Romans 13 Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. 2 Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves. 3 For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same. 4 For he is God’s minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God’s minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil. 5 Therefore you must be subject, not only because of wrath but also for conscience’ sake. 6 For because of this you also pay taxes, for they are God’s ministers attending continually to this very thing. 7 Render therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor.8 Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law. 9 For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not bear false witness,” “You shall not covet,” and if there is any other commandment, are all summed up in this saying, namely, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 10 Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.11 And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. 12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. 13 Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. 14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.
Have you ever really read this and asked the Lord what it means? This chapter, along tieh Tits 3:1, has been used by every church and every despot and every dictator and every bully to force people into submission even when they know submission isn't right. Let's have a look at it from the Spirit of Truth's perspective now.
This was a letter from Paul to the church in Rome. It is the same Rome Paul had his first employment in persecuting Christians to death. Christians were not safe in rome, and I presume anyone carrying a letter for Christians was also unsafe. The letter had to be carefully worded. Our Paul was clever and fierce, and he expected the people receiving his communications to be clever and fierce with the same Spirit he had. He expected them to know right from wrong. For instance, verse 3 says, "For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same."
Was this true for Jesus?
That would be a resounding, no, it was definitely NOT true for Jesus. It also wasn't true for any of the 11 of Jesus' disciples who were executed. But how can something the Bible says be untrue? If you love the Lord and have received the Spirit of Truth, then you know it can't. The Bible is true in every word. So how can something that is a patent lie with regards to Jesus' life, be true?
One choice is that the "rulers" this verse speaks of are not the government of the day. It also can't be refering to the government of our day, as that would also make it a lie. What rulers then? Verse 1 says, "Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God." Check out that part where it says, "there is no authority except from God." There is your first clue. The next clue is way back when Jesus said in Matt 12:25, "Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand." Would God appoint rulers who would subsequently throw Him under the bus, cast out His Word and execute His people for their faith? Somehow a kingdom divided cannot stand, but somehow anyway God appoints rulers that are against Him? I don't think so.
Verses 2-4 of Romans 13 actually is describing what it looks like when God appoints a ruler. That these verses do not describe the world rulers of the day, or any world ruler since then, makes it pretty obvious that God did not appoint those world rulers. Verse 6 says that because God did not appoint these rulers, but we appointed them ourselves, "this is why you pay taxes." But we are instructed to pay our taxes IF we owe them. (Since when are taxes and IF?!)" Sure, pay those things, hand over the debt notes, it doesn't matter, give them more than they ask for even. Money is counted by the Lord as worth very little, so why would you hold it back from someone who wants it? Paul goes on to remind the believers that they should see to it that they don't owe anything to anyone but love, and he reminds them of the commandments and tells them to do no harm.
What he is saying is, "I know this illegitimate government is corrupt and anti-God and is repressing and persecuting you, but don't worry about it because God has it under control. Fear God and keep His commandments, no matter what is going on around you. And don't worry about trying to save or rebel against worldly governments. Do not harm your neighbor. Stay sober and do what Jesus would do." When in His life did Jesus ever try to heal or save or change the worldly governments?
But this chapter is also expressing the legitimate ruler whom God did appoint. The last one He appointed was Jesus. Isaiah 9:6 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Jesus is the only legitimate government. Romans 13 points to Him a few times:
the authorities that exist are appointed by God (government on his shoulders, Isaiah 9:6)
he does not bear the sword in vain (Jesus is the sword bearer, Matt 10:34)
he who loves another has fulfilled the law & therefore love is the fulfillment of the law (Jesus fulfilled the law, Matt 5:17)
for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed (Jesus is our salvation, 1 Thess 5:9)
And finally he just says it, "But put on the Lord Jesus Christ."
Anyone capturing the courier bearing this letter might have read that and understood only that it encourages all Christians to submit to the rulers of the area. Without the Spirit of Truth, scripture cannot be discerned. Paul expected lovers of Jesus to have that Spirit and to know what He meant. He was telling them there is no authority over them but Jesus, period, but that they ought not to stage any kind of rebellion because that is not a Christian's priority.
Hey, don't take my word for it. Ask the Spirit to show you the truth. Do that, and then tell me how Titus 2:15 can tell you to take and use all authority, but Titus 3:1 can tell you to be subject to principalities and powers. What does it mean? only the Spirit can discern it for you.
Have you ever really read this and asked the Lord what it means? This chapter, along tieh Tits 3:1, has been used by every church and every despot and every dictator and every bully to force people into submission even when they know submission isn't right. Let's have a look at it from the Spirit of Truth's perspective now.
This was a letter from Paul to the church in Rome. It is the same Rome Paul had his first employment in persecuting Christians to death. Christians were not safe in rome, and I presume anyone carrying a letter for Christians was also unsafe. The letter had to be carefully worded. Our Paul was clever and fierce, and he expected the people receiving his communications to be clever and fierce with the same Spirit he had. He expected them to know right from wrong. For instance, verse 3 says, "For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same."
Was this true for Jesus?
That would be a resounding, no, it was definitely NOT true for Jesus. It also wasn't true for any of the 11 of Jesus' disciples who were executed. But how can something the Bible says be untrue? If you love the Lord and have received the Spirit of Truth, then you know it can't. The Bible is true in every word. So how can something that is a patent lie with regards to Jesus' life, be true?
One choice is that the "rulers" this verse speaks of are not the government of the day. It also can't be refering to the government of our day, as that would also make it a lie. What rulers then? Verse 1 says, "Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God." Check out that part where it says, "there is no authority except from God." There is your first clue. The next clue is way back when Jesus said in Matt 12:25, "Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand." Would God appoint rulers who would subsequently throw Him under the bus, cast out His Word and execute His people for their faith? Somehow a kingdom divided cannot stand, but somehow anyway God appoints rulers that are against Him? I don't think so.
Verses 2-4 of Romans 13 actually is describing what it looks like when God appoints a ruler. That these verses do not describe the world rulers of the day, or any world ruler since then, makes it pretty obvious that God did not appoint those world rulers. Verse 6 says that because God did not appoint these rulers, but we appointed them ourselves, "this is why you pay taxes." But we are instructed to pay our taxes IF we owe them. (Since when are taxes and IF?!)" Sure, pay those things, hand over the debt notes, it doesn't matter, give them more than they ask for even. Money is counted by the Lord as worth very little, so why would you hold it back from someone who wants it? Paul goes on to remind the believers that they should see to it that they don't owe anything to anyone but love, and he reminds them of the commandments and tells them to do no harm.
What he is saying is, "I know this illegitimate government is corrupt and anti-God and is repressing and persecuting you, but don't worry about it because God has it under control. Fear God and keep His commandments, no matter what is going on around you. And don't worry about trying to save or rebel against worldly governments. Do not harm your neighbor. Stay sober and do what Jesus would do." When in His life did Jesus ever try to heal or save or change the worldly governments?
But this chapter is also expressing the legitimate ruler whom God did appoint. The last one He appointed was Jesus. Isaiah 9:6 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Jesus is the only legitimate government. Romans 13 points to Him a few times:
the authorities that exist are appointed by God (government on his shoulders, Isaiah 9:6)
he does not bear the sword in vain (Jesus is the sword bearer, Matt 10:34)
he who loves another has fulfilled the law & therefore love is the fulfillment of the law (Jesus fulfilled the law, Matt 5:17)
for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed (Jesus is our salvation, 1 Thess 5:9)
And finally he just says it, "But put on the Lord Jesus Christ."
Anyone capturing the courier bearing this letter might have read that and understood only that it encourages all Christians to submit to the rulers of the area. Without the Spirit of Truth, scripture cannot be discerned. Paul expected lovers of Jesus to have that Spirit and to know what He meant. He was telling them there is no authority over them but Jesus, period, but that they ought not to stage any kind of rebellion because that is not a Christian's priority.
Hey, don't take my word for it. Ask the Spirit to show you the truth. Do that, and then tell me how Titus 2:15 can tell you to take and use all authority, but Titus 3:1 can tell you to be subject to principalities and powers. What does it mean? only the Spirit can discern it for you.
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