Below is my response to a Facebook post on this subject. I posted an article about Christians in California being threatened with jail time because of getting together to worship for an online broadcast. A friend then asked me about the subject of Romans 13 and what do Christians do when the government basically directs us to disobey the Bible. Here’s my best shot in response…
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Thanks, Andrea, for your excellent questions!
I’m not going to attempt to address issues of textual criticism, I’ll leave that to Biblical scholars. But what I WILL do is what I haven’t done during my past decade on FB, not even once according to memory, which is to post some of my own detailed political and theological observations on the theme you presented.
First let me say that there are some on FB who love a good food-fight, their contentions sometimes spilling into bloody street brawls even with their own online friends. All it takes is for someone to express an opinion on a hot topic they disagree with and suddenly the universe comes alive with unexpected historians, theologians, and guardians of political-correctness and “woke” sentiments.
I want none of it. We are called to contend for the faith but not be contentious.
Even so, I’m willing to share some thoughts about your post for a couple of reasons: your questions are excellent, you obviously care about the topic as I do, you’re a family friend, and you seem to want some genuine input, not a food-fight (as far as I can tell!)
I’m also responding to your post at some length because I gave a very brief answer at the top of this thread which I knew wasn’t adequate, but my natural FB reflex is to avoid igniting political debates online (a reflex I’m now intentionally, aggressively, and unapologetically violating). But normally, it’s simply not my FB mission. My true mission on FB is to check up on friends, post dancing cat videos, share cool stuff, and lately, compare notes on the Wuhan Virus.
I’m not a theologian (though I did graduate from Bible college); I’m not a historian (though I’ve done some research over the past year for a book on freedom which a client hired me to co-write — which explains why I have conveniently inserted several items into this post from credible sources.)
My quick response above to the Romans 13 topic was: “Obey Romans 13 in the spirit of Matthew 22:21.”
I said this because I felt that Matthew 22:21 covered a lot of ground, but in hindsight I didn’t offer a full answer. So, let’s recap. Here’s the essence of that Scriptural reference:
The religious Pharisees were, once again, trying to trap Jesus in a debate. This time it was with the God vs. government question.
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“But Jesus, knowing their evil intent, said, ‘You hypocrites, why are you trying to trap me? 19 Show me the coin used for paying the tax.’ They brought him a denarius, 20 and he asked them, ‘Whose image is this? And whose inscription?’
21 ‘Caesar’s,’ they replied.
Then he said to them, ‘So give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.’
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In my brief answer above, I felt that Jesus’ response was absolutely potent. We’re supposed to give to God what belongs to Him which includes total allegiance as well as everything we are and have. (Psalm 24:1 – “The earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it.”)
So, what should we do if our government demands we obey it instead of God’s Word?
The simple answer: if we’re forced to choose, we obey God instead of human government. How that plays out can be a bit tricky without some wise counsel.
There’s an unpublished letter by Dr. James Kennedy from November 29, 1988 (shared by his archivist) that I think lays it out very well…
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Dr. Kennedy:
“The basic Bible principles, I believe, are these:
1) All authority is from God.
2) All human authority is delegated from God.
3) No human authority can countermand the authority of God.
4) If such anti-biblical laws are passed, Christians must in conscience disobey them.
5) They must be prepared to suffer the consequences of their actions.”
Then he solidifies the whole point: “The very existence of Christianity depends upon Christians obeying these principles. Had they not done so, Christianity, which was outlawed first in Israel and then in the Roman Empire, would have ceased to exist many centuries ago.”
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Bang-zoom. There’s some wise counsel on this complex issue, an issue that will likely gain increasing presence in the nightly news because it seems, over recent decades, there’s a growing number of U.S. politicians who are determined to legislate diametrically opposed to Biblical principles, and even continue to tear down our own Constitution (another juicy topic for another day).
Romans 13 does not present a problem or dilemma for Christians. Without any direct conflict, we should obey the government and the laws of the land even though we might not want to.
But if there IS a forced, direct conflict between the two authorities, God wins.
Scripture always answers Scripture. That’s why we’re supposed to “rightly divide the Word of God” since it’s certainly possible to divide it wrongly. Case in point: the devil himself quoted Scripture at Jesus during the temptation, twisting it as he did. And Jesus answered him with Scripture — “rightly dividing it.”
Speaking of the devil quoting Scripture, the Nazis quoted Romans 13 in a 1941 book to brainwash school children after invading Norway in 1940. Here’s a choice statement from that schoolbook:
“Overall, we owe the Fuhrer and the government obedience. If you set yourself up against the authorities and against the state, you are standing against God’s structure and are subject to punishment.”
The Nazis thought the Norwegians would be an easy people to conquer and that they’d buy into the “master Aryan race” sales pitch. But the vast majority resisted. School teachers, priests, and bishops stood unified against the Nazis and paid a dear price. They were sent to concentration camps and never returned.
Even though the Nazis won the region in a military sense, they never won over the soul of the Norwegian people who met in underground gatherings, fought the lies of the Nazis with truth, and refused to deny their faith.
In Oslo, there’s a museum dedicated to this successful resistance during World War II. The plaque reads: “In Norway, Nazi ideology was defeated by the democratic forces rooted in a national, Christian culture.”
So Biblical truth can often be distorted by politicians and demons (excuse the redundancy) for power over people.
During my research for the book I’m co-writing, there were so many revelations-in-general from history, a virtual treasure chest of crucial information I’d never known, I found myself constantly muttering to myself, “Why don’t they teach this stuff in school? I can’t believe this information isn’t widespread public knowledge!”
One of many such illuminations I’ll dare to add to this way-too-long post (since I’m already presenting a once-in-a-decade basket of theological/political thoughts.)
That issue is the threat of Communism in America. Those words sound like a paranoid conspiracy theory, I admit. But when you do some digging, “OMG” will cross your lips.
Communism has successfully been infiltrating the United States at the highest levels for a century. And it will continue, if unchallenged, to shove America further away from the Constitution and the Bible. Therefore, it’s an issue directly connected with the topic of this post and ultimately the Romans 13 issue.
There are three books on the topic of Communism invading America I’d like to recommend that will rock your worldview.
Two of them were highly recommended by President Ronald Reagan, and one of them was extolled by Dr. Ben Carson (I love this man!) – neurosurgeon and present U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development.
The three books…
(1) Whittaker Chambers (1901 – 1961) is the first author. He wrote the ground-breaking autobiography, “Witness”. In his book, he exposes the inner workings of Communism in America, insights gained by first-hand experience after he was personally seduced at age 24 into the Communist Party himself for thirteen years and later escaped.
His book has had a profound impact on our culture, helping many to better understand our enemy:
“One of the dozen or so indispensable books of the century…” — George F. Will
“Witness changed my worldview, my philosophical perceptions, and, without exaggeration, my life.” — Robert D. Novak
“As long as humanity speaks of virtue and dreams of freedom, the life and writings of Whittaker Chambers will ennoble and inspire.” — President Ronald Reagan
(2) The second expert who has helped expose Communist infiltration in America was FBI specialist, Cleon Skousen. Although published in 1958, Skousen’s book, “The Naked Communist,” has become a timeless classic.
The provocative title was suggested by none other than famous film director Cecil. B. DeMille.
Mr. DeMille was just finishing up his epic movie, The Ten Commandments, when Skousen offered a final draft of his manuscript for DeMille’s reaction. After a few weeks, DeMille responded back, “Cleon, what you’ve done here is strip the Communists of all pretense and propaganda. Therefore, I should call the book, The Naked Communist.”
Skousen’s book was recently praised by Dr. Ben Carson, surgeon and Presidential candidate, who said in 2014 on Fox News that it “lays out the whole progressive agenda. You would think by reading it that it was written last year. It shows what the progressives are trying to do to the American family and what they are trying to do to destroy our Judeo-Christian values and morality.”
President Ronald Reagan wrote of Skousen in 1964, “No one is better qualified to discuss the threat to this nation from Communism.”
In his book, Skousen lists all 45 Goals of the Communist strategy against the United States, most of which have been accomplished and all of which are “aimed at ruining the culture of America.” Their primary purpose is to “abolish the Constitution and turn the United States into the ‘fold’ of Marx’s theoretical one-world government.”
(3) The third book is entitled, “The ACLU vs. America: Exposing the Agenda to Redefine Moral Values” by Osten and Sears. Comments from a few well-knowns:
“Few Americans realize how radical the ACLU has become and the threat it poses to liberty.” — Bill O’Reilly, Historian, Author and TV Host
“Perhaps no organization has done more to remove America from its Judeo-Christian moorings than the ACLU — whom I often call the ‘Anti-Christian Litigation Union’.”
— D. James Kennedy, Ph.D.
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Well, Andrea, that’s it. A long-winded monologue in response to your excellent questions which I probably didn’t answer at all. But I applaud your pursuit of truth. Please keep me posted on your further thoughts.
Perhaps in a decade, I’ll post my next long-winded political-theological musing, just to stir things up. However… regarding any flame-throwers, pea-shooters, or food-fighters ready to pounce on me or my views, I’m out. I’m going back to dancing cat videos. No time or interest in defending, debating, or deflecting.
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