Excerpt #14 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.)
Conclusion of Romans 13:1-7 Analysis
In regard to Romans 13:1-7, the analogy of Scripture provides support, clarification, and deepening of this debated and critically important passage. Submission to authorities means obedience to those powers placed by God over the believer as a dual citizen. Those authorities derive their power from God as the ultimate authority. Authorities whose commands coincide with that which God has commanded or permitted must be obeyed dutifully by Christians for God has not only instituted them, but done so for the good of all. Resisting such righteous authority and such righteous commands by these human authorities brings judgment. Christians’ goals for the good of society should coincide with the God ordained goals of the governing authorities in punishing evil and encouraging good. Where Romans remains silent is whether there are times in which Christians can righteously oppose evil government. The analogy of Scripture both in the Old and the New Testaments attest that obedience to God not only often stands in opposition to obedience to rulers, but also unequivocally commands believers to choose obedience to God over human authorities. However, even in such resistance, Christians are to remain prayerful and to exhibit subjection to human authorities through respect and obedience to all that which does not contradict God. The principles of self-defense and defending the weak or needy as well as examples of fleeing evil acts limit submission to the punitive consequences of such an evil government. It permits Christians to seek reasonable or lawful escape from such oppression. This resistance can extend beyond individual interactions to larger, societal resistance in cases where God works through appointed leaders to suppress an evil ruler, even overturn their rule. Even Calvin permitted the idea of “God’s Avengers” in chapter 20 of the Institutes (1517). As the primary two commandments make clear, the goal of Christians in regard to government is to love their neighbor by seeking their good and to love God by keeping His commandments. When this can be accomplished through obedience to civil government, Christians are bound to obey that government, but God’s Word demands that Christians resist that which resists God, yet only that part which resists God, submitting as far is lawfully possible to government while maintaining a prayerful and respectful attitude. From this starting point, the committed exegete can continue the grammatico-historical hermeneutics approach in search of not only orthodoxy, but with the goal of orthopraxy to God’s Will in this area of life.
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