Because We Pray

January 3
Romans 13:1-14

Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. 2 Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. 3 For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and you will be commended. 4 For the one in authority is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are God’s servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. 5 Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also as a matter of conscience.

6 This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God’s servants, who give their full time to governing. 7 Give to everyone what you owe them: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.

8 Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law. 9 The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not covet,” and whatever other command there may be, are summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” 10 Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.

11 And do this, understanding the present time: The hour has already come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. 12 The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. 13 Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. 14 Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh.


As we see ever-increasing evidence of corruption and abrogation of the law on which the United States was established, we are more and more inclined to dismiss the existing government as itself being unworthy of our allegiance. We are disinclined to pay our taxes, to honor our leaders, to pray for those in authority over us as the Word admonishes us to do (see I Timothy 2:2).

Believers in the One True and Living God may even convince themselves that the Holy One would support them in their disdain of the leadership under which they find themselves at this juncture in time, but the above chapter in Romans dispels that notion.

The Apostle Paul in writing to the Roman Christians made it very clear that to the contrary, they were to willingly subject themselves to the authority the Father of Lights had allowed to rule over them. Believers today might say something to the effect that this was because today’s level of corruption did not exist at that time.

A cursory knowledge of ancient history dispels that erroneous notion. The Roman Empire was built upon the power of its army and the ruthlessness of its execution of punishment against anyone who defied its authority.

The very act of worshiping Jesus instead of the pantheon of Roman gods was punishable by death, and Paul himself was imprisoned in a Roman dungeon until his execution because he had placed his life at the feet of Jesus. When he admonished believers to submit themselves to their leaders, he was not without experience in knowing the yoke of oppression.

So we today, though we anguish at the plummet of our nation from the height of spiritual power as a Christian nation into the abyss of moral degradation, must continue to “pray for those in authority over us,” as Paul so clearly stated to Timothy.

We must anticipate that because we do so, along with repenting of our own sins, our Lord will indeed, “…hear from Heaven and forgive our sin and heal our land,” as He promises in II Chronicles 7:14. But we must not wait for the fulfillment of that promise; we must pray for our nation and our leaders even before the fruit of the promise is given to us.

Indeed, if we are truly people of faith, we will anticipate the fruit of the promise to come because we pray.