Daily Devotional
You Can’t Legislate Morality
“Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves.”
Romans 13:1-2
March 12, 2025
Ponder This
One reason God has given us human government is to restrain evil. Have you ever heard the phrase; “You can’t legislate morality”? That is absolutely true. You can’t legislate morality. There is not a law on earth that can make you moral. That’s the reason we must have laws that legislate against immorality. Law can’t make you good, only God can make you good. The government is not here to make you good.
There’s not a law on earth that can make you love me. So, I have to have one to keep you from killing me. There’s not a law on earth that can make you honest, so we have to have laws that keep you from stealing. There’s not a law on earth that can keep you from lying, so we have to have laws against perjury. Romans 7:7 says: “What shall we say then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! On the contrary, I would not have known sin except through the law. For I would not have known covetousness unless the law had said, ‘You shall not covet.’” The role of government and law has its place. We have all learned from it and are called to abide by it—not to get God’s favor but to glorify God in the way we live for Him.
- What are the ways you have seen the law to be helpful?
- How have you seen the truth that the law cannot make you good?
Practice This
Pray for God-honoring development and execution of laws in our country.
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