Posted on 01/23/2009 3:19:35 AM PST by tenger
Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is not authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Romans 13:1
This is a verse that has endured a variety of interpretations over the years, especially regarding the first half of the verse. Some have taken the extreme view that no matter what they do we should obey those who are over us (even if it violates our moral conscience). On its face, it would seem extreme but it's probably the normal interpretation of it. It's the view that until recently I held.
Nowhere in Scripture does it say it is morally right to violate what we know to be true. As a mild example, if a policeman tells you that it is okay just this one time to speed through the city, it doesn't make it right (try telling it to the judge). He was in authority and he said it was okay, but everything you knew about the speed limit laws told you that it was wrong.
I believe that there will be a time in the not too distant future (and I dearly hope I’m wrong) when those in authority will ask us to violate what we know to be right and true. We need to think about how we'll react in advance. Does the act violate Scripture? Does it violate our conscience? It may affect our jobs and our livelihood.
On the other hand, God is in complete control. Nothing, nothing, nothing that man does takes God by surprise. The Scripture continues by saying that the authorities are in place to do you good. Does it always work like that? No, but it's still a good model of how authority is supposed to work.
Pray for those in authority by name.
Good post and a passage I wrestle with often...drawing than line over which once they cross it, I will no longer obey. As a Christian.
Back in the late 80’s early 90’s when I was a SERE Instructor for the Navy, as a dilemma for the students, I would use that very passage from scripture to, well basically screw with the students heads and provide an avenue that gave a (although warped) perspective on being accountable to a government power that seemingly is in power under Gods authority
That’s a load of demonstrable nonsense. Are authorities infallable? Certainly not. They are people like anyone of us. Is a democratic process through ‘the will of the people’ infallable? Certainly not, but it may produce the government the majority deserve. Your posit is downright dangerous! Remember: Befehl ist Befehl!
Over in 1st or 2nd Peter (I can’t remember which), Peter writes that we, as Christians, or to obey the law, that is until it conflicts with God’s Law. (paraphrasing of course)
2 Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation.
3 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:
4 For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil.
The following three verses, and specifically verse 4, give the reason why we're supposed to submit to the higher powers.
And what of the higher powers/ruler if they/he/she does "that which is evil"? Do they/he/she have someone over him? Of course they/he/she do.
For example...Daniel 4:33 The same hour was the thing fulfilled upon Nebuchadnezzar: and he was driven from men, and did eat grass as oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, till his hairs were grown like eagles' feathers, and his nails like birds' claws.
And what of them that call evil good? (Isaiah 5:20-24) They haven't the wisdom to govern, yet do.
We're not to blindly follow every dictate from on high. If that were so anyone who, for instance, opposed abortion would be in discord with God. I simply cannot believe that supporting abortion is godly.
Fear God, not man. A Christian serves God, not government. Governments (higher powers/rulers) are to be servants/instruments of God as well as man and are subject to His authority.
The "you must do everything authority tells you" crowd, IMO, twists things.
“As a mild example, if a policeman tells you that it is okay just this one time to speed through the city, it doesn’t make it right (try telling it to the judge). He was in authority and he said it was okay, but everything you knew about the speed limit laws told you that it was wrong.”
The state’s child protective services brings police officers to someone’s front door and insists on inspecting their home and examining their children because the neighbor learned that the parents practice corrective discipline as per the Bible book of Proverbs.
If we’re going to discuss real issues, let us also use real-life examples and illustrations. The illustration I gave is like things that really happen. This kind of thing is in courts all over the country.
Police are not telling people that it is okay to violate speed limits.
Now the question is, do the Christian home schooling parents just swing the door open because of Romans 13?
The answer is “No” by the way.
Romans 13:1 is not an isolated statement — it is part of a context running all the way through verse 7.
Verse 3 - “rulers are not a terror to good works.”
This word good is used by a Bible writer. “Good” can only be defined therefore according to the Bible’s definition of “good.”
Rulers are a terror to “evil.” What do the Scriptures reveal is “evil.”
If you do “good,” the “higher powers” have the Biblical responsibility to PRAISE you (v. 3).
The context of Romans 13 is not only instruction for the Christian, but reveals the standard on which God will hold the “higher powers” accountable as well.
I did not say that the “higher powers” today are actually going to praise us. They will not in our day. What good citizens might have been praised for from 1750 to 1940, they have been criticized and condemned for since 1975.
Well, I’m not going to go on with a lesson on Romans 13 — I just needed to say that . . .
“A text without a context is a pretext.”
And we have plenty of real examples in this country of where citizens have, for conscience sake, disobeyed “higher powers.” There are poeple who have been jailed and have had to fight and spend all their savings to fight to get their children back.
I am certainly happy that Romans 13 was not used to insist on obedience to King George and prevent the movement for indepepndence in the 1770s.
God created the world and from that creation authority arises according to the wills of men and the laws of physics. Otherwise, the authorities that exist in an unwelcome and unjust fashion, do so because they're backed by an army of sufficient coercive force. The only act of submission any usurper of free will deserves, from those he endeavors to coerce is energetic defiance sufficient to end the thug's evil ways.
Take Stalin, for example. The idea that God put him in power is ridiculous and all he deserved was a crushed skull, not obedient submission.
If that is his effort then I will pray that he fails as well.
I'll also pray that that isn't where his efforts are directed.
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