Earthly Authority

1 Pet 2:12-17
12 Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing in which they slander you as evildoers, they may on account of your good deeds, as they observe {them,} glorify God in the day of visitation.13 Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every human institution, whether to a king as the one in authority,14 or to governors as sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and the praise of those who do right.15 For such is the will of God that by doing right you may silence the ignorance of foolish men.16 {Act} as free men, and do not use your freedom as a covering for evil, but {use it} as bondslaves of God.17 Honor all men; love the brotherhood, fear God, honor the king.(NAS)

In order to have a good testimony for the Lord, we are to submit to earthly authorities. There is one and only one exception. That is when the government's authority defies God's authority. There are obviously other ways to show a good testimony, and the chapter goes on to explain others, but the focus in verses 13 and 14 is the government.

Even if we don't like those in authority, God still put them there, and we are told to submit to and pray for them (1 Tim. 2:1-2 & Rom 13:1). It can be difficult, but there are no rulers that God has not appointed, and we are commanded to honor them.