Spiritual
Authority
and
Romans 13
From THE
TRIBAL CALL newsletter, Issue 8, P. O. Box 90, Berino, NM 88024
Introduction
The way we view
Romans chapter 13:1-7 greatly determines the way we interact with the
governments of men. The ideas we are about to set forth are radical, even
revolutionary. They will overthrow many sacred "traditions" among
those who claim to be followers of Jesus.
True
Christianity is a way of life which involves renouncing the world and pledging
our allegiance to the Kingdom of God. There is an inherent conflict between the
old kingdom we have come out from and the new Kingdom to which we now belong.
Jesus was crucified as a result of this conflict. He has assured us that if we
are true to His word that we can expect the same kind of treatment. "I
have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of
the world, even as I am not of the world" (John 17:14).
To try to
combine the humanistic governments of men with the Spirit government of God is
an impossible task. Any attempt to combine the governments of men with God's
government is doomed to failure. Nevertheless, throughout history politicians
have attempted to mix the holy and the profane. They have borrowed heavily from
God's law in order to appear righteous, yet man is still left in control. This
strange mixture is often called "God inspired government" or
"Government based on God's laws." As a result, multitudes of
Christians have been brought into bondage to patriotism and nationalism. They
have been forced to submit to manmade governments under the pretext that God has
commanded our submission in Romans 13:1-7.
Spirit Revolution
Since around the
4th century AD many have been led to believe that manmade governments actually
possess authority to rule over God's people. A misinterpretation of Romans
13:1-7 is used to support this belief.
The average
churchgoer believes that Christians should be satisfied with the humanistic
governments of men, obeying the laws of the land. They don't stop to consider
that God desires His people to live under His Spirit government.
The crux of the
matter is this: Does Paul, in Romans 13:1-7, argue that the civil governments
of this world have legitimate authority over the people of God?
We believe that the obedient people of God are
not bound to obey the manmade civil governments of this world. God's people are
answerable to God above all else and are bound by His commands. At the same
time, God's people are not to use their liberty as a cloak for evil, to foment
rebellion in the flesh, or waste time trying to politically influence the
governments of this world.
Furthermore, we believe Paul, in Romans
13:1-7, is referring to the spiritual leaders of the Body of Christ, not the
civil authorities of this world. Remember that the true followers of Jesus are
Spirit people whose lives should reflect the fact that they belong to another
Kingdom, the Kingdom of God. Their stay on earth is only transitory.
As citizens of Heaven, we are bound to submit
and pledge allegiance to the King of Heaven and His government over us. We are
not bound to submit to the government of some nation just because we happen to
be living within its borders.
Romans 13 has been wrongly interpreted by
ruling civil governments to mean that Christians should submit to them. Combined
with nationalism and patriotism, a powerful weapon has been formed to neutralize
and misdirect the power of God's Kingdom within His people. The idea that God's
government is to be subordinated to the civil governments of this world is a
deception that must be exposed.
Be Not Afraid of Their Faces
This does not sit well with those in civil
governments who claim to have power and authority to rule over other men.
Throughout history, those who have declared independence from the systems of
this world and dependence upon God, have almost always encountered violent
reactions. They were frequently persecuted unto death by the "civil"
authorities. It will be the same today for anyone who will break all allegiances
and ties with this world and declare Jesus Christ as their Sovereign King.
This does not
mean Christians are out to cause trouble or overthrow the governments of this
world. On the contrary, Christians make the best citizens because they strive to
obey the laws of God, which are far superior to the feeble attempts of men at
lawmaking. Actually, the true Christian's goal is to live a life pleasing to God
and win souls to Christ. This is hardly a threatening activity! We seek to obey
Paul's advice in Romans 12:18, "If it be possible, as much as lieth in
you, live peaceably with all men."
Yet, the rulers of the nations of this world
view this type of separation unto God as a serious offense. When a group of
people refuses to pledge allegiance to their authority, that group is considered
a threat to "national security" and dealt with accordingly. It was the same with
King Nebuchadnezzar, who was determined to destroy anyone who would not bow down
to his image.
Who are the Authorities?
In Verse 1, the
Interlinear text reads, "Let every soul be subject to authorities above
him." The word translated authorities, or powers in the
King James version, is the Greek word exousia. (Strong's #1849) The most
crucial question in this study is, "Who are the exousia or authorities
that Paul was referring to in this verse?"
Traditionally
99% of the church world has interpreted this passage to mean that Paul was
referring to the manmade civil governments of this world. The governments of the
world have been quick to place their "stamp of approval" on such an
interpretation. Imagine the advantage enjoyed by worldly rulers when they can
point to the Christians' own sacred writings for proof that Christians should
submit to their authority.
It is not
obvious from the original Greek text what authorities Paul was referring
to in Romans 13. He does not specifically state that he is referring to civil
government authorities anywhere in these verses.
It is our belief
that the authorities or powers that Paul was referring to in
Romans 13:1 were the spiritual leaders of the Body of Christ in Rome. Paul was
not exhorting the Christians in Rome to submit to the Roman Empire. He was
exhorting them to submit to their own government - to the spiritual leaders whom
God has placed over the Ecclesia (called-out ones) to guide it by His Spirit.
God has always
appointed leaders over His people such as Moses, Joshua, David and the Apostles,
including Paul. He has invested those leaders with the authority to rule. Paul
could easily have been speaking about Christian authorities within the Ecclesia.
Why would Paul be directing the Roman Christians to obey the authorities of
the Roman Empire when they had their own leaders to obey? Obviously, he was not.
Doctrine of Confusion
In verse 4 of
the Greek text, Paul refers back to the authority three times in the
singular, using the word "it." ("he" in the King James
version) Paul tells us "it" is a servant to us for good;
"it" does not wear the sword in vain; and "it" is a servant
of God.
Civil governments of this world rarely, if
ever, meet these three points. You would expect them to, if Paul was indeed
referring to them. Many times civil authorities stand in total opposition to the
gospel and cruelly persecute God's people, just as Jesus said they would (John
15:20). In contrast, godly authority, exercised by God's leaders, will always
meet these three qualifications and act as a "servant of God" for our good.
When we realize Paul was talking about
spiritual leaders of the Body of Christ in verse 1, the following verses become
much clearer. We can focus on the fact that God has His own government which
operates under His authority. As His followers, we are expected to submit to
that authority which is invested in His leaders.
Civil governments make demands of those who
happen to be living within their territory. These demands often openly
contradict the gospel and the law of God. For the true Christian to submit to
such commands would be sin. Yet according to the "civil government" theory of
Romans 13, Christians are supposed to submit to the "laws of the land." This
brings confusion and God is not the author of confusion.
Confusion is eliminated when we realize Paul
was not commanding submission to manmade civil governments, but to God's
government. The blood of the martyrs bears witness to the fact that true
Christians throughout history have come to this conclusion. They have been
persecuted and killed by "civil" governments on every continent because they
were determined to submit to God's government and refused to obey the commands
of men which opposed or contradicted God's laws.
Why Submit to Spiritual Authority?
Verses 2 through 5 give us several important
reasons why we must submit to true godly authority. First of all, Paul says if
you resist God's leaders, that you are in all respects resisting God. Those who
resist will receive damnation. He goes on to explain that God's leaders are not
a terror to good works. We need not be afraid to submit to godly authority if
our hearts are dedicated to God.
In verse 4, Paul explains that godly authority
is actually our servant if we desire to do what is right. At the same time, he
warns us that if we do evil the same authority will become an avenger and
execute God's wrath upon us. What a clear and beautiful picture of godly
authority and how it is meant to function in the Body of Christ. Additionally,
each one of the above points can be supported by numerous scriptures, which is
always a characteristic of solid godly doctrine.
This kind of true godly authority is rarely
found in the religious systems of today. As a result, many become confused. They
end up believing Paul must be talking about civil governments who punish
according to their own humanistic definitions of good and evil, which fluctuate
from day to day.
The spiritual authority described by Paul has
all but vanished from the Body of Christ. As a result, evil works are not
punished and sin runs rampant among God's people.
Paul sums up his
arguments in verse 5 by stating the two main reasons why we must be subject to
godly authority: 1) because of wrath, or the fear of God's judgement, and 2)
because of conscience.
Continuation of Chapter 12
In chapter 12, Paul has been dealing with the
mutual responsibilities and duties between Christians in the Body of Christ.
This also clearly points to the fact that chapter 13 is a definite continuation
along the same lines. There is nothing in the letter to indicate why Paul feels
it necessary to so positively and quickly change from one subject to another
without explanation.
Nothing in
chapters 12 or 13 supports the idea that Paul has switched his focus in chapter
13 to discuss the Christian's relationship to civil government. In fact,
the context clearly supports the contrary: Paul was dealing with spiritual
authority within the Body of Christ and the individual members' relationship to
that authority.
Rulers
In verse 3 is
the Greek word arkhone, which is translated as rulers in both the
King James and the Interlinear text. The definition in Strong's concordance is,
"A first in rank or power, chief, ruler, magistrate, prince." Every
other instance of this word in the New Testament refers to Jewish (religious)
leaders in Israel, not civil leaders.
Servants
Another
important Greek word is diakonos, which is translated minister or servant
twice in verse 4. Strong's concordance defines this word as "An attendant,
a waiter at a table or other menial duties; specifically a Christian teacher or
pastor; deacon, minister, servant." Paul uses this word to describe the
authorities in verse 1. This strongly supports the fact that he was talking
about God's leaders. This is the same root from which we get the word deacon,
a widely used term to describe leaders in the church (1 Timothy 3:8; Philippians
1:1).
A true leader of
God's people will be a servant of all. Jesus said, "But he that is
greatest among you shall be your servant" (Matthew 23:11). Paul's
description of the authorities as diakonos (servants) reinforces that
God's leaders are actually the greatest servants to the Body of Christ.
Nowhere in the
New Testament do we find civil authorities or officials described as servants
of the body of Christ. Yet there are numerous examples of God's leaders
acting as servants to God's people. That is why Paul would be exhorting the
Roman Christians to submit to those whom God has placed in authority over them.
These leaders were actually their servants in the Spirit, sacrificing their
lives to lead God's people.
The Sword - Figurative or Literal
The
next important Greek word is machaira, which is the Greek word for sword
found in verse 4. This verse is often used as proof that Paul was talking about
civil authorities, since God's leaders do not use weapons to enforce God's will.
Strong's Concordance defines machaira as, "A knife or dirk;
figuratively - war, judicial punishment; a sword."
Is there a sword
entrusted to God's leaders to execute judgment in the Body of Christ? If so,
could Paul have been referring to this sword in verse 4?
The answer is
found in Ephesians 6:17, "And take the helmet of salvation, and the
sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God." And again in Hebrews
4:12 we read, "For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper
than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and
spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and
intents of the heart."
Ananias and
Sapphira were struck dead by the sword of the Spirit which came out of Peter's
mouth (Acts 5). Paul also executed judgment upon Elymas the sorcerer, as the
sword of the Spirit speaking through Paul blinded the man (Acts 13:11).
It is not
unreasonable to assume Paul was referring to this figurative sword of the Spirit
in verse 4. Obviously, the Spirit sword is just as effective in executing judgment
as any physical sword. And God invests His true leaders with this authority.
Supporting the Government
Another
important word which we need to examine is foros, which is translated as tribute.
This is again used as proof that Paul was commanding submission to the civil
authorities - especially those who collect taxes! The word foros refers
to a tax, being a general assessment of one's property and possessions. This tax
was generally collected by civil governments such as the Roman Empire.
Paul was dealing
with many new converts who had been raised in Roman society. Taxing was a
commonly accepted fact of life. It is quite possible that Paul was describing
their responsibility to give of what they had in support of God's work. He used
the term "tribute" as a word they could easily understand. Paul was
reinforcing the idea that Christians were no longer citizens of this world, but
had come under their own government. If they wanted to enjoy the benefits of
God's government, they were obligated to support it.
The world
requires tribute to support their governments, which often serve their
people very poorly. God's true leaders keep the Body of Christ clean, healthy
and functioning properly. How much more should Christians be willing to support
the government of God's Ecclesia with a portion of their personal wealth.
God's leaders
need to be supported by those whom they serve, just as the civil servants of the
world require support. Paul used the common Roman term tribute to remind
God's people to "render therefore to all their dues."
Fear God or Man?
In verse 7, Paul
commands that fear be given to the authorities who deserved it. Paul had
been whipped, beaten, stoned and imprisoned at the hands of "civil"
authorities for refusing to compromise the gospel. Why would he exhort his
fellow Christians to fear the authorities who worked for the manmade
governments of this world?
One of the great
themes of God's Word is that we are to fear and obey God alone, regardless of
what "authorities" in the kingdoms of men have to say (Daniel 3:18;
Acts 5:29). Yet it makes sense that Paul would exhort the Roman Christians to
respect and honor the leaders of the Ecclesia. For they are appointed by God and
entrusted with the Sword of the Spirit to execute judgement among them.
Conclusion
As the followers
of Jesus Christ, we belong to a new Kingdom, the Kingdom of Heaven. This Kingdom
has its own government, its own laws and its own leaders. Paul was not
commanding us in Romans 13 to submit to the civil authorities of the kingdoms of
the world. He was commanding us to submit to the authority of God's leaders who
oversee the Ecclesias, or spirit communities of God's people.
There is no
denying that true Christians make the best citizens. Their primary concern is
obedience to God, and second, the reconciliation of lost humanity to God. Man,
in his separation from God, does not think highly of the Christian's objectives.
As a result, the governments of this world try to coerce Christians to abandon
their course and submit to them. When these situations arise, Christians are
forced to choose whom they will obey.
For
too long the words of Paul in Romans 13:1-7 have been used by the world's
governments as a club to beat God's people into submission. This kind of
scriptural strong-arming must stop. It is a fallacy that Paul was commanding the
Christians at Rome to submit to the governments of men. It is time that Christ's
followers break their covenants and allegiances with the transitory governments
of men. They must set an example that there is a higher and more perfect form of
government - the Kingdom of Heaven.
Of course there
will be consequences. Just as Jesus suffered as a consequence of our sin, we
must be willing to sacrifice ourselves in any way necessary to fulfill our
obedience to God. We serve the Living God. He is well able to make a way for us,
regardless of how much the modern day Nebuchadnezzars rage and threaten to
destroy.
When we boldly
declare that we belong to God's Kingdom, we are left with no choice but to trust
God for His provision in the face of a hostile world. We quickly learn that our
safety is in our obedience. To trust in carnal weapons and physical force for
our defense is vanity. Our greatest weapon is love! If we seriously claim to be
followers of Jesus Christ, we must renounce the world, and the authority of the
governments of this world. We must proclaim God's sovereign rulership over our
lives. Christians are in no way bound by the Scriptures to obey and support the
manmade governments of this world. We are bound to live peaceably with all men
to the greatest degree possible. Yet, our loyalty, allegiance and obedience must
always be found at the feet of Christ.
Our goal is to
see souls brought to Christ. The more fully we separate from the world and
consecrate ourselves to God, the more power we will have to infiltrate the
hearts and minds of men with a living example of the gospel. The world must see
that God does have a people on this earth and that His power dwells in their
midst. Let us commit ourselves to His Kingdom and BE THAT PEOPLE.
Postscript
By General Jim Green
For several
years now, our staff have pondered, studied, prayed over and sought out various
interpretations of Romans 13.
In the early
1980's, I personally taught submission to Christian authority. Then, as
Christian patriotism experienced a resurgence of popularity, we fell under the
spell of the "God and country" mentality. Consequently, we supported
the submission to civil authority belief regarding Romans 13.
Fortunately, we
never went to the extreme of worshiping the US government or constitution as
many Christians have. Thank God that this period was short lived. The Spirit of
God revealed to us that one of the most powerful driving forces behind the
"God and country" mentality was FREEMASONRY. The US government founded
in 1776 is in reality a humanist institution. As such, it is vulnerable to every
form of corruption and abuse.
As
we continued to seek God, He eventually led us into a fuller understanding of
the Ecclesia system, which is the original blueprint for God's people as laid
out in the Book of Acts. Consequently, the Lord commanded us to break all
covenants and allegiances with the governments and systems of this world and to
declare ourselves His Holy Army/Nation/Tribe. God's people are meant to have
their own government ruled by those whom God appoints: A Spirit Theocracy under
the Lord Jesus Christ.
Sadly enough,
because we don't see God's government operating in what we call the
"church" today, multitudes of Christians are led to believe that
church and State can and should be unified. Nevertheless, we cannot allow this
to deter us from seeking God, renouncing the world and allowing Him to establish
His throne in our midst.
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