I’m always amazed at how people cannot see that Romans 13:3-4 place huge constraints on government. They constantly make the mistake of thinking that good and evil are defined by men. If you believe that, you’re not a Christian. Christians take their definition of good and evil from God alone. I want to post those two verses, though you should always read verses in context, so feel free to do that. And then, I will post a random guy’s comments about those verses where he misrepresents what it’s saying.

Romans 13:3-4: 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. 

Here’s what this guy said about these verses:
“Paul reinforces this point by asking, “Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval” (Romans 13:3). This does not mean law enforcement never errs, but it does establish its God-ordained function. Authority is meant to benefit those who obey the law and restrain those who do not” [emphasis mine].

Those verses say if you do good, you have nothing to worry about. It doesn’t say if you obey the law you have nothing to worry about. Verse 4 makes it even clearer. Wrongdoers are people who commit crimes according to God’s definition, and His wrath is on them. Government is His servant to carry out His wrath. Not the wrath of the state.

I thought it was interesting to see someone who seems to have almost subconsciously pervert God’s word. I think he was genuinely trying to interpret it correctly, but people just approach it with their own presuppositions and miss the point.