“In short, police should not do anything that they would arrest someone else for doing. That simple.”
That simplistic. You DO realize that bad people do not always cooperate? That cops carry guns and billy clubs for a reason? Remember what Paul wrote to the Romans:
“Every Christian ought to obey the civil authorities, for all legitimate authority is derived from God’s authority, and the existing authority is appointed under God. To oppose authority then is to oppose God, and such opposition is bound to be punished.
The honest citizen has no need to fear the keepers of law and order, but the dishonest man will always be nervous of them. If you want to avoid this anxiety just lead a law-abiding life, and all that can come your way is a word of approval. The officer is God’s servant for your protection. But if you are leading a wicked life you have reason to be alarmed. The “power of the law” which is vested in every legitimate officer, is no empty phrase. He is, in fact, divinely appointed to inflict God’s punishment upon evil-doers.”
It is that simple.
If the police do something that they’d arrest you for doing (for instance) then they are criminals.
And I’m personally quite pleased that our Founding Fathers didn’t pay too much attention to the Apostle Paul or else we’d all be singing God Save The Queen as our national anthem.
That is his Divinely ordained purpose. However, if he stops doing that and acts contrary to that purpose, i.e., outside the scope of his legitimate authority, then he is not acting as God’s servant.
Cordially,
Nice clipping of Scripture out of context.
You do realize that the Lord said of Paul and the first century Christians, “Well done, My good and faithful servant.”
while the State said “You wicked and unfaithful servant, bow down to me and serve me or die.”
In other words, Paul and the Christians honored *God’s* commands above the State’s commands to the point that the State had them killed.
Were they in violation of Romans 13? According to your logic, they didn’t obey the state hard enough. The State would cheerfully point to Paul and say, “See? You didn’t obey me hard enough, and therefore, you opposed your own God” even though Paul knew that wasn’t accurate.