Why does God give us government according to Romans 13?
God provides government for our protection and to help us pursue a life of happiness. Rulers are not a terror to good works but are meant to be a terror to evil and criminal elements. Because government needs tax money to operate, Scripture says we pay tribute or taxes.
Les explains in Romans 13 that verse 3 gives the reason we have government: it exists so that we can pursue joy, happiness, and so on. Rulers are not a terror to good works; they are supposed to be a terror to the evil element and the criminal element. That is what government is for. Les connects this to verse 6: since government is given by God for our protection and to help us pursue our life of happiness, it requires tax money to operate. Therefore we pay tribute, which is taxes, because government officials are God's ministers, even the ungodly, attending continually upon this very thing.
For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same: