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To: Eagle Eye
Wrong. This passage has nothing to do with secular government but with church government. To believe otherwise ignores the context of the chapter and requires one to believe that God endorsed Hitler, Stalin, etc. as His ministers.

No, Romans 13:1-10 is about Civil Government, and it certainly does not endorse Hitler or Stalin. Why? Because the Government is a minister for the punishment of Evil and the respect of Good. What is "Evil"? Murder, Adultery, Theft, Fraud, Coercion. The Civil Government is to punish these things.

A Government which does not punish Evil and respect Good, is not a Romans 13 "Good Government" and therefore does not enjoy the Romans 13 authority Paul recognizes for "Good Governments".

42 posted on 07/04/2002 1:35:44 PM PDT by OrthodoxPresbyterian
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To: OrthodoxPresbyterian
"For there is no power but of God; the powers that be are ordained of God."

This doesn't give any indication that good powers are of God, but bad powers aren't. All powers, good or bad.

Again, look at the context. You seem to know womething about the Bible, so tell me where the verse and chapter divisions are in the 'originals'. Going from chapters 10 through 15 the context is NOT about secular or civil systems, but those of believers, iow, the church.

To say that all powers, including Hitler and Stalin, are of God is absurd. To say that all ministers (governing authorities in the Body) are of God makes perfect sense.

45 posted on 07/04/2002 1:52:30 PM PDT by Eagle Eye
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