Excerpt #5 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.)
Particular Applications to Earthly Authority: Second Broad Principle
The application of God’s authority may be seen clearly in the areas of His ordaining, directing, commanding, judging, and having dominion over all civil government. First, God’s creation or ordaining of government may be argued from several verses out of both Testaments. Daniel 4:17 describes God as not only ruling the kingdoms of men, but giving it “to whom he will”. Daniel 2:44-45 foretells how God would set up a kingdom which would overturn all the prior ones. In Jeremiah 27:6, God describes how he gave lands into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar. Romans 9:17 recounts God’s words to Pharaoh showing that God had raised him up for the very purpose of showing His power. Isaiah expresses God’s giving certain rulers to the people (Isaiah 3: 4-5). Additionally, when man tried to set up kings outside of God’s expressed will, God considered this disobedience (Hosea 8:3-4).
In spite of these examples some would argue that God only ordained institutions, not rulers. They do so to avoid accusations of evil against God. As proof of God’s individual ordination, I Kings 12:15 describes how Jeroboam’s rebellion and subsequent kingdom was “a turn of events from the Lord”, leaving no doubt that even a rebellion was under God’s rule as God had commanded Jeroboam to do so. The Bible’s description of Nebuchadnezzar as God’s “servant” in Jeremiah 27:6 and Jesus’ dialogue with Pontius Pilate in John 19:10-11 also confirm that God ordains not only offices, but the rulers that fill those offices (Cole).
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