Romans 13 By Pastor Ramsey An excellent 3 part sermon on some of the false interpretations of Romans 13 and accompanied by many quotes from many sources. Below is a link to a file sharing program for an MP3 copy of Pastor Ramseys live broadcast. This is a 33 mb file and approx download time on dialup is 1 to 2 hours. You can save the file or open and play it. To download this sermon click HERE A few excerpts transcribed from the above download: Rom 13:1-7 Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation. For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same: For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil. Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake. For for this cause pay ye tribute also: for they are God's ministers, attending continually upon this very thing. Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour. These scriptures are many times used by the Judeo-Christian churches of our day to tell you that we have to obey everything that the government tells us to do. Well, there’s some other scriptures that we need to read right along with those. One is Titus 3:1-2 which says: Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates, to be ready to every good work, To speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, but gentle, shewing all meekness unto all men. And 1 Peter 2 13-15: Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme; Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well. For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men: Now does that really mean that we are to obey every.. uh.. every ordinance, every law of every government, no matter how corrupt it may be.. First of all let me assure you that the apostle Paul was a man who was in jail many times and eventually died at the hand of the government. Almost every apostle was tried, beaten as a criminal and all of them died except for the apostle John who they tried to kill but God graciously prevented from dying at least at the hand of his mercenaries. Also there were literally thousands of Christians who lost their property, were beaten, thrown to the lions and gladiators and uh that was not because they were always obeying the law. If they had obeyed the law certainly the Roman government would not have persecuted them. If they had obeyed the law the Jewish authorities would not have persecuted them either. So, the usual interpretation is: God has established every civil or government authority and thus Christians are to totally submit to the one God has placed over us at any given time. But there are others who have said uh.. other things. For instance James the 1st even understood that there were limitations.. to his power. A king ceases to be a king and degenerates into a tyrant as soon as he leaves off to rule according to his laws. Pastor Samuel Rutherford of 1643 wrote Lex Rex of The Law and the Prince. He says God had given no absolute and unlimited power to the king over and above the law of God. When the magistrate doth anything by violence and without outside of the law insofar doing against his office he is not a magistrate. Then say I that power by which he doth is not of God. None doth then resist the ordinance of God who resist the king in tyrannous acts….. …….. Set the trumpet to thy mouth. He shall come as an eagle against the house of the LORD, because they have transgressed my covenant, and trespassed against my law. Israel shall cry unto me, My God, we know thee. Israel hath cast off the thing that is good: the enemy shall pursue him. They have set up kings, but not by me: they have made princes, and I knew it not: of their silver and their gold have they made them idols, that they may be cut off. ,,,,,,,, No government can exist without God allowing it to do so. Keeping that in mind we must understand that there are two different types of government for two different types of people A people who have submitted themselves to Gods law are blessed with just and righteous rulers but those who have willfully rebelled against God and His word are visited with an oppressive government for the purpose of bringing them back to submission. ……. In Romans 13 Paul was addressing a body of believers who had submitted to themselves Jesus Christ as King and was instructing them in the concepts of the Christian civil body politic. John Milton in his book “Defense of the People of England” commented on Pauls intent. Quote: “It being very certain that the doctrine of the gospel is neither contrary to reason or the law of nations that man is truly subject to the higher power of the laws and magistrates as long as they govern according to the law so that St Paul does not only command the people but princes themselves to be in subjection and not above the laws but bound by them. But whatever power enables a man or whatsoever magistrate takes upon him to act contrary to what St Paul makes the duty of those that are in authority, neither is that power nor that magistrate ordained of God The cons (?) and consequently to such a magistrate no subjection is commanded nor is any due nor are the people forbidden to resist such authority for in so doing they do not resist the power nor the majesty as they are here excellently well described that they resist a robber a tyrant and an enemy." ….. In 1749 Pastor Jonathon Mayhew (sp?) lucidly argued against unqualified compliance to civil authority. Quote: “Children are commanded to obey their parents and servants their masters. And as absolute and unlimited terms as subjects are here commanded to obey their civil rulers. Thus also wives are commanded to be obedient to their husbands. In all these cases submission is required in terms at least as absolute and universal as are ever used with respect to rulers and subjects. BUT !! Who supposes that the apostle ever intended to teach that children, servants and wives should in all cases whatever obey their parents, masters and husbands respectively, never making any opposition to their will, even although they should require them to break the commandments of God or should callously make an attempt upon their lives. No one puts such a sense upon these expressions, however absolute and unlimited, why then should we be supposed that the apostle designed to teach universal obedience, whether active or passive, to the higher powers merely because its precepts are delivered in absolute and universal terms. No, the use of absolute expression is no proof that obedience to civil rulers is in all cases a duty or resistance in all cases is a sin.” Pastor Rutherford joined in demonstrating the foolishness of this position that Christians are to blindly submit to authority under all circumstances. Quote: “ It is true so long as kings remain kings subjection is due them because they are kings. But that is not the question. The question is should subjection be due to them when they use their power unlawfully and tyrannically. Whatever David did, though he was a king, he did not as king. He de… (?) not Bathsheba as king. Bathsheba might boldly of resisted him without violating Gods law.” _______ HOME