--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The Bible says that governments can do…" description: "\"The Bible says that governments can do things that I'm not supposed to do as an individual. God has not put the law in my hands. He's put the law in th..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26b/rick-warren-230_bible_the-bible-says-that-governments-can-do-t_1208053.png" --- # The Bible says that governments can do things that I'm not… ![“The Bible says that governments can do things that I'm not supposed to do as an individual. God has not put the law in my hands. He's put the law in the government's hands.” quote by Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26b/rick-warren-230_bible_the-bible-says-that-governments-can-do-t_1208053.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26b/rick-warren-230_bible_the-bible-says-that-governments-can-do-t_1208053.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26b/rick-warren-230_bible_the-bible-says-that-governments-can-do-t_1208053.png) > “The Bible says that governments can do things that I'm not supposed to do as an individual. God has not put the law in my hands. He's put the law in the government's hands.” [Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Divine authority is placed in government, not individuals, suggesting obedience to civil law over personal interpretation. **In simple terms:** God gave laws to governments, not individuals. Key Takeaway Respect lawful authority. Themes religion government law authority Mood thoughtful reflective Type theological ethical When to use this quote - voting - public policy debates - church discussions Key Concepts theology political philosophy Questions to Reflect On - How do you reconcile civil law with personal faith? - When is civil disobedience justified? A Different Perspective May conflict with personal conscience. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bible/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Governments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/governments/) [Individual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/individual/) [Law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/law/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) ## Related quotes > [I can't put judgment on any individual, only God can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anita-bryant/i-can-t-put-judgment-on-any-individual-only-god-can/) [Anita Bryant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anita-bryant/) > [The feeling of a direct responsibility of the individual to God is almost wholly a creation of Protestantism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stuart-mill/the-feeling-of-a-direct-responsibility-of-the-individual-to-god-is/) [John Stuart Mill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stuart-mill/) > [“\*There is only one God\*. Whatever exists is \*ipso facto\* individual; to be one it needs no extra property and calling it one merely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-aquinas/there-is-only-one-god-whatever-exists-is-ipso-facto-individual-to-be/) [Thomas Aquinas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-aquinas/) > [“Yoga is to find union - between mind and body, between the individual and her God, between our thoughts and the source of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/yoga-is-to-find-union-between-mind-and-body-between-the-individual/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > [To love is to will the good of another. And one must love God before all else. 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Remember, the Lord forgave you, so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/the-bible-says-you-must-make-allowance-for-each-other-s-faults-and/) [Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/) ## More by Rick Warren > [Behind every successful child is an adult who believed in him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/behind-every-successful-child-is-an-adult-who-believed-in-him/) [Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/) > [Change always starts in your mind. The way you think determines the way you feel, and the way you feel influences the way you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/change-always-starts-in-your-mind-the-way-you-think-determines-the/) [Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/) > [If Jesus is king in heaven then the Kingdom of God is in heaven. 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But if you look at Christ, you’ll be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/if-you-look-at-the-world-you-ll-be-distressed-if-you-look-within-you/) [Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/) > [It is mind-boggling to me that the Almighty power created everything I see; the Bible says that God created the entire universe just so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/it-is-mind-boggling-to-me-that-the-almighty-power-created-everything/) [Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/) > [The role of the church and the government are fundamentally different. The church must always show compassion - always.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/the-role-of-the-church-and-the-government-are-fundamentally-different/) [Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/) > [We become whatever we are committed to](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/we-become-whatever-we-are-committed-to/) [Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/) > [“but it does mean God is able to redeem any and all situations and use them for his own good.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/but-it-does-mean-god-is-able-to-redeem-any-and-all-situations-and-use/) [Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/) > [Well actually I don't think it's a bunch of bad things that send us to hell. 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Peterson > [“The wife of a junior officer cooped up in a horrible canvas partition in steerage for five months wrote: "I had enjoyed much peace…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-taylor/the-wife-of-a-junior-officer-cooped-up-in-a-horrible-canvas-partition/) Stephen Taylor > [O Word of God incarnate . . . It is the golden casket Where gems of truth are stored; It is the heaven-drawn picture…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walsham-how/o-word-of-god-incarnate-it-is-the-golden-casket-where-gems-of-truth/) Walsham How > [How can I trust that the Bible is reliable?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-horton/how-can-i-trust-that-the-bible-is-reliable/) [Michael Horton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-horton/) > [Every plant which my heavenly father has not planted with be uprooted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesus-christ/every-plant-which-my-heavenly-father-has-not-planted-with-be-uprooted/) [Jesus Christ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesus-christ/) > [Where I come from you're not raised to think on your own. It's not that you're pushed to read the Bible. 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