Should Christians Stay Out of Politics? What the Bible Really Says in Romans 13

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. Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves (Romans 13:1-2 NIV).

In this passage, the apostle Paul makes a clear and foundational statement about the nature of authority.

He asserts that all authority, whether in the form of government, law enforcement, or any other institution, is established by God. This means that even secular authorities are ultimately under God’s sovereignty. Paul emphasizes that no authority exists that has not been permitted by God, which is a profound understanding that transcends the human or political systems we see on earth. An important note to remember is when Paul wrote that, Caesar saw himself as at the top of the hierarchy of authority, so when Paul wrote that he was in essence demoting Roman authority under God’s, while at the same time, encouraging believers to be subject to God and not be obstinate or apathetic toward government.

God, in His wisdom, ordains different forms of authority to bring order to creation and society. Authority is not inherently evil or corrupt; rather, it is a structure designed to maintain peace, justice, and the common good. While human leaders can misuse authority in all forms of government, the concept of authority itself is part of God’s good design.

By this framework, Christians are called to respect and submit to governing authorities because their role is ultimately a reflection of God’s plan to maintain order in the world. This submission, however, is not blind obedience but a recognition that God is in control and that these authorities serve His broader purposes, even if those authorities do not fully align with Christian values or practices. The only biblical exception to this principle is when those in authority directly contradict or oppose the Word of God.

Glen Bowman in his academic article he wrote in Journal of Church and State examined how Elizabethan Catholics interpreted Romans 13:1–7 during a time of persecution under Queen Elizabeth I. He argued that Paul’s command to “be subject to the governing authorities” was never understood as blind submission. Instead, obedience was seen as conditional, bound by conscience and accountable to God’s higher law.

As the disciples once boldly declared, “We must obey God rather than any human authority” (Acts 5:29 NLT). Similarly, Hananiah, Azariah, and Mishael, when confronted by the Babylonian ruler, refused to bow to an idol and stood firm in their faith, even at the risk of their own lives (Daniel 3). Their unwavering conviction reminds us that while we are called to honor earthly authorities, our highest allegiance is to God alone.

This understanding should challenge Christians to view authority not with suspicion or as an external imposition, but as part of God’s order for human flourishing. The Church is called to respect, engage with, and participate in the structures of authority to influence them for good. When the Church withdraws or disengages from these systems, it leaves a void that can be filled by voices that may not represent God’s will for justice, mercy, and truth.

Many Christians today misunderstand what biblical submission to authority really means. Paul’s teaching in Romans 13 is not a call to political passivity but rather an invitation to recognize the sovereignty of God in governance. God establishes authority to bring order and justice, but He also expects His people to engage with those structures to uphold righteousness.

The great revivalist Charles Finney warned in one of his many lectures and sermons addressing moral government and obligation:

The time has come that Christians must vote for honest men and take consistent ground in politics…. God cannot sustain this free and blessed country which we love and pray for unless the church will take right ground.

Finney’s words serve as a sobering reminder that a free nation is not guaranteed, it is sustained only when believers take responsibility for their civic engagement. When the Church abdicates its role, ungodly leadership fills the void. Romans 13 does not call for blind allegiance but for informed, prayerful engagement in shaping the laws and leaders of the land.

Why The Church Must Engage with Public Servants and Elected Officials

1. Witnessing to the World

The Church is a witness to God’s order, justice, and mercy. By engaging with public servants and elected officials, the Church offers an opportunity to influence the broader society with biblical values. The Church’s engagement in the political and civic realms allows believers to demonstrate God’s love and justice, standing for righteousness in ways that benefit the common good.

2. Maintaining Peace and Justice

God has established authority structures for the protection of the innocent, the maintenance of justice, and the preservation of peace. The Church’s involvement in civic life helps ensure these principles are upheld in society. If the Church remains silent or disengaged, the principles that should guide societal governance may be lost, and public servants may be left without the godly counsel they need.

3. Biblical Mandate for Intercession

Scripture calls the Church to pray for those in authority (1 Timothy 2:1-2), to seek the welfare of the city (Jeremiah 29:7), and to act as a voice of truth and justice. When the Church disengages from the public sphere, it ignores its mandate to pray, advocate for righteousness, and actively support those in leadership.

4. The Church as a Moral Compass

Governments and authorities are often influenced by a variety of factors, including public opinion, economics, and political power. The Church is called to bring a moral and ethical voice into these arenas, grounded in Scripture. In doing so, the Church helps ensure that decisions align with principles of justice, mercy, and the common good.

A few years ago, I had the opportunity to visit the California State Capitol with a group of pastors through a good friend’s ministry, Church United. During that visit, we heard from Senator Mike Morrell, who shared a sobering reality with us:

Every day, lobbyists walk these halls, advocating for their agendas, many of them from the extreme left, actively opposing conservative values. Yet, in all my years here, I’ve only seen a few pastors show up to pray for and support us.

His words hit hard. It’s no surprise that California has drifted in the direction it has. The battle for culture isn’t just being lost, it’s being forfeited. Not because our values lack strength but because, overall, we’re simply not showing up.

National and Global Effects

Engagement in political leadership has far-reaching effects, not just nationally but globally, for the Kingdom of God. I witnessed this first-hand during my two years ministering in Vladivostok, Russia, a city on the far eastern edge of Siberia, bordering North Korea and China and just across the bay from Japan. While there, I had the privilege of helping establish and strengthen three young churches, launching a Bible college, and starting a ministry training center.

As I listened to the powerful testimonies of those who had come to faith after the fall of the Iron Curtain, I was struck by the reality of God’s divine orchestration. Many had no access to the gospel for decades, yet now they were passionately embracing Christ. But what most people overlook is how this door to salvation was opened in the first place.

History often credits economic pressure, military strategy, and diplomatic negotiations as the forces behind the collapse of the Soviet Union. But beneath the surface of geopolitics, a deeper, spiritual force was said to be at work, one that revealed the undeniable impact of faith in the highest levels of political leadership. At the center of this divine orchestration was President Ronald Reagan, a man whose conviction in the Word of God and belief in freedom played a critical role in dismantling the Iron Curtain.

In the 1980s, Reagan recognized that the Cold War was not just a battle of ideologies but a war for the soul of a nation trapped under the grip of atheistic communism. He famously declared the Soviet Union an “evil empire” but did not merely engage in rhetoric. Through his diplomatic outreach, it has been said by many that Reagan actually took an unexpected path, one that bypassed official state channels and instead reached into the heart of Mikhail Gorbachev’s family. Gorbachev’s mother was a devout believer, and Reagan, understanding the power of faith, strategically worked to influence the Soviet leader through this deeply personal connection.

As Reagan stood firm on biblical principles, refusing to back down from his commitment to religious freedom, he pressed Gorbachev on reforms that would eventually lead to glasnost (openness) and perestroika (restructuring). Although only God knows exactly how the influence of Reagan persuaded Gorbachev, these policy changes shattered decades of religious persecution and, for the first time in generations, allowed the gospel to be freely preached across the Soviet Union. The fall of the Berlin Wall and the dissolution of the Soviet Union were not merely political events, they were spiritual victories that paved the way for millions to hear the Good News of Jesus Christ.

What if God had not used a politician to open these doors? What if the leader of the free world had lacked the courage to stand on biblical truth in the face of global opposition? The fate of millions hung in the balance, and it was through Reagan’s faith-driven leadership that God made a way for the gospel to flood into Russia and its former satellite states.

This example of Reagan’s impact on the fall of the Iron Curtain serves as a compelling testament to the undeniable truth: Politics matter in the Kingdom of God. When godly leaders stand in their calling, nations are transformed, doors open for the gospel, and history is shaped by the hand of the Almighty. The church must not retreat from engaging in government, it must recognize that political engagement, when grounded in faith, has the power to help change the world for Christ.