Christian Duty Under Corrupt Government

A Revolutionary Commentary on Romans 13

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Preface

The political climate at the time the Apostle Paul wrote his epistle to the Romans was not ahealthy environment for anyone claiming to be a Christian. It was an atmosphere in which theywere hated, accused of treason, persecuted, and even executed.Why did a government that tolerated every other possible religion discriminate against the oneknown as the Way? The answer to this question is found in the inspired writings of Paul,specifically Romans 13.I chose to subtitle this book

A Revolutionary Commentary on Romans 13:1-7

for three reasons.First, it is revolutionary when contrasted with most modern commentaries on this passage. Some people might respond, “Well, if this commentary disagrees with the bulk of other commentaries,it must be in error!” If this is your initial response, please remember that we would still be under the heel of Roman Catholicism if Martin Luther, John Calvin, and other Reformation leaders haddeferred to such thinking. Our Lord Himself made it quite clear that truth is not always to befound where multitudes assemble:Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, thatleadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: because strait isthe gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be thatfind it. —Matthew 7:13-14* (*All Scripture is quoted from the King James Versionunless otherwise noted. Portions of Scripture have been omitted for brevity’ssake. If you have any questions regarding a passage, please open your Bible andstudy the text to ensure that it has been properly used.)My second reason for employing the word “revolutionary” is because I quote extensively fromthe early American ministers who were principally responsible for the spiritual environment that precipitated the American Revolution. Their insight is so exceptional that in many instances Ihave elected to step aside and allow these gifted men to speak for themselves. Theserevolutionary preachers delivered revolutionary sermons from a revolutionary text.My third reason is that I pray God will use this book to help begin the spiritual revolution that isso desperately needed at this time. May our pulpits be revolutionized and our ministers stirred toonce again inflame the people of this country with a passion to live at all costs for the one andonly

KING

of kings and

LORD

of lords.

Ted WeilandMarch 1997

Commentary

The first seven verses of the thirteenth chapter of Paul’s epistle to the Roman Christians aremisused and abused by today’s average clergyman. This has resulted in one of the mostdestructive doctrines to come out of Judeo-Christianity* (*The term “Judeo-Christianity” refers

to the vast segment of Christendom that has been heavily influenced, often unknowingly, by theTalmudic religion of Judaism.

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) – the false teaching of total submission to all governmentauthority. This theological falsehood has probably contributed to the loss of Christian* (*Noteveryone claiming to be a Christian has been properly instructed in the biblical plan of salvation.Therefore, the designation “Christian” is used only in a generic sense. Mark 16:15-16, Acts 2:36-41, 22:1-16, Romans 6:3-4, Galatians 3:26-27, and 1 Peter 3:21 should be studied in order tounderstand what is required to be covered by the blood of Yashua and to have one’s sinsforgiven.

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) dominion more than any other false doctrine. Judeo-Christianity relies on thefollowing three passages as its scriptural basis for this doctrinal error: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 tothemselves damnation…. 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 whomcustom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour. —Romans 13:1-7Put 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, butgentle, shewing all meekness unto all men. —Titus 3:1-2Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake: whether it be tothe 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 willof God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolishmen.… —1 Peter 2:13-15Most of Judeo-Christianity has interpreted these passages to mean that God sanctions

all

existinggovernment authority and that we are, therefore, to submit completely to any authority that presumes to rule over us. They believe that resistance to such civil authority is rebellion againstYahweh* (*Yahweh is the English transliteration of the Hebrew name of the God of the Bible.

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)and that God will punish those who rebel, except in the rare instance when someone is ordered bygovernment to deny Yashua** (**Yashua is the English transliteration of our Savior’s Hebrewname.

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) the Christ.The Bible does teach submission to government, but that submission is limited and not renderedindiscriminately to any and all rulers. A careful reevaluation of Romans 13:1-7, which providesthe types of authority to which Christians are and are not obliged to submit, supports this view.

Verse 1

Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers [governing authorities,

NASV

].For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. —Romans 13:1

The Modern Interpretation

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“Because every civil or government authority is established by God, Christiansmust totally submit to the one that God has placed over them at any given time.”

Every

Authority

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The teachings of most modern preachers contrast with many of their predecessors’ views. EvenKing James I of England, speaking before Parliament in 1603, recognized that a ruler’s authorityhas limits:A king ceases to be a king, and degenerates into a tyrant, as soon as he leaves off to rule according to his laws.

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In 1643, Pastor Samuel Rutherford wrote

Lex, Rex, or the Law and the Prince

, in which hecommented upon a king’s limited power:…God hath given no absolute and unlimited power to a king above the law [of God]….

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When the magistrate doth anything by violence, and without law, in so far doingagainst 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 intyrannous acts.

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Therefore an unjust king, as unjust, is not that genuine ordinance of God…. Sowe may resist the injustice of the king, and not resist the king. If, then, any castoff the nature of a king, and become habitually a tyrant, in so far he is not fromGod…. If the office of a tyrant … be contrary to a king’s office, it is not fromGod, and so neither is the power from God.

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English philosopher John Locke also wrote regarding limited authority:Wheresoever the authority ceases, the king ceases too, and becomes like other men who have no authority.

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Many of America’s early preachers and founding fathers concurred with Locke.* (*Early Tory preachers, who were mostly Episcopalians and loyal to King George III, were not of this opinion.“… Nearly a century before the Revolution, Charles II’s advisors warned him that ‘the[American] ministers were preaching freedom,’ and urged him either to regulate them or toreplace them with Episcopal priests.”

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) Just thirty-six days prior to the signing of the Declarationof Independence, Pastor Samuel West preached a sermon from Titus 3:1 in which he addressedthe difference between magistracy and tyranny:In order, therefore, that we may form a right judgment of the duty enjoined in our text, I shall consider the nature and design of civil government, and shall showthat the same principles which oblige us to submit to government do equallyoblige us to resist tyranny; or that tyranny and magistracy are so opposed to eachother that where the one begins the other ends.

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Pastor Samuel Cooke, preaching at Cambridge, Massachusetts on May 30, 1770, beforeLieutenant Governor and Commander-in-Chief Thomas Hutchinson, shared similar sentiments:

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