Romans 13:1a (NASB)
"Every person is to be in subjection to the governing authorities."
This is an almost impossible verse to understand. Written by a man that the governing authorities found fit for execution. And he was a follower of Jesus, who Pontius Pilate had executed. So clearly, obedience to the governing authorities does not include denying Christ. Presumably it does not involve sinning either. (See Daniel) Still, the rest of the verse and the next few verses do seem to suggest that you need to obey - in fact, disobedience is equated with disobeying God. God put the rulers in place though there's the chance they were put in power to act as a scourge.
Still, what of the American democracy? That is, it seems clear that presidents are put in power by 51% of people who decide to vote, not by an accident of birth.
More importantly (since it isn't that difficult to say God still controls who becomes president, or rather that God allows certain rulers, etc) what do we do with civil disobedience? Do we say that Martin Luther King did wrong though there are obvious benefits to the entire nation and generations of people? What would Paul have advised King if this were the civil rights era? Don't march? Don't sit-in? Don't protest?
Maybe that Christians should stay out of politics and sit home examining themselves in preparation for the establishment of God's kingdom on Earth. But that hardly seems likely. Paul didn't fear controversy. He didn't back down from a fight. He asserted his rights as a citizen of Rome.
No doubt a brighter mind has puzzled this all out in some book, but for me, it remains a hard verse to take hold of.
This is an almost impossible verse to understand. Written by a man that the governing authorities found fit for execution. And he was a follower of Jesus, who Pontius Pilate had executed. So clearly, obedience to the governing authorities does not include denying Christ. Presumably it does not involve sinning either. (See Daniel) Still, the rest of the verse and the next few verses do seem to suggest that you need to obey - in fact, disobedience is equated with disobeying God. God put the rulers in place though there's the chance they were put in power to act as a scourge.
Still, what of the American democracy? That is, it seems clear that presidents are put in power by 51% of people who decide to vote, not by an accident of birth.
More importantly (since it isn't that difficult to say God still controls who becomes president, or rather that God allows certain rulers, etc) what do we do with civil disobedience? Do we say that Martin Luther King did wrong though there are obvious benefits to the entire nation and generations of people? What would Paul have advised King if this were the civil rights era? Don't march? Don't sit-in? Don't protest?
Maybe that Christians should stay out of politics and sit home examining themselves in preparation for the establishment of God's kingdom on Earth. But that hardly seems likely. Paul didn't fear controversy. He didn't back down from a fight. He asserted his rights as a citizen of Rome.
No doubt a brighter mind has puzzled this all out in some book, but for me, it remains a hard verse to take hold of.
posted by Steven at 11:05 AM
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