2/22/14
Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities,
for there is no authority except that which God has established.
The authorities that exist have been established by God.
Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities,
for there is no authority except that which God has established.
The authorities that exist have been established by God.
Romans 13:1
At
the very least, Paul derived this from the example of Christ, who
submitted to wicked and corrupt officials and authorities. Jesus had
every right to rebel. He was completely innocent and had done nothing
wrong—nothing of which He was accused had been part of His conduct.
However, He had every intention of doing the right thing, and He carried
through with it.
The
true Christian consciously chooses to suffer evil rather than do evil
because it would be wrong to do anything other than what Christ did. He
set the example. He is the archetype; He is the One who goes before. The
Christian is not a masochist, but by faith, he takes steps to prevent
war. He does this because he recognizes that two wrongs do not make a
right. Just because someone abuses authority does not give him the right
from God to fail to submit to it. This is why there is never any real
thought to war. Somebody gets into power and abuses his authority, and
those who are under him react carnally and retaliate to get back at the
one in authority—and the cycle never ends!
Will
there ever be peace? There will be peace when people submit to God, and
that means submitting to His way. If everybody would submit to God's
way, war would stop overnight—that would be the end! But men will not
submit to God.
For the sinful nature is always hostile to God.
It never did obey God’s laws, and it never will.
It never did obey God’s laws, and it never will.
Romans 8:7
A major principle we are to learn in this life is to submit under duress, under abuse—when the pressure is on and the desire to retaliate is strongest. We have to learn not to justify our retaliation by saying, "He made me do it—the Devil made me do it!" All the ways of man are right in his own eyes.
There is a path
before each person that seems right,
but it ends in death.
(Proverbs 14:12).
Here is a song for today. When we are on the road and put it in drive we need to follow what Jesus did and where He went.
We gnash our teeth about the things that our leaders do. It is hard to follow Romans 13:1. We wonder how things can be put into practice the way they are. But scripture says to remember that anyone in power is there because God has allowed it. It is hard to understand the mind of God sometimes....to remember that He is God and I am not!
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