7/12/2026 HILL CITY CHURCH
Romans 12-13 Priority for Prayer “Justification for Revolution” – PART 2
Pastor David Proffitt
Review: Before we talk about government, authority, submission, or revolution, we need to remember where we have been. We have been learning about the importance of prayer. Prayer is not just something Christians do when they run out of options. Prayer is the first response of a transformed believer. So before Christians react politically, emotionally, or culturally, we must first come before God. We pray before we protest. We pray before we criticize. We pray before we resist. We pray before we make conclusions. We pray before we speak. That is why this lesson is called Priority for Prayer.
A JUSTIFICATION FOR REVOLUTION? Romans 13 says: “Let every person be subject to the governing authorities.” That sounds very clear. So the tension is this: How can Christians celebrate Independence Day when American independence came through revolution against governing authorities? That is not a small question. If Scripture commands submission, then we need to be careful before we celebrate rebellion. So todaa, we want Scripture to interpret history. We do not want history to interpret Scripture.
HOW DID WE GET HERE? In order to understand we review the whole book of Romans. Romans 13 does not stand alone. Paul did not begin his letter by talking about government. He spent eleven chapters explaining the gospel first. So before we ask what Romans 13 means, we need to ask: How did Paul get here?
The acronym: R O M A N S will helps us understand the flow of the whole book.
R — REMEMBERING WHO, WHAT, WHY cp 1–2 Romans begins by reminding us who God is, who mankind is, and why we need salvation. God is Creator. God is holy. God is righteous. God is Judge. But mankind has rejected God. People exchanged the truth of God for a lie. They worshiped creation rather than the Creator. They followed their own desires instead of God’s will. So Romans 1–2 gives us the bad news. Before we understand grace, we must understand guilt. This matters because human government exists in a fallen world. Government is necessary because sin is real. If people were not sinful, we would not need laws, courts, police, punishment, or civil authority. So even the discussion about government begins with the doctrine of sin.
O — OBSERVATION OF SALVATION cp 3–5 After Paul shows the problem, he shows the solution. The solution is not human morality. The solution is not religious effort. The solution is not political reform. The solution is Jesus Christ. Romans 3–5 teaches justification by faith. We are declared righteous before God, not because we are good, but because Christ died for sinners. Romans 5:1 says: “Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” That is important. The first peace we need is not political peace. The first peace we need is peace with God. Until sinners are reconciled to God, society will always struggle with injustice, pride, corruption, and conflict.
M — MANAGING MATURITY cp 6–8 Then Paul answers another question. If we are saved by grace, how should we live? Romans 6 teaches that we are dead to sin. Romans 7 shows the believer’s struggle with sin. Romans 8 shows life in the Holy Spirit. This is important for today’s lesson because Christians do not respond to government merely as natural people. We respond as Spirit-filled people. The Holy Spirit changes how we think. The Holy Spirit changes how we speak. The Holy Spirit changes how we respond to pressure. The Holy Spirit helps us pray when we do not know how to pray. So when we talk about authority, government, and resistance, we must remember: The Christian life is impossible apart from the Holy Spirit. We do not simply ask, “What do my rights allow me to do?” We ask, “What does the Spirit-led life require of me?”
A — ANSWERS ABOUT ISRAEL cp 9–11 In Romans 9–11, Paul answers a major question: What about Israel? Has God abandoned His promises? Has God forgotten His people? Paul’s answer is no. God is sovereign. God is faithful. God keeps His promises. Gentiles have been grafted in, but God still has a future purpose for Israel. This matters because Romans teaches us that God rules over history. Nations rise and fall. Empires rise and fall. Kings rise and fall. Presidents come and go. But God remains faithful. So when we talk about America, Britain, Rome, Israel, or any nation, we must remember: No earthly nation is ultimate. God is ultimate.
N — NOW IT’S TIME FOR ACTION cp 12–15 Now we come to the practical section of Romans. Romans 12 begins with the word: “Therefore.” And we always ask: What is “therefore” there for? It points back to everything Paul has said in chapters 1–11. Because God is holy, because we are sinners, because Christ died for us, because we are justified by faith, because we have peace with God, because the Spirit gives us life, because God keeps His promises, therefore, we live differently. Romans 12–15 is where doctrine becomes practice. Belief becomes behavior. Theology becomes transformation. Mercy becomes obedience. So Romans 13 is part of the “Now it’s time for action” section. Submission to government is not isolated from Christian transformation. It is one part of what a transformed life looks like.
S — SAYING HI cp 16 Romans ends with greetings. Paul says hello to many people by name. That reminds us that theology is not merely academic. The gospel creates real relationships. The Christian life is lived in community. That is also important for this topic because political issues can divide believers. But Romans reminds us: We are one body in Christ. Our unity in the gospel is greater than our political opinions.
ROMANS 12:1 — BY THE MERCIES OF GOD Paul says: “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God…” Paul does not begin Christian obedience with fear. He begins with mercy. The Christian life is a response to God’s mercy. We do not obey God to earn salvation. We obey God because He has shown us mercy. So before Romans 13 tells us to submit to authority, Romans 12 tells us to surrender ourselves to God. That is the first submission. Before I submit rightly to government, I must first submit fully to God.
PRESENT YOUR BODIES AS A LIVING SACRIFICE Paul says to present your bodies as a living sacrifice. That means God does not want only our Sunday worship. He wants our whole life. Our mind. Our heart. Our speech. Our work. Our relationships. Our money. Our citizenship. Our political opinions. Our attitude toward authority. Everything belongs to God. So when we talk about government, we are not stepping outside worship. How I respond to authority is part of my worship. How I speak about leaders is part of my worship. How I think about my country is part of my worship.
DO NOT BE CONFORMED TO THIS WORLD Romans 12:2 says: “Do not be conformed to this world.” The world wants to press us into its mold. The world teaches us to think in terms of power, rights, anger, fear, identity, and control. The world says: Fight for yourself. Protect your rights. Destroy your enemies. Win at all costs. Mock those who disagree. Never submit unless you have to. But Scripture says: Do not be conformed. So when Christians talk about government and revolution, we must be careful. We should not simply sound like cable news. We should not simply repeat political slogans. We should not simply follow national emotion. We must ask: Is my mind being shaped by the world, or by the Word?
BE TRANSFORMED BY THE RENEWAL OF YOUR MIND Paul does not only give a negative command. He gives a positive command. “Be transformed by the renewal of your mind.” Christianity is not merely behavior modification. It is heart transformation. God changes how we think. That means a Christian should think differently about authority. A Christian should think differently about conflict. A Christian should think differently about enemies. A Christian should think differently about politics. A Christian should think differently about freedom. The question is not: “What do I naturally feel?” The question is: “What does a renewed mind believe?”
NOT TO THINK OF HIMSELF MORE HIGHLY The first application of transformation is humility. Paul says not to think of ourselves more highly than we ought to think. That matters because pride affects how we respond to authority. A proud person says: No one can tell me what to do. My opinion is always right. My rights matter more than my responsibilities. My group is always innocent. My enemies are always wrong. But a transformed Christian begins with humility. Before I judge government, I examine myself. Before I accuse others of pride, I ask whether pride is in me. Humility is the foundation for handling difficult issues biblically.
MEMBERS OF THE BODY OF CHRIST Next, Paul talks about the body of Christ. We are many members, but one body. This means Christians are not isolated individuals. We belong to Christ, and we belong to one another. Political issues can divide the church, but the gospel must hold us together. Some believers may think differently about history, government, revolution, or national celebration. But we must remember: We are brothers and sisters before we are political citizens. The church is not built on a flag. The church is built on Christ.
OUTDO ONE ANOTHER IN SHOWING HONOR Paul says: “Outdo one another in showing honor.” That is a powerful phrase. The world says: Outdo one another in winning. Outdo one another in arguing. Outdo one another in proving your point. Outdo one another in being right. But Scripture says: Outdo one another in showing honor. That means even when we discuss difficult topics, we should speak with honor. We honor fellow believers. We honor those who disagree. We honor those in authority. We honor people made in the image of God. This does not mean we ignore truth. It means truth must be spoken with a transformed heart.
BLESS THOSE WHO PERSECUTE YOU Now the tension increases. Paul says: “Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them.” That is not natural. When people mistreat us, we want to curse them. When people oppress us, we want to fight back. When people abuse authority, we want revenge. But Romans 12 says: Bless. Do not curse. Do not repay evil for evil. Do not avenge yourselves. Overcome evil with good. This must shape how Christians think about revolution. If resistance ever becomes necessary, it cannot come from hatred, revenge, or pride. The Christian is never free to act from vengeance.
LIVE PEACEABLY WITH ALL - Now we come to the key bridge verse. Romans 12:18 says: “If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.” This verse is very important. Notice the phrase: “If possible.” That tells us peace is always the Christian desire. Christians should not be quick to fight. Christians should not be quick to rebel. Christians should not be quick to divide. Christians should not be quick to escalate conflict. Then Paul says: “So far as it depends on you.” That means I am responsible for my part. I cannot control every government. I cannot control every ruler. I cannot control every injustice. I cannot control every situation. But I am responsible for my heart, my actions, my words, my conscience, and my obedience before God. So Romans 12:18 teaches us: Pursue peace as far as you possibly can. That becomes the bridge into Romans 13.
LET EVERY PERSON BE SUBJECT TO GOVERNING AUTHORITIES Now Paul says: “Let every person be subject to the governing authorities.” This is a universal command. Not just some people. Not just when government is fair. Not just when we like the leader. Not just when taxes are low. Not just when the ruler is godly. Paul says every person. That means submission is the normal Christian posture toward government. Christians should not be known as lawless people. We should not be quick to resist authority. We should be people of order, honor, responsibility, and conscience.
NO AUTHORITY EXCEPT FROM GOD - Here Paul gives the reason: “For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.” This does not mean every ruler is righteous. It does not mean every law is good. It does not mean every government pleases God. It means authority itself exists under God’s sovereignty. Government is not ultimate. God is ultimate. But God has ordained civil authority for order in a fallen world. So when we submit to proper authority, we are recognizing God’s order.
THEREFORE WHOEVER RESISTS AUTHORITIES RESISTS WHAT GOD HAS APPOINTED This is the hard verse. Paul says that resisting authority can mean resisting what God has appointed. That is why Christians must be very careful before talking about rebellion or revolution. Romans 13 does not treat resistance lightly. If every disagreement became an excuse for rebellion, then Romans 13 would mean nothing. So we need to say this clearly: Submission is the rule. Resistance, if ever justified, is the exception. And that exception must be handled with fear of God, prayer, humility, and a clear conscience.
GOVERNMENT AS GOD’S SERVANT Paul says rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. He says government is God’s servant for good. That means government has a God-given purpose. Government should restrain evil. Government should punish wrongdoing. Government should protect justice. Government should preserve order. Government should serve the common good. This is important. Romans 13 does not say government is God. It says government is God’s servant. A servant is accountable to the Master. So government has authority, but not unlimited authority. Government is under God.
PAY TAXES, RESPECT, AND HONOR - Paul gets very practical. Pay taxes. Pay revenue. Give respect. Give honor. This is not easy because taxes were also an issue in the first century. Rome taxed people heavily. Yet Paul still says to pay what is owed. That means Christian submission is not merely emotional. It becomes practical. We obey laws. We pay taxes. We show respect. We honor authority. Not because government is perfect, but because God is sovereign. PAY TAXES
WHAT WAS THE GOVERNMENT LIKE IN THE FIRST CENTURY? This is important. Paul was not writing under a Christian government. He was writing under the Roman Empire. Rome had emperors. Rome had idolatry. Rome had slavery. Rome had military power. Rome had corruption. Rome had heavy taxation. Rome was often unjust. And yet Paul still wrote: “Let every person be subject to the governing authorities.” So Romans 13 cannot mean: Submit only when the government is perfect. No government is perfect. If imperfect government cancels submission, then no one would ever have to submit. So again, we must say: Submission is the normal Christian posture.
SO WHAT HAPPENED? Now we come to the historical question. If Romans 13 teaches submission, what happened with the American Revolution? The colonists did not begin by declaring independence. For a long time, they considered themselves British subjects. They tried to cooperate. They tried to participate. They tried to be loyal. But over time, frustration grew. They believed the British government was violating their rights and abusing authority. That led to the question: Was peace still possible?
COLONISTS BECAME FRUSTRATED Some of the grievances included: Heavy-handed taxation. Suppression and restrictions. The Sugar Act of 1764. The Stamp Act of 1765. The Quartering Act of 1765. The Tea Act of 1773. Writs of Assistance. The closing of Boston Harbor. Lack of representation. A growing American identity. These things did not happen all at once. Frustration grew over time. The colonists increasingly believed that the government was not listening, not protecting their rights, and not treating them as represented citizens.
THOMAS PAINE — COMMON SENS Thomas Paine’s Common Sense gave voice to the growing desire for independence. It argued that monarchy was corrupt and that the colonies should separate from Britain. Now we must be careful. Just because a historical argument is powerful does not mean it is automatically biblical. So we do not move from Thomas Paine directly to theology. We move from Scripture to history. The question remains: Did the colonists have biblical grounds to resist?
THEY TRIED TO COOPERATE, PARTICIPATE, AND BE LOYAL This is important to pro revolution argument. The claim is not that the colonists immediately rebelled. The claim is that they first tried to remain loyal. They tried to cooperate. They tried to participate. They tried to seek remedies. They tried to remain connected to Britain. But eventually they concluded that peace was no longer possible. That is where Romans 12:18 becomes important: “If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.” The argument is that they pursued peace until they believed peace was no longer possible.
THE BIBLICAL QUESTION - So here is the biblical question: When, if ever, does submission to government reach a limit? Some Christians answer: Only when government commands us to sin. For example, Acts 5:29 says: “We must obey God rather than men.” Other Christians answer: When government becomes persistently tyrannical, abandons justice, and peaceful remedies have been exhausted, resistance may become justified. Christians have disagreed about this. So we should be humble. Romans 13 clearly teaches submission. Romans 12 clearly teaches peace. Acts 5 clearly teaches that God is the highest authority. The hard part is knowing how these principles apply in extreme situations.
SUBMISSION IS THE RULE; RESISTANCE IS THE EXCEPTION Christians should not be quick to resist authority. We should not treat inconvenience as persecution. We should not treat disagreement as tyranny. We should not treat taxes we dislike as automatic oppression. We should not treat political frustration as biblical justification for rebellion. If resistance is ever justified, it must be rare, serious, prayerful, humble, and rooted in obedience to God — not anger or revenge.
PRAYER BEFORE POLITICS This brings us back to the title: Priority for Prayer. How should Christians respond to government? First, pray. Pray for leaders. Pray for wisdom. Pray for justice. Pray for peace. Pray for courage. Pray for conscience. Pray for the gospel to advance. Prayer reminds us that God is sovereign. Prayer protects us from worldly anger. Prayer helps us submit where we should submit. Prayer gives us courage to obey God when obedience is costly.
PEACE BEFORE CONFLICT Romans 12:18 must shape us. “If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.” Christians should be peace-seeking people. That applies to government. But it also applies to family. It applies to church. It applies to work. It applies to disagreements. It applies to politics. It applies to social media. It applies to conflict with unbelievers. Before I ask whether I can fight, I should ask whether I have pursued peace.
CHRIST ABOVE COUNTRY Christians can thank God for America. We can thank God for freedom. We can thank God for religious liberty. We can thank God for the ability to worship openly. We can thank God for those who sacrificed for freedom. But America is not the kingdom of God. The flag is not the cross. The Constitution is not Scripture. Freedom is a blessing, but freedom is not our Savior. Christ is Lord. Our highest allegiance belongs to Jesus Christ. So we can be thankful citizens without becoming idolatrous citizens.
APPLICATION QUESTIONS: Am I more shaped by Scripture or by political culture? Do I pray for leaders more than I complain about them? Do I pursue peace as far as it depends on me? Do I show honor even when I disagree? Do I confuse patriotism with discipleship? Do I treat my political side as always righteous and the other side as always evil? Am I willing to submit when Scripture commands submission? Am I willing to obey God when obedience to government would require disobedience to God?
BIG IDEA Romans 13 teaches that submission to governing authorities is the normal Christian posture. Romans 12 teaches that Christians must be humble, transformed, loving, honoring, non-retaliatory, and peace-seeking people. Therefore, rebellion is never the first Christian response. The Christian first prays. The Christian first seeks peace. The Christian first honors. The Christian first obeys God. The Christian first examines his own heart. If resistance is ever justified, it must only come after peace has been pursued as far as possible and after conscience has been brought under the authority of God’s Word.
CLOSING SUMMARY - So how should we think about the American Revolution? We should think about it carefully. Some Christians believe it was justified as a last resort after peaceful remedies were exhausted. Other Christians believe Romans 13 allows civil disobedience only when government commands sin, but not revolution. We should be honest that faithful Christians have disagreed. But here is what we must not disagree about: God is sovereign. Christ is Lord. Government is under God. Submission is the normal Christian posture. Prayer must come before political reaction. Peace must be pursued as far as it depends on us. Our final hope is not in any earthly nation, but in the kingdom of God.
So as we have celebrated Independence Day, let us not be conformed to this world.
Let us be transformed by the renewing of our minds.
Let us be thankful, but not idolatrous.
Let us be patriotic, but Christ-centered.
Let us be citizens of this nation, but even more, citizens of heaven.