Posted on 01/19/2021 8:17:41 AM PST by SeekAndFind
“This morning my daily Bible verse app sent me Paul’s admonition from Romans, reminding me that I am required to submit to the government above me, because it exists from the will of God.”
Remember how Paul describes a legitimate government:
“For rulers are not a cause of fear for good behavior, but for evil. Do you want to have no fear of authority? Do what is good and you will have praise from the same; 4 for it is a minister of God to you for good. But if you do what is evil, be afraid; for it does not bear the sword for nothing; for it is a minister of God, an avenger who brings wrath on the one who practices evil.”
Arguably, Paul is saying a government that does not do those things is illegitimate in the eyes of God.
“Their requirements “may be” opposed to the Law of God, and then we are to obey God rather than man; Acts 4:19; Acts 5:29. But it is meant that the power is intrusted to them by God; and that he has the authority to remove them when he pleases. If they abuse their power, however, they do it at their peril; and “when” so abused, the obligation to obey them ceases. That this is the case, is apparent further from the nature of the “question” which would be likely to arise among the early Christians. It “could not be” and “never was” a question, whether they should obey a magistrate when he commanded a thing that was plainly contrary to the Law of God. But the question was, whether they should obey a pagan magistrate at “all.”.....” - Barnes Notes on the New Testament
They will tax churches right out of the gate. Hope the social justice Christians will see that a Sniffer vote was suicide, but not holding my breath.
What’s “The Church Of America”?
It is an illegitimate government and God will treat it as such. If they think its going to be business as usual they are in for a rude awakening.
Do not believe he screwed up. The direction applies until the “authorities” break God’s laws. We are WAY past that with this new “administration.”
That was nothing but Paul trying not to get in trouble with the Roman government. His effort in saying that was to stay out of hot water with the Roman emperor.
God didn’t place the Borgias in the Vatican, King George or Henry the VIII on the throne. He didn’t put Atahualpa in charge of the Incas. He didn’t entrust power to Hitler or Stalin.
Our Founders weren’t sinning at Lexington.
As Thomas Paine said if the king is there by divine right, why is there a need for a parliament? Why would there be a need for other men to reign in Gods trusted man on the throne?
One has to listen to Jesus. You can evaluate Paul like you can any other preacher. He had some very good moments, and pulled some boners. That was one. And Rome, the Byzantines and a string of monarchs used that verse to justify divine right to the world’s detriment. That bit of sophistry hasn’t stood the test of time.
Let’s assume, as I have since 2016 and Rabbi Cahn assumed about the same time, that Trump is/was today’s Jehu, a “vulgar man” chosen by God to rid (northern) Israel of Jezebel and the priests of Baal—in our case, the Clinton/Obama axis and the abortion-loving, homosexual-promoting, racism-baiting, Christ-hating deep state.
Now, imagine that, instead of Jehu slaying Jezebel and all the priests of Baal as described in the Bible, he decided to let Jezebel live, and thought he could overcome the priests of Baal with those who would support him and with the YHWH priests.
What would have happened? We know what would have happened: Jezebel would have spent her time attempting to destroy Jehu, the priests of Baal would violently take over the Israelite cities, and the YHWH priests, who liked being without authority but with perks, would have betrayed Jehu and joined with the Baal priests—and then every one of Jehu’s supporters would have been hunted down and forced to either sacrifice to Baal or be ruined.
That is what has happened to Trump. He couldn’t get rid of them all, so they got rid of him. Incidentally, the story doesn’t end well: even with Jehu’s success, within a few generations northern Israel was destroyed by Assyria, never to return.
Agree. God does not place our leaders over us, with the possible exception of George Washington. When anyone uses fealty to a temporal government as a test of Christian faith, you can be sure you are dealing with a fraud.
He screwed up. God doesn’t put our leaders into the seat of power anymore then he gets you out of car wrecks like in that idiotic song “Jesus take the wheel”.
The concept of freewill would be negated if he placed temporal leaders above us.
freewill means WE are the standard of value as individuals. We man band together with other freemen, and express OUR freewill to choose a leader.
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. That, to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. “
Governments are created by men with rights endowed by god. And the ONLY justification for a leader is the consent of the governed. Anything else is not of God. Most of humanity has never experienced this condition. Nobody under a monarch or any form of socialism has.
In any case, it’s a lead pipe cinch that supporting Biden and Kamala is unbiblical. And a good Christian should throw sand in the gears wherever we can.
When some says “I truly believe,’ I wonder why he says “truly.” I suspect he is trying to convince himself.
After reading this I am reminded of the 70 years following the Crucifixion of Jesus and the events which transpired during that time.
The Holy Spirit fell on those in the upper room on the day of Pentecost. And while the Disciples were tortured and ultimatly killed, the Lord Jesus appeared to a man named Saul as he traveled enroute to Damascus with an agenda to attack the newly formed Christian Church.
With that appearance, the Lord Jesus began His conversion of a man named Saul to a man named Paul. And with this conversion the Lord revealed His message to the Gentiles. This message was the message and Gospel of Grace to undeserving man through Faith in Jesus Christ.
During the early days of the church, while under great persecution from the religious proponents of the law, the church grew in both numbers and the understanding of Grace which was previously hidden through the ages and now revealed.
During this time and shortly following, man was given 27 epistles and letters we’ve come to know and accept as the New Testament, leading to the Salvation of untold millions.
While many retained their faith in religious leaders of the time, others received Salvation through GRACE.
70 years after the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ at the hands of religious zealots, came the attack by Rome leading to the destruction of Jerusalem. And with that the fleeing of the Jewish people around the globe.
Fast forward 2,000 years and we are now witnesses to the rebirth of the fig tree in 1948. The great outpouring of the Holy Spirit and growth in the church.
In these last days of the church age dispensation, we again see the persecution of the church at the hands of the religious zealots (believing they are performing a service to God)
But with persecution comes a renewed growth in the Stedfast Faith in Jesus Christ and the Grace He has given us through His shed Blood.
Time is short and both the Jews and the church will come under even greater persecution. This time led by the religious zealots of the one world church. But there is hope for the church. It is found in 1’st Thessalonians 4:13-18. And that Trump (as in the Trump of God) is about to sound.
Even so, come Lord Jesus.
The church has always grown under persecution.
_____________________________________________
Not always...the Japanese all but obliterated it in thier country for centuries under the Shogunate until the persecution ended during the Meiji Restoration.
When Islam spread throughout the Middle East, the growth of Christianity in those areas dropped considerably. Since 1900 to the present day, the number of Christians in the Middle East have literally been cut in half according to Pew Research.
It’s not just that Christianity can be slowed in growth. If that were the case, then it would still just be a matter of time until Christianity (and Christian Culture) became dominant, but to the contrary unless people band together and defend their Christian culture, history has demonstrated that it can effectively be wiped out (or greatly diminished).
Daniel 2:20-21 (NASB)
20 Daniel said, “Let the name of God be blessed forever and ever, For wisdom and power belong to Him.
21 “It is He who changes the times and the epochs; He removes kings and establishes kings; He gives wisdom to wise men And knowledge to men of understanding.
“You can evaluate Paul like you can any other preacher.”
Not if you are a Christian who believes scripture is divine revelation.
“God does not place our leaders over us, with the possible exception of George Washington.”
Disagree. At a bare minimum, God allows people to have power. Otherwise God is not in control.
“And on that day a great persecution began against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles.” - Acts 8
Persecution of Christians CAN be God’s will. God scattered the church and apostles so the church could grow. God never promises us a comfortable life. Quite the contrary:
“Blessed are you when people hate you,
when they exclude you and insult you
and reject your name as evil,
because of the Son of Man.” - Luke 6
Looks like it is about to be the turn of Christians in America.
If you aren’t yet, you soon will be.
2021 here we come..
The authority is the Constitution, the Decleration, and the Bill of Rights.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.