Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is
no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist
have been established by God. Consequently, whoever
rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and
those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. (Romans 13:1-2)
Trigger alert! Some people, who would never be called “snowflakes” are likely to find today’s passage and commentary offensive. Those who swear by the Second Amendment and dream of the day when they get to go out in a blaze of glory as government troops push their way across their front laws aren’t going to like it. Those who claim to oppose such “fascists,” but who dream of the glory of being part of “The Resistance” in much the same terms, won’t like it, either. I’m not exactly thrilled, myself, but Romans 13:1-2 is as much a part of Scripture as John 3:16.
The problem, of course, is that Paul is talking about submission. Just as women don’t like to be told that we’re supposed to submit to our husbands, citizens don’t like to be told that we’re to submit to our governments. Americans are especially bad about that. Didn’t we tell the British government to leave us alone. Our very existence is one of independence. “When in the course of human events…” and all that. It’s our tradition. My ancestors were involved.
Should I be ashamed of their disobedience to Scripture? Were we wrong? I don’t know. I know that Scripture says we’re to submit to our government, but I believe there are times when revolution does become justified. There are more when it is not. At the same time, there has to be a way to respond to a government that has stepped across the line. How do we submissively stand against evil?
The first key is to remember that our battle is not against flesh and blood. It is a battle of ideas. Victory is not in killing those who disagree with you, but in persuading them to see things as you do. This is why I am opposed to the use of the government to force the citizenry to give up guns, or provide a service they find offensive, or even to serve someone they hate. Victory does not lie in oppression of others, even for their own good.
A second key is what I’ll call submissive resistance. In general, one is to submit, but as Peter said in Acts 5:29, we must obey God rather than man when the two are not the same, but as far as we are able, we should obey God by obeying man. The civil disobedience should be the exception to the rule, and in disobeying man, we should not only acknowledge their authority, stand firm in our resistance, and try to convince others, but we should also expect and accept punishment for our resistance without giving up our resistance. If the law requires that we bow to an idol, we must not bow, but we can respect to our Nebuchadnezzar and look to God to save us from the fiery furnace. If the law requires that we not pray, we must pray, and face the lion’s den.
Trigger alert! Some people, who would never be called “snowflakes” are likely to find today’s passage and commentary offensive. Those who swear by the Second Amendment and dream of the day when they get to go out in a blaze of glory as government troops push their way across their front laws aren’t going to like it. Those who claim to oppose such “fascists,” but who dream of the glory of being part of “The Resistance” in much the same terms, won’t like it, either. I’m not exactly thrilled, myself, but Romans 13:1-2 is as much a part of Scripture as John 3:16.
The problem, of course, is that Paul is talking about submission. Just as women don’t like to be told that we’re supposed to submit to our husbands, citizens don’t like to be told that we’re to submit to our governments. Americans are especially bad about that. Didn’t we tell the British government to leave us alone. Our very existence is one of independence. “When in the course of human events…” and all that. It’s our tradition. My ancestors were involved.
Should I be ashamed of their disobedience to Scripture? Were we wrong? I don’t know. I know that Scripture says we’re to submit to our government, but I believe there are times when revolution does become justified. There are more when it is not. At the same time, there has to be a way to respond to a government that has stepped across the line. How do we submissively stand against evil?
The first key is to remember that our battle is not against flesh and blood. It is a battle of ideas. Victory is not in killing those who disagree with you, but in persuading them to see things as you do. This is why I am opposed to the use of the government to force the citizenry to give up guns, or provide a service they find offensive, or even to serve someone they hate. Victory does not lie in oppression of others, even for their own good.
A second key is what I’ll call submissive resistance. In general, one is to submit, but as Peter said in Acts 5:29, we must obey God rather than man when the two are not the same, but as far as we are able, we should obey God by obeying man. The civil disobedience should be the exception to the rule, and in disobeying man, we should not only acknowledge their authority, stand firm in our resistance, and try to convince others, but we should also expect and accept punishment for our resistance without giving up our resistance. If the law requires that we bow to an idol, we must not bow, but we can respect to our Nebuchadnezzar and look to God to save us from the fiery furnace. If the law requires that we not pray, we must pray, and face the lion’s den.
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