Question concerning Romans 13:1-2?

Question

Here are the verses:

Romans 13:1-2
"Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves."

These verses specifically tell us to submit to authority as believers. These authorities include local, federal & even the President.....because as stated, these people are appointed by God.

What if the laws of the land shifted against us as Christians? (i.e. Daniel, Shadrach, Meshak & Abednigo) Would this warrant our right to defy the authorities.....even to the point of facing possible death?

Thanks,

Primo

Thanks Magley........

Answer 1

Suffering is how we grow....not much fun but true. How many of us are willing to walk in the furnace....not knowing if we will burn or see God walking with us. I'm willing to die for my faith but its so much harder to live for it. And I'm willing to...are you my friends?

Answer 2

I would think so. How many times have we heard and read stories where the people of a village or town were demanded to worship a different god or person and a Christian didn't. Take Daniel. The law was that no one was to worship anyone except for the king. Daniel not only continued to pray three times a day, but, he did it with his windows open so that the town could see and hear. And of course the story ends with God saved him from the lions and the king demanded that everyone worship "Daniel's God.'' The one true God.

Answer 3

It's these passages hat make me question the Bible, and come to the decision that, while there is much value in a lot of it, some of it is just full of ****.

What if you lived in Nazi Germany? Under the rule of Adolf Hitler. Would you massacre an entire population of Jews because the governing authority told you to?

My decisions come from my own intuition, from my own soul, which is Divinely connected to God, not from some governing authority. If this passage is true, then Martin Luther King, Mahatma Gandhi, and YES, even Jesus Christ are all rotting in Hell right now.

But, my heart tells me they are not. They stood up, in a time when the people were enslaved. They promoted peace in a time of war, love in a time of hate. And for that, they are good men.

Bottom line: follow you're heart, for it is much more divinely inspired than any system of government. You can always find God through you're own intuition.

Answer 4

Every believer should be ready for the possibility and set their line of contention accordingly (ref. Acts 5). Without this line in place, you may find yourself compromising like many of the pastors and churches during the spread of fascism in the late 30s and early 40s (ref. 2 Timothy 4:10). It is this line that caused me to leave many churches. Mind you, I hold church bodies to a tighter line, and less for governing bodies. But that line is in place before I walk in the door.

One can also apply this line passively by the way we vote. But I caution EVERY believer out there, that if you faced with a candidate that you do not agree with, but is far better than that of the other party--do not fall in to the trap of NOT voting. That spells disaster and will allow the worst choice to win.

So to your question. If the laws turn against Christians, we must be ready to passively reject and not follow. Loss of income? No problem--God provides. Loss of possessions? What could top what God has given to me inside and has prepared in eternity? Loss of life? Sorry, I lost my life when I gave it to Jesus in 1970. What can man do to me?

I will conclude that persecution is much like fire. That which is of wood, hay and stubble Christianity gets burned up when it is under threat. What remains is gold, silver and precious stones Christians. So bring it on, world. It's a no-lose scenario.

Answer 5

That became the very factor. each and every person isn't any further celebrating that day as a PAGAN holiday. they are celebrating it as a Christian holiday. we don't be responsive to the main suitable day of Christ's start. you're maximum suitable that in case you pass with the help of "the shepherds have been contained in the sector at night." then it would place it someplace between could and October. So why did they decide for the twenty 5th of December? the respond lies contained in the question "Why try this kind of super style of atheists nonetheless have fun Christmas?". the respond in view that's a convention... that's a time to get which contain friends and family members. despite in the event that they don't have self assurance in Christ that doesn't propose that they can't savor the holiday. The iciness Solstice became a plenty-celebrated pagan holiday. Even after changing to Christianity maximum persons persevered with the classic celebrations. with the help of putting Christ's start at that factor it replaced the reason of the occasion. Now, as a exchange of celebrating through fact of a pagan topic, it became occasion for a Christian topic. right now, quite few think of with regard to the pagan topic roots of the occasion. quite, as is often repeated: "Jesus is the reason of the season."

Answer 6

Yes, this is also referenced in the Bible. You cannot go against God in order to follow human authority. You gave a great example of that in your question. Also how about the apostles that did not follow authority when they continued preaching Christ even though they were told not to. (This is in Acts)

Answer 7

To a point
Acts 5:29 Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.

Answer 8

If the law were that we should deny God, I would NOT submit.
That is obviously something God tells us to NEVER do- deny His name.

But yes I agree we are to submit to the laws, and abide by them. This includes the speed limit! lol
I often will break that law, thinking nothing of it. But we are to even abide by that!

Jesus says:
Matthew 10:33
but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven.

Answer 9

the key point here in obeying authorities, is as long as it does not go against the word of God, Jesus gave him self as a perfect example, he went as a sacrificial lamb. but when it comes to taking the mark of the beast or such, things that will destroy our soul. we cannot submit to higher authorities.

Answer 10

Daniel prayed to his god, refused to bow the any other, and was put into the lions den for doing so. Paul lists a the things that have happened to him for following Christ, it is a tough life/belief to follow in.

Answer 11

We still have to submit ourselves to the authorities, even if they want to persecute us. Remember, Jesus said:

Matthew 5:10 Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

11 “Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. 12 Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you."

That seems to say it all. The early Church martyrs had to do this, didn't they? What would have happened if they'd have run away because the Romans were persecuting them? But they didn't do this: they stood fast and endured it.