Light + Truth When Love Confronts the Earthly Powers
10 snips
Feb 4, 2026 
John Piper, Reformed pastor known for expositional preaching and founding Desiring God, preaches on Romans 13. He wrestles with submission to authorities and the role of government. He explores tension between suffering and order, when civil disobedience is warranted, and what a righteous protest looks like. He urges tears, mercy, and cross-shaped love rather than anger.
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Episode notes
Government As A Divine Gift
- Government is a God-given restraint against human evil after the Fall.
- John Piper urges gratitude for civil order and the many systems that keep society functioning.
Nuevo Laredo: Anarchy Illustrates Danger
- Piper recounts Nuevo Laredo's collapse into anarchy where police were overrun and citizens felt defenseless.
- He uses this example to show how lack of authority produces fear and invites dictatorship.
Reading Romans 13 In Context
- Paul's statement that rulers punish bad and not good must be read with nuance and context.
- Piper argues Paul writes both to churches and to Caesar, balancing pastoral honesty and prophetic restraint.
