Posted by
GeorgeBruno on Monday, October 13, 2008 10:23:43 PM
I am just developing this thought. I verbalized it partially in the adult Sunday school class I attend this past Sunday. It is regarding Romans 13 from the New Testament. This version is a popular bible paraphrase called The Message:
It reads:
"Be a good citizen. All governments are under God. Insofar as there is peace and order, it's God's order. So live responsibly as a citizen. If you're irresponsible to the state, then you're irresponsible with God, and God will hold you responsible. Duly constituted authorities are only a threat if you're trying to get by with something. Decent citizens should have nothing to fear. Do you want to be on good terms with the government? Be a responsible citizen and you'll get on just fine, the government working to your advantage. But if you're breaking the rules right and left, watch out. The police aren't there just to be admired in their uniforms. God also has an interest in keeping order, and he uses them to do it. That's why you must live responsibly—not just to avoid punishment but also because it's the right way to live. That's also why you pay taxes—so that an orderly way of life can be maintained. Fulfill your obligations as a citizen. Pay your taxes, pay your bills, respect your leaders."
OK. That's pretty clear. I agree, for the most part, government is OK. Without it we dont have criminal justice, good roads, advocates for the disadvantaged, womens rights, minority rights, etc.
We are all aware of the abuses of government as well. Those are the things we all hate about "Washington".
Here's my hypothesis.
The government in the first century was the Roman government. They were adversaries of Christianity. They truly were an enemy.
But...today..things are different. Our gov't is a "we the people" gov't. if we don't like something, we CAN change it. We can vote in or out people who represent or don't represent us. They could NOT do that in the first century. If you stood up against Rome, which was the "Washington" of that day, you would die. The Roman colliseum is a testament to that as Christians were put to death as entertainment sponsored by the gov't.
Should we be so passive and have a Romans 13 attitude today? How is Romans 13 relevant today I ask you? Christians are not different, but the gov't is. Is our relationship with the gov't different? How do we live out Romans 13 today? How do we flesh out Romans 13 in the light of this upcoming election? Do we still have to go to the slaughter at the hands of the gov't?
No one is appointed except supreme court judges and at local levels we vote them all in. All other gov't rulers are put there by no one but us.