Cc-28. What Does Romans 13:1-7 TRULY MEAN? DOWNLOAD to SAVE as a PDF Doc to read OFFLINE. Cc-28. What Does ROMANS 13:1-7 TRULY MEAN? Some Christians interpret passages of Scripture based ONLY on previous “interpretations”, as opposed to interpreting Scripture in the LIGHT of the WHOLE word of Almighty God. And thus, they BLIND themselves to the TRUE sound Biblical meaning of that passage of Scripture. In other words, they start on the WRONG foot, so to speak. They wrongly ASSUME something that is not true. And they interpret that passage of Scripture using that WRONG ASSUMPTION as the foundation or STARTING point of their interpretation. And that is called READING INTO the Scriptures a preconceived belief. Let us read Romans 13:1 and I will explain what I mean by reading into the Scriptures as WRONG assumption or a preconceived belief. Romans 13:1. “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.” Now, it is ASSUMED by some Christians that the “powers that be” are the GOVERNMENTS of the world. And if you ASSUME that is what this verse is saying, then you will WRONGLY interpret this whole passage of Scripture based on that WRONG ASSUMPTION. And thus, you will BLIND yourself to the TRUE God INTENDED meaning of this passage of Scripture. And some Bible “translations” are to be blamed for this WRONG ASSUMPTION that the Apostle Paul INTENDED his words to mean the Roman GOVERNMENT. And thus, they have wrongly translated verse 1 as the GOVERNMENTS that exist. Let us read Romans 13:1 from God’s Word Translation. Here is Romans 13:1 from God’s Word Translation. “Every person should obey the government in power. No government would exist if it hadn't been established by God. The governments which exist have been put in place by God.” So then, how can a Christian SEE the TRUE meaning of this passage of Scripture when they read from the Bible that they are using, blatantly says GOVERNMENTS? Whenever there is a “controversy” between different groups of Christians as to what a passage of Scripture means, then we must COMPARE what the many different translations of the Bible say. Also, when OTHER verses or Scripture seem to contradict a translation of the Bible in that same translation, then you know that something is not quite right with that particular passage of Scripture. And thus, you need to look up the words in that verse of Scripture in a Bible concordance to see the other meanings of the Greek word. So let us begin this study in God’s word by looking up the Greek word that is translated as “POWERS” in the KJV translation. Here is how E-Sword defines this Greek word used three times in Romans 13:1, translated as power, and powers in the KJV. G1849 ἐξουσία exousia ex-oo-see'-ah From G1832 (in the sense of ability); privilege, that is, (subjectively) force, capacity, competency, freedom, or (objectively) mastery (concretely magistrate, superhuman, potentate, token of control), delegated influence: - authority, jurisdiction, liberty, power, right, strength. So then, in the LIGHT of all these meanings of the Greek word translated as powers that be, my first thought is the leaders that God has SET in the church. So, let us dig a little deeper to see IF this thought came from God, Satan, or my own preconceived belief? Let us now look up the Greek word translated as HIGHER power in the KJV. Here is how the E-Sword concordance defines this Greek word. G5242 ὑπερέχω huperechō hoop-er-ekh'-o From G5228 and G2192; to hold oneself above, that is, (figuratively) to excel; participle (as adjective, or neuter as noun) superior, superiority: - better, excellency, higher, pass, supreme. Now, since the immediate CONTEXT that follows right after the phrase “Let every soul be subject unto the HIGHER powers” is FOR or BECAUSE “there is no power but of God:”, then the SUBJECT is about the SUPREME authority of Almighty God Himself. And thus, the CONTEXT in Romans 13:1 is NOT intended to mean that the governments of the world are the SUPREME power over us as Christians. The CONTEXT is teaching us to OBEY the teachings of Jesus and the Apostles of Jesus, the Law of LIBERTY under the New Covenant. And thus, “the AUTHORITIES that be” are the leaders that God SET in the church to EDIFY us in our faith in the true gospel of Jesus Christ. With this in mind, let us read Romans 13:1-7 so you can see how the Apostle Paul COMPARE Christians submitting ourselves to the SUPREME authority of Almighty God Himself to LIKEWISE submit ourselves to pay the TAXES of our governments, city, state, and federal taxes. Please read Romans 13:1-7. “Let every soul be subject unto the HIGHER powers. (Or the SUPREME authority of Almighty God Himself) FOR (Or BECAUSE) there is no power but of God: the powers that be (Or the INFLUENCING authorities in the church) are ORDAINED of God. (Or were SET in authority by the Holy Spirit, according to 1 Corinthians 12:18-31) 2. Whosoever therefore resists the power, resists the ordinance of God: (Notice that the word “ordinance” is SINGULAR! In other words, what is the ONE SINGLE COMMAND of Almighty God that we MUST obey in order to be saved? We must BELIEVE in Jesus as the Christ, the Son of the living God. The Greek word translated as “ordinance: in the KJV also means the INSTITUTION of God, speaking of the church as being the “authorities that be”) and those that resist (This ONE commandment of God, the ONLY name given among men whereby we MUST be saved) shall receive to themselves damnation. (Now, the greater context is the controversy over the Law of Moses being imposed upon Christians which violates the Law of LIBERTY whereby we as Christians shall be JUDGED, according to James 2:12) 3. For rulers (Or more precisely, the FIRST in RANK, speaking of the Apostles of Jesus Christ being ORDAINED by God to be the influencing authority in the INSTITUTION of the church) are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Will you then not be afraid of the power? Do that which is good, and you shall have praise of the same: 4. For he is the MINISTER of God to you for good. (So the CONTEXT has NOTHING to do with world GOVERNMENTS. But rather, the powers the be are the leaders of the church that have been called as set by the Holy Spirit) But if you do that which is evil, be afraid; for he bears not the sword (Speaking of the WORD of God, the Holy Bible. And more particularly, the New Covenant written in the New Testament is the Sword of the Spirit. And no true minister of God bears the Sword of the Spirit) in vain: for he is the MINISTER of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that does evil. (Do you not know that the HONOR to execute the WRATH of God has been given to ALL of the SAINTS, according to Psalm ?) 5. Wherefore, you must be subject, (To the SUPREME authority that God has ORDAINED to MINISTER to the world the ONE COMMAND of God) not only for wrath, but also for conscience's sake. 6. For, for this cause (Or Therefore, for THIS, speaking of for the church’s sake) pay you tribute ALSO: for they are God's ministers, (Or they are God’s PUBLIC SERVANTS is one possible meaning. This is a DIFFERENT Greek word than the one in Romans 13:4 translated as he is a MINISTER of God. Verse 4 is definitely referring to a Pastor, deacon, or teacher in the church and NOT a “servant of a worldly government”. Now, the Greek word in verse 6 could ALSO refer to a minister of the GOSPEL as well) attending continually upon this very thing. 7 Render therefore, to all their dues: (Or the laborer is WORTHY of his hire, according to Luke 10:7) tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honor to whom honor.” The word translated as “tribute” in the KJV carries the meaning of giving something in return for a LOAD that has been borne. But it also means TAX. So verse 6 can be “interpreted” either way, as a PUBLIC government servant, or as a minister of the gospel that is worthy of his or her hire. Now IF one demands the word translated as minister in verse 6 to dogmatically mean a “government official”, then Paul is simply COMPARING our submitting to the SUPREME authority of Almighty God to ALSO teach us to submit to paying our TAXES. So it might have been that the Roman government was levying high unjust taxes and Christians during that day were RESISTING the governmental authority to pay the TAXES that they OWED the Roman government. So for the SAKE of the “institution” of the church submit yourself to pay your TAXES. So to me, this passage of Scripture is NOT teaching us to BLINDLY obey the law of the LAND. And it definitely does NOT teach that God ORDAINED all of the EVIL governments in the world as Calvinist Christians WRONGLY CLAIM. There are no less than 10 verses of Scripture that SEEM to be saying that every leader of every country in every office was specifically placed there by Almighty God Himself. But is that the God INTENDED interpretation of these 10 verses of Scripture? So ALWAYS keep Acts 5:29 in mind when INTERPRETING the following verses of Scripture. CLEARLY, we must obey the HIGHER powers over the worldly government powers, even if the government officials cast us into prison for obeying Almighty God to LOVE one another. Acts 5:29 ESV.“But Peter and the Apostles answered, ‘We must obey God rather than men’.” This verse of Scripture CLEARLY teaches us to obey Almighty God OVER submitting to MEN that command us to do something AGAINST what God has commanded us to do. So then, this is the SOUND BIBLICAL meaning of ALL of the verses that SEEM to be saying that we must obey EVIL governments because God Himself ORDAINED them. In other words, MOST of the following verses of Scriptures that are used to TRY to prove that God ordained every government on earth whether it is evil or whether it is good, have been taken OUT of their CONTEXT. And thus, they have been wrongly “interpreted” to mean something that they are NOT TRULY saying in the LIGHT of the WHOLE word of Almighty God. Hebrews 13:17 ESV.“Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your SOULS, (So to me, this verse is NOT intended to be wrongly interpreted as world government leaders) as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.” 1 Samuel 15:23. “For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have REJECTED the word of the LORD, he has also rejected you from being king.” This verse is sometimes used to argue that it is a sin to REBEL against the GOVERNMENT. They argue that by rebelling against the government we are rejecting the word of God in verses of Scripture like 1 Peter 2:13-17. But that to me, is twisting this verse of Scripture. Let us go ahead and read 1 Peter 2:13-17 with some more CONTEXT. Peter is talking to NEW Gentile Christians concerning walking in LOVE toward our fellow man, saved Jews, unsaved Jews, saved Gentiles, and unsaved Gentiles, including kings and governors that were ESTABLISHED by MAN.
1 Peter 2:11-21.
“Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul; 12. Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God on the day of visitation. 13. Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake: (Or more precisely, submit yourself to every CREATION, FORMATION, ESTABLISHMENT, or INSTITUTION made by MAN) whether it be to the king, as supreme; 14. 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. (So here in these verses of Scripture we see that the governments in the world are made by MEN and NOT be God. And when we obey God, then any GOOD government cannot say they we are evildoers) 15. For so is the will of God, that with well doing you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men: 16. As free, and not using your liberty for a cloak of maliciousness, but as the servants of God. 17. Honor ALL men. (And NOT just the people in the worldy governmental authority) Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king. 18. Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the bad and harsh. 19. For this is thankworthy, if a man, for conscience toward God, endures grief, suffering wrongfully. (In other words, IF you are thrown in jail for preaching the gospel lawfully, then SUFFER that wrong doing of the government) 20. For what glory is it, if, when you are buffeted for your faults, you shall take it patiently? But if, when you do well, and suffer for it, you take it patiently, this is acceptable with God. 21. For even hereunto were you called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow his steps:”
Titus 3:1-4,8-11.
“PUT them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates, to be ready to every good work, (Or correctly, according to the CONTEXT in Titus 1 and 2, REMIND them, the DECEIVERS and vain talkers, of the FIRST principles, and for them to submit to the PERSUASIONS of those in authority over them in every good work so that they will to be ready for the coming of Jesus. Remind them) 2. To speak evil of no man, to NOT be brawlers, but gentle, shewing all meekness unto ALL men. 3. For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another. 4. But AFTER that the kindness and love of God our Savior toward man appeared,... …8. This is a faithful saying, and these things I will for you to affirm constantly, that they who have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable for men. 9. But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and STRIVINGS about the law; (NOT the law of the government, by the Law of Moses) for they are unprofitable and vain. (So the CONTEXT is about Christian teachers to teach in AUTHORITY to PUT HERETICS in remembrance of the CHIEF principles of the FAITH to RECEIVE the teaching that is working to their GOOD. But do this in MEEKNESS without STRIVING in heated debates) 10. A man that is an HERETIC after the first and second admonition reject; 11. Knowing that he who is such, is subverted, and sins, being condemned of himself.”
So again, the poor translation of Titus 3:1,2 in the KJV may SEEM to be saying to obey the governments of the world, but in truth, according to the CONTEXT, this passage of Scripture is about obeying the TEACHINGS of the TRUE gospel of Jesus Christ. And the SAME is true with the next passage of Scripture.
1 Timothy 2:1-15.
“I exhort THEREFORE, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for ALL men; (Whenever you see the words “therefore” and “wherefore” find out the REASON those words are there FOR. The CONTEXT in chapter 1 is about FALSE teachers) 2. For kings, and for all that are in authority; that WE may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. (For you see, in the days of the early church, the Jews would stir up so much controversy that would cause STRIVINGS in the public streets. And the governmental authorities would arrest the Christians being blamed by the Jews as causing the disturbance. So Paul is exhorting Christians to pray for ALL men including the kings and those in authority) 3. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior; 4. Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. (Remember king Agrippa said to the Apostle Paul, You almost PERSUADED me to be a Christian? So then, PRAYER, before, during and after witnessing is good for ALL men) 5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; 6. Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time. 7. Whereunto I am ordained a preacher, and an Apostle, (I speak the TRUTH in Christ, and lie not;) a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and TRUTH. 8. I will therefore, that men PRAY everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.”
So then, while it is GOOD to pray for the leaders of our country, state, county, city, and community, the main CONTEXT is about having PEACE. And PRAYER is a vital key to exposing FALSE teaching without having wrath and doubting. Now, the following passages of Scripture are the most widely used verses to try to prove that ALL of the world governments were ORDAINED by Almighty God to BE as they ARE. In other words, SOME Christians wrongly teach that an EVIL government such as the reign of Hitler was ORDAINED to be by Almighty God Himself.
John 19:7-12.
“The Jews answered him, We have a law, and by our law he ought to die, because he made himself the Son of God. 8. When Pilate therefore heard that saying, he was the more afraid; 9. And went again into the judgment hall, and said unto Jesus, From where are you? But Jesus gave him no answer. 10. Then said Pilate unto him, Speak you not unto me? Knowest you not that I have power to crucify you, and have power to release you? 11. Jesus answered, You could have no power at all against me, except it were given to you from above: therefore, he that delivered me unto you has the greater sin. 12. And from thenceforth, Pilate sought to release him: but the Jews cried out, saying, If you let this man go, you are not Caesar's friend: whosoever makes himself a king speaks against Caesar.”
Notice that Jesus said that God gave or ordained the authority to CRUCIFY His Son, Jesus. It does NOT say that God set Pilate to be the governor of Judea. So then, the power given by God was AGAINST His Messiah to FULFILL God’s ORDAINED plan of SALVATION. And this SAME fulfilling of God’s PLAN of salvation is the God INTENDED meaning of the next two passages of Scriptures as well.
Daniel 2:21.
“Daniel answered and said, Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever: for wisdom and might are his: 21. And He changes the times and the seasons: He removes kings, and sets up kings: He gives wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding:”
Now, the CONTEXT is about the kingdoms PROPHESIED in the DREAM given to king Nebuchadnezzar. And God watches over His word of PROPHECY to PERFORM it, according to Deuteronomy 9:5, 1 Kings 6:12, and Jeremiah 1:12. So then, whatever God SAID in His word, God will bring it to pass. And the DREAM was given to the king to reveal the future through the prophetic interpretation of the dream. So yes, God removes kings and sets up kings to FULFILL His word of PROPHECY. But that does NOT mean that God ordained every evil ACT of every king in the entire world. And thus, Christians MUST OBEY evil corrupt governments in the countries in which they live. Did Daniel OBEY king Nebuchadnezzar to bow down to the IMAGE he set up? NO! Absolutely NOT! And Daniel was thrown in the fiery furnace for DISOBEYING king Nebuchanezzar. And for the faith of Daniel, God delivered him without Daniel even having the SMELL of smoke on him.
Daniel 4:17.
“This matter is by the decree of the watchers, and the demand by the word of the holy ones: to the INTENT that the living may know that the most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomsoever He will, and sets up over it the basest of men.”
Now, the mainstream “interpretation” of the verse of Scripture is that God is in CONTROL of every government in the world. But to me, this is a PROPHECY of Satan, the god of this world being cut down and ANOTHER being PROMOTED to be Yahweh’s King of kings and Lord of lords over the ONE Kingdom of men in the world to come to JUDGE Satan and the fallen angels. The basest of MEN is a prophecy of Yahweh committing the RULE over the earth to the San of MAN, Jesus, and to the faithful Christians who will rule and reign WITH our Lord and Savior for 1000 years during the age to come, the Millennial reign of Jesus. God prophesied in Psalm 89: that He would make His FIRSTBORN higher than the kings of the earth. And we shall be made the kings of the earth under and subject to our King, Jesus, who is under and subject to the Eternal King, the INVISIBLE God in ONE person who alone is the Father. Jesus said in John 18:36,37, to this END he was BORN to be the King of Israel.
John 18:36,37.
“Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence. 37. Pilate therefore, said unto him, Are you a king then? Jesus answered, You say that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth hears my voice.”
So then, the beginning is also the ENDING. Let me explain what I mean by the BEGINNING is the ENDING. The ending of WHAT? The ending of WAR, VIOLENCE, and all evil. The ending of the ancient king of Babylon, Satan, the god of this present world, according to 2 Corinthians 4:4. Revelation 9:11 teaches us that Satan is a king over the fallen angels and this present world called Babylon. Satan’s name is Abbadon, the destroying angel, in Hebrew and Apollyon, the destroyer, in Greek. Some prophecy teachers have given us the wrong idea that Babylon is a single city or a single country, but, in truth, Babylon is the entire WORLD SYSTEM that is controlled by the king of Baylon, Satan, the god of this present WORLD system. And God is in the process of DETHRONING Satan and PROMOTING His new King, His Messiah, Jesus, to be the King of kings over the whole earth for 1000 years in the world to come. And by the highly exalted Son of MAN, Jesus ruling for 1000 years WITHOUT any WARS, God will JUDGE the world by the MAN, Jesus whom He ORDAINED and raised from the dead.
Please read Acts 17:29-31.
“Forasmuch, then, as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by are and man's device. 30. And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commands all men everywhere to repent: 31. Because He has appointed a day, in which He will judge the world in righteousness BY that MAN whom He has ORDAINED; whereof He has given assurance unto all men, in that He has raised him from the dead.”
In other words, Almighty God the Father, the one true God is ONE PERSON ordained or PROPHESIED that His chosen Son of MAN would be made His King over the earth in order to JUDGE the ancient king over the earth who was once a GOOD Elohim. But Lucifer was lifted up by his PRIDE and he coerced one third of the angels to wage WAR against the throne of Almighty God their creator. And God cut down the heavens and the earth and the earth became VOID and empty in order to BEGIN a NEW BEGINNING to JUDGE Satan and the fallen angels. So then, the TRUTH of the matter concerning the “INTERPRETATION” that God CREATED EVIL is simply a BAD TRANSLATION. For you see, the Hebrew word that is translated in most uses a CREATED also means to CUT DOWN and DESTROY. Please read the study called Q-4. Isaiah 45:7-DID GOD CREATE EVIL? But for now, please know and understand that the Hebrew word “bara” ALSO means to CUT DOWN and destroy. And God is in the process of CUTTING DOWN the king of Babylon, Satan, the god of this present world, to PROMOTE another in his place in order to make PEACE on earth and goodwill toward men. Please read all of the studies under the heading >>>Q-0. WHY are we HERE?-Is God at WAR?<<< For you see, once you truly understand the BIG PICTURE for WHY God created humans in the first place, then you will understand the REST of the Bible. Thanks for reading, and may God bless you richly as you continue to seek the TRUTH of the WHOLE word of Almighty God. And to me, the truth concerning who Jesus TRULY is, according to the Bible ITSELF, is the Biblical Unitarian view of Jesus. So, for ALL of the studies on the Biblical Unitarian view of Jesus, please click on the subject heading >>>D-0. THE BIBLICAL UNITARIAN VIEW of JESUS!<<< And for the SUBJECT on the true foundation of the church, please click on the subject heading >>>C-0. THE TRUE FOUNDATION OF THE CHURCH!<<< This way you can just send ONE link to those who you want to share the TRUE sound Biblical FOUNDATIONAL teachings of the church that Jesus and his Apostles taught in the first century church.
Your brother in our Lord Jesus Christ, Brother Mark.
My heartfelt prayer is that all Christians RETURN to the TRUE FOUNDATION of the church that is taught by the very Apostles of Jesus in the first century. So let us all come into the UNITY of the faith and return to what Jesus and his Apostles taught us in SIMPLICITY in the New Testament.
To learn more TRUTH, then please return to
VERSES USED TO TEACH THAT JESUS PREEXISTED!
To me, the best way to know the ONE true God in ONE person is to know who Jesus TRULY is according to the WHOLE word of Almighty God. So please read ALL of the studies under the heading >>>N-0. WHO is JESUS ACCORDING to the BIBLE?<<< and you will see that the Bible itself teaches us that Jesus was CREATED by his God and Father. And if you have any questions related to the correct meaning of certain verses of Scripture on this subject of who Jesus is please read all the studies under the two headings >>>U-0. VERSES used for THE TRINITY!<<< and >>>V-0. VERSES used to TEACH that Jesus PRE-EXISTED!<<< These two headings have ALL of the studies that I have on who Jesus truly is according to what the Bible itself teaches us in simplicity. I compiled these three headings to make it easy for my readers to send just one, two, or three links to those you desire to help understand what the Bible itself teaches concerning who Jesus is in the LIGHT of the WHOLE word of Almighty God. If you have any questions, please feel free to write to me. My contact email is MarkatAMatterOfTruth@Gmail .com. Thanks again for reading and may God bless you richly as you continue to seek the truth of the whole word of Almighty God.
Your Brother in our Lord Jesus Christ, Brother Mark.
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