”Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also as a matter of conscience.“ – Romans 13:5 NIV

We should never live life based on the consequences alone. First and foremost, a fear of God should be at the base of all decisions we make. This is a reverence for God and a respect for him. We also should do all out of love for him. Our relationship with God ultimately guides the Christian to submit to authorities, and to do all things in life. He discerns all actions and does only those that God would approve of. This does not mean that consequence and punishment should not be a part of his thought process. Christians should be calculative as part of their discernment process. They should be able to choose choices knowing what consequences will happen and they should be able to accept those consequences.