Excerpt #2 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.)

Division of Authority by God

               In addition to originating and delegating authority, God has divided authority into the earthly jurisdictional spheres of individual, family, church, and various civil governments. Each of these authorities receives delegated authority within their jurisdiction but not authority outside that jurisdiction (Grant, 19).  Only God maintains authority over all areas of life.  Several examples from Scripture collectively demonstrate the universality of this principle.  Self-government is seen in Galatians 5:23 where “self-control can only be maintained by the power of the Spirit (Hagopian) which means it originates in God.  Several Scriptures denote the jurisdiction of the family with its boundaries and responsibilities.  These include the household codes of Ephesians 5:22-6:4 and Colossians 3:18-21, as well as I Timothy 5:8’s consideration of family responsibilities for one another.  In several other Scriptures, church government is established in Acts 20:28, I Peter 5:1-3, Hebrew 13:17, I Timothy 3:1-3, Matthew 18:15-20 and Acts 15.  The servant-hood nature of this authority is authority structure is seen in Matthew 20:25027, Mark 9:35, and John 13:14-15.  Finally, Matthew 22:21 makes clear that Caesar, his jurisdiction of civil government, operates with a defined sphere of responsibility.    “Therefore, render to Cesar the things that are Caesar’s and to God the things that are God’s.”  As in the other spheres, the state’s power does not overrule the power of the ultimate authority in the area of overlap for the state’s power is derived from God and operates appropriately within its defined limits.  George Grant considered this statement of Jesus as affirming both the state’s legitimacy and the state’s limitations (Grant, 24).  Each jurisdiction of authority is limited by God’s ordination.   

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Excerpt #1 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.)

God as Ultimate Authority: The First Broad Principle  

               The nature of authority, as portrayed Biblically in both propositions and narrative descriptions, indicates that God remains the ultimate authority throughout all time.  Civil authority, which is a beneficial institution for mankind, originates with God and is then delegated by God who has divided this authority into earthly jurisdictions and directs it through His revealed law.  

               Authority originates with God and is therefore delegated by God.  Romans 13:1-7 addresses this directly in verse one, “For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.” In addition, rulers are called a “servant” (diakonos) of God in verse four and “ministers” (leitourgoi) of God in verse six, indicating that they owe their allegiance to the One from whom their authority was derived (Logos software). …    It is inconsistent with the Scriptures to claim that human governments arise primarily from any “social compact” or “consent of the governed” (Bromiley, 545).  Human governments are God ordained for righteous ends even if enacted through human secondary means.  In addition, men are intended to be in subjection to earthly authorities,….

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