Should I submit to the government’s authority?

Romans 13:1-2Everyone must submit to governing authorities. For all authority comes from God, and those in positions of authority have been placed there by God. So anyone who rebels against authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and they will be punished.

The Bible says we should obey those in authority over us unless they want us to disobey God.

Acts 4:19; 5:29Peter and John replied, “Do you think God wants us to obey you rather than him? . . .” But Peter and the apostles replied, “We must obey God rather than any human authority.”

If those in authority order us to denounce God or deliberately disobey him, we must follow God, our ultimate authority. God is the highest authority, and we must obey him first and above all else. So, unless the authorities order us to denounce God or directly disobey his commands as found in the Bible, we should submit to them, even if we don’t like what they are demanding. That doesn’t mean we cannot speak up and work for change, but it does mean we should submit to our authorities, even if we think their ideas are not as good as ours.