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Christians are fond of saying God is in control but they really don't believe it. MacArthur is making his point from a position that he truly believes God is in control. Thus rulers like Hitler or Stalin are raised up and we are sometimes forced to live under these regimes.

Ah..but rulers aren't the only players on God's stage. He works out his will by both the actions of the rulers and the ruled. The danger of MacArthur's teaching is that he turns the governed into the audience, and not players in the drama. I believe God want us to be on stage, obedient to rulers most of the time, but righteously defiant when we are called to be.

Ah..but rulers aren't the only players on God's stage. He works out his will by both the actions of the rulers and the ruled. ...I believe God want us to be on stage, obedient to rulers most of the time, but righteously defiant when we are called to be.

And exactly when are we "called" to be "righteously defiant"? What you are proposing is similar to the Korah rebellion. If you'll recall, Korah (in Numbers 16) thought he had the right to enter the Holy of Holies. After all he was a Levite and just as good as Moses and Aaron. He felt that his tribe should be allowed to do what Aaron's tribe was doing. He found out, to his regret, this was not the case. God had NOT appointed him to enter the Holy of Holies and Korah's rebellion was not seen as righteous defiant but blasphemy against God's appointment.

The problem in your reasoning is you're the one who's going to determine what is right and wrong. You get to choose when and over what to be "righteously defiant". This is not the attitude God wants us to have. He requires three things from His believers; love justice, do kindness, and walk humbly with Him. If He wants us to be the "ruled" then that is His will and sovereign right.