Excerpt #12 of “Analysis of Romans 13:1-7 in Light of the Analogy of Scripture”
Given the length of the full paper I recently published on this site, I am posting excerpts which emphasize specific principles within the paper. Hopefully, these excerpts will not only encourage you to read the actual paper, but also think more deeply about the role of Romans 13:1-7 in our response to both Godly and ungodly civil government in our day and time. A proper understanding and obedience to Scripture is critical today as always. This particular Scripture has been mishandled in so many ways that a methodical approach to its exegesis is needed to avoid further error by both individual Christians and the broader church. The pressures being exerted upon true Christianity by the contemporary civil government demand a Biblical response informed by Romans 13:1-7 and the other Scriptures addressed within this paper.
(These excerpts are posted in the order as found in the paper, but do not include the entirety of the paper which combined. Only the PDF contains all sections of the paper.)
Christian Resistance
Narrative examples of the early Christian’s resistance or disobedience to established civil authority provides helpful insight through a variety of responses. In Acts 4:1-31 and Acts 5:29, Peter and John demonstrated respect towards the Sanhedrin while unequivocally refusing to obey their commands which contradicted those of God. Paul, undergoing harassment from both civil and religious leaders, escaped in a basket from the authorities who sought to execute him (Acts 9:23-25). No disapproval of this fleeing is found in that text. In another instance, Paul used his Roman citizenship to avoid unlawful punishment in Acts 22:24-29.
Some means of resistance are also noted in commanded flight from authorities. As mentioned earlier, Joseph and Mary fled from Herod. Matthew 10:23 commands the disciples to flee to the next city when they are persecuted in one town. Hebrews 11:37-40 commends the faith of those who had wandered “about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth” in their fleeing from persecution. If one considers the analogous pattern of children being commanded to obey parents in Ephesians 6:1-3 as a form of instituted authority, then the approved description of the Gospel turning children against their parents in Luke 12:53 would seem to coincide with this concept that man is to obey God rather than any instituted authority if only one may be obeyed to the exclusion of the other (Volkmer). In fact Ephesians 5:6-11 clearly commands Christians to “not become partners with them” (the sons of disobedience) (Volkmer). I Peter 4:14 even describes those who are persecuted for Christ’s sake as blessed as does the Beatitudes (Matthew 5:10), assuming that Christians will oppose evil in whatever form it occurs and suffer for such opposition.
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