Romans 13 -1 Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. 2 Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. 3 For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, 4 for he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer. 5 Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God’s wrath but also for the sake of conscience.
Romans 13 addresses submission to government authorities, as well as instructive guidance on the purpose of law enforcement and those who serve us in governing bodies.
A believer involved in law enforcement is actually doing ministry, they are doing a good and godly thing. They are protecting and serving us on a multitude of different levels. They see and experience things that the average citizen would not be able to handle, some of which are life altering. They often suffer from the same symptoms of combat veterans, they often have family struggles because of occupational stress. They stand in the gap between law abiding citizens and lawbreaking citizens to keep the peace, all too often in an ever-increasing world of violence. Our law enforcement officers actually restrain evil, they are guardians of civility and societal order. We should be thankful for their protection and submit to their lawful directives. Paul reminds his young protégé Titus, “remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work” Titus 3:1
The law enforcement officer is dedicated, diligent, and vigilant, this is the kind of person that enforces the laws of the land and protects our communities with their lives. We should all be very thankful for people who have within their hearts, a strong desire to accomplish the tasks involved with law enforcement. Their dedication and willingness to serve no matter what should cause all of us to esteem them very highly. We as a family rejoice and are so very proud to have one of our sons serve as a Deputy Sheriff. Let’s pray for our law enforcement officers and their families on a regular basis and always show them the utmost respect, because, as verse four exhorts, “for he is God’s servant for your good.”