An Examination of Romans 13

daniel in the lions den 2 - by sama by samasmsma on DeviantArt

This short article is written to give three convincing proofs that Romans 13 does not teach that we are to give unlimited obedience to the State as some Christian men teach.

  1. Nowhere does Romans 13 state that we are to give unlimited obedience to the civil government, rather men impose such thoughts upon the text.
  2. Proper hermeneutics forbids such a conclusion – that we are to have unlimited obedience to the civil government – because there are many passages of Scripture where the people of God disobey the State, and are commended by God for doing it.
  3. Romans 13 contains limitation clauses that make it clear the civil government’s authority is not unlimited, nor therefore, is our obedience to the civil government to be unlimited.

The First Convincing Proof


First, nowhere does the Bible say that we are to have unlimited obedience to the civil government – nowhere. Yet, this divine right of kings – that whatever those in civil authority decree is to be obeyed – has been what various Christian men have asserted over the centuries. They base this idea on Romans 13:1-5. But where does Romans 13 teach unlimited obedience to the State? They impose that idea upon the text.

The text itself reads:

More…

    
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a follower
a follower
3 years ago

Romans 13:12
The lailah is far advanced, the yom has come near. So let us put off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of Light. Let us walk becomingly, as in the yom (day,)
not in wild parties and drunkeness, not in fighting and envy,
but put on the Master Yahuah Mashiak, and make no provisions for the lust of the flesh.
So how are we doing? we as a Nation? we as individuals under YAH?
Have we put on the Master Mashiak? Truly? Have we returned?
Or are we all very much still consumed by matters of the flesh and what we want?

Last edited 3 years ago by a follower
a follower
a follower
3 years ago

The picture you provided, Danial in the Den with the Lions, why was He there?
Was he praying in His prayer closet as directed by God, or was he making a show out in the streets or in the synagogs with many words ?
Why did he not gather a well armed army to overcome Ceaser? (so to speak) was he a pascifist, or had he donned the full armour of the One and only Mster and Creator?
i believe we have many things to consider through these days and these times. Such as,
What time in fact is it? Is it time to MAGA?
Or is it time for a humbling such as that has never happened before? The very one that we have been warned of for years yet we have chosen to ignore.

a follower
a follower
3 years ago

“This short article is written to give three convincing proofs that Romans 13 does not teach that we are to give unlimited obedience to the State as some Christian men teach.”
What is a “Christian man?”
Many people seem to be saying His name and coming in His name, but what is a “Christian man?
For me the thought is, Like Christ we are to follow Him , imitate Him, in the real sense, not a false charade or simply lip service. Following Him to the best of our abilities , His ways, His recommendations of mannerism speech, caring, mercy, etc. praying for His gift of the Holy Spirit in all things. And yes i come up short, but i see it, and am reminded of this often.
To follow Him, we need to be students of His, we need to become as children to learn and follow Him. Not childish, childish is from His opposite! 
Discipleship is not pacifism as the world sees it!
We Love Him, and each other. Have you noticed how so many are now inserting Love country right before each other? Was this how it was written? 
Without Him and each other there are no blessings, there is no country!

Jesus Our Advocate
1My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you will not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate before the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. 2He Himself is the atoning sacrificea for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.
3By this we can be sure that we have come to know Him: if we keep His commandments. 4If anyone says, “I know Him,” but does not keep His commandments, he is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5But if anyone keeps His word, the love of God has been truly perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him: 6Whoever claims to abide in Him must walk as Jesus walked.
A New Commandment
7Beloved, I am not writing to you a new commandment, but an old one, which you have had from the beginning. This commandment is the message you have heard. 8Then again, I am also writing to you a new commandment, which is true in Him and also in you. For the darkness is fading and the true light is already shining.
9If anyone claims to be in the light but hates his brother, he is still in the darkness. 10Whoever loves his brother remains in the light, and there is no cause of stumbling in him. 11But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness. He does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.
12I am writing to you, little children, because your sins have been forgiven through His name.
13I am writing to you, fathers, because you know Him who is from the beginning.
I am writing to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one.b
I have written to you, children, because you know the Father.
14I have written to you, fathers, because you know Him who is from the beginning.
I have written to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one.
Do Not Love the World
15Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh, the desires of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not from the Father but from the world. 17The world is passing away, along with its desires; but whoever does the will of God remains forever.
Beware of Antichrists
18Children, it is the last hour; and just as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have appeared. This is how we know it is the last hour. 19They went out from us, but they did not belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us. But their departure made it clear that none of them belonged to us.
20You, however, have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth.c 21I have not written to you because you lack knowledge of the truth, but because you have it, and because no lie comes from the truth. 22Who is the liar, if it is not the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, who denies the Father and the Son. 23Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father, but whoever confesses the Son has the Father as well.
Remain in Christ
24As for you, let what you have heard from the beginning remain in you. If it does, you will also remain in the Son and in the Father. 25And this is the promise that He Himself made to us: eternal life.
26I have written these things to you about those who are trying to deceive you. 27And as for you, the anointing you received from Him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But just as His true and genuine anointing teaches you about all things, so remain in Him as you have been taught.
28And now, little children, remain in Christ,d so that when He appears, we may be confident and unashamed before Him at His coming.
29If you know that He is righteous, you also know that everyone who practices righteousness has been born of Him.
https://biblehub.com/bsb/1_john/2.htm

tangle
tangle
3 years ago

I listen to a fair share of preacher preach about this. Not one mention that We all are a part of the government that God ordained. We are all the Militia and it is our duty to enforce Constitutional law. God as gave the government the power of the sword. So We being the only Constitutional law enforcement in the Constitution and bearing the power of the sword in both God’s law and mans. It is our duty to enforce it.
But there are so many preachers that are ignorant about the that they are ordered to follow buy Gods word. They fail to comprehend it or ignore it. I am not sure which it is.

a follower
a follower
3 years ago
Reply to  tangle

i believe we fail along the way, as we become complacent. we do not speak, we let things slide.
we fail by not speaking with the sword of Truth. The sword of Truth cuts both ways and to the bone. To speak it and wield it we must know Him and listen. Listen to Him directly. We also must be able to listen when others speak it to us.
When we fail in these things the last resort tends to lead us into war. War between us and Yah. between family, between brothers, between nations.