagree with our leaders and even vote them out! But as long as they're in office, there is a certain level of esteem their position affords. God is glorified when His people demonstrate this truth in our words and actions.
