Duties Toward State Authorities Romans 13:
By Anakata2007
@Anakata2007 (1783)
Canada
March 11, 2007 6:02am CST
This verse states that everyone should obey state authorities because these authorities don't exist without God's permission. Whoever opposes the existing authorities opposes what God has ordered.
Please tell me this doesn't mean that George Bush and guys like Saddam Hussein were put in power by God? There must be something else that I am missing. To me Saddam Hussein was a scary and cruel dictator, and George Bush doesn't seem to be doing the best job either, to put it mildly. Not to mention all the other leaders in power at this moment in time.
Please help. Thanks. :)
AK
1 response
@manong05 (5027)
• Philippines
11 Mar 07
Personally, I believe that "submission" and "obedience" to the state authorities is qualified by the phrase "don't exist without God's permission". The implication is, governance should not go beyond the established principles of good and bad, moral and immoral as outlined in the Scriptures. The evils of a dictatorship and democratic abuse of power are not included in the design of God for governments. Considering the immediate context of the above mentioned verses, the early believers are under an oppresive regime but they found it necessary to obey the government but when confronted with issues that they have to decide, they would rather obey God rather than men and to render to Caesar what is Caesar's and to God what is
God's.
Governments are worthy of obedience if their main concern is the welfare of the people they govern. In this context, they have the "permission" of God.
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