The following two paragraphs introduce you to the 23 page PDF attached and downloadable for those who seek a full-orbed Biblically-grounded exposition of Romans 13:1-7.  My primary goal for choosing this topic for a seminary class thesis paper was so that I could immerse myself in the full Biblical teaching on how Christians should respond to civil governments that are opposing God’s Word.  This has grounded my family’s approach to the current encroachment of the “State” upon other God-ordained institutions in our present day.  I hope that all of you who read it with a desire to find God’s truth will find His truths expounded clearly here.  Though written 10 years ago, its pertinence to contemporary issues demonstrates how God’s unchanging truth retains its foundational importance at all times.  I welcome your feedback and discussion as always.

              Twenty first century Christians stare in disbelief at society’s degradation into debauchery and post-modernism, asking themselves where they are and how they arrived here.  Even the more conservative non-believers often scratch their heads in amazement. Occasionally remembrances of America’s golden past instill some hope, but how these bygone freedoms may be regained perplexes many in the church.  By the power of what authority will justice be restored?  By the power of what authority will lawlessness be suppressed?  By the power of what authority will the world’s vain philosophies be subdued?  One who reads the Bible will answer that such authoritative power ultimately rests in God alone, yet still must ponder how to respond to the earthly authorities who undermine such righteous objectives.  The already, but not yet of reality means that Christians live not only under God’s sovereign authority, but also under earthly authorities, and the majority in our nation do not consistently submit their governing decisions to Biblical authority.  Dilemmas between obeying God and obeying rulers regularly confront today’s believer.

               In search of guidance, many have turned to Romans 13:1-7 in hopes that its explicit commands will either guide them or will justify their current behaviors.  Though considered the “locus classicus” on a Biblical view of civil government by the International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, these verses nevertheless have been interpreted and applied in a wide variety of ways.  Simply stating that Romans 13 answers the question fully is insufficient as it does not address many themes of government (Bromiley, 545).  A proper and full-orbed hermeneutics of the topic is essential.  The grammatico-historical approach demands cultural examination of the writer and the recipients.  It demands a syntactical dissection along with a study of the key words.  It would demand a survey of views professed by our theological ancestors.  It would demand delaying a verdict until the whole counsel of God, both the Old and New Testaments, was consulted.  In surveying the broad scope of opinions on the topic, this last demand of an analogy of Scripture seems less satisfied than the prior demands and thus serves as the basis for this paper.  In widening the breadth of verses which weigh in on this question of civil authority and the authority of God, individual Christians in the contemporary milieu may begin to understand how to approach the dilemmas which have faced Christians throughout the ages, the same ones which seem to be more evident in our immediate social context.  (The English Standard Version has been used for all Scripture citations unless otherwise noted).

To read the full paper, download the PDF below.