Government: A Godly Institution?

My daily bible reading today brought me to Romans chapter 13:1-7 and is quoted as follows

Submission to the Authorities

1Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. 2Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. 3For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and he will commend you. 4For he is God's servant to do you good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword for nothing. He is God's servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. 5Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also because of conscience. 6This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God's servants, who give their full time to governing. 7Give everyone what you owe him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.

I believe the Bible to the infallible word of the Living God, it is our road map that shows us who God is and points us to Jesus. II Timothy 3:16-17 puts it this way,

All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness;
so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work. (NASB)

Having said that there is a resounding question running through my head. If we submit to the governing authorities does that mean that we are to mindlessly follow whatever we are told to do? How does this affect Christians fighting against things such as abortion, what about our freedom of speech and our freedom to worship.

What if the government passed a law that said we could no longer witness, would we? Of course the scripture tells us that we are to seek Gods kingdom first and we all answer to a higher authority than the government. To me however this is were many who choose to condemn all Christians make their point. For whatever reason we (Christians) have been given this tag to wear around our necks that say "Sheep" the world I think interprets this as we should never have anything to say about anything, we should just always turn the other cheek. I don't believe this is the way God intends us to be at all.

Enter A.D. 30 something, Jesus has just entered Jerusalem and he went in to the temple and threw out those selling and buying and turned over the tables of the money changers. I would imagine this was a common practice, but Jesus didn't just accept it he said in Matthew 21:13 My house will be called a house of prayer,'but you are making it a den of robbers.

Everything Jesus did or said had one purpose, and that was to show the Glory of God, and that should be our daily goal as well. In today's culture we are under allot of laws and constantly have judges making decisions that can and will affect each of us. I don't believe we have to jump off the deep end on every single issue that we as Christians don't agree with, that just fuels the critics arguments, but I do believe that ultimately we have to follow what God has called us to do and if that means bucking the system then lets buck the system!