Chapter 13 Part 1

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The first seven verses of Romans Chapter 13 have been some of the most misused and abused verses by clergymen and governments alike – the false teaching of total submission to all government authority.

So first off lets tackle the false idea of total submission to government authority;  this has lead to the loss of more Christian/believers dominion/territory in the religio-polictical landscape than any other false doctrine of man.…….(explain).

Matthew 15:7 Hypocrites! Rightly did Isaiah prophesy about you, saying, ‘This people honors Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me.:9  And in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’”

The ethics of First Century Roman taxation are likely the context (vs 6-7), and a prior incident that had erupted in ancient Rome is probably guiding Paul’s instruction here.

The Roman believers had been swayed by their fellow citizens to a resistance to paying taxes to an increasingly predatory Roman government – more legislation, less freedom – all done in the name of ‘peace and freedom.’

In Nero’s early years, he considered abolishing indirect taxes as opposed to direct tax paid as tribute by a conquered nation.

Some scholars believe that it’s not actually the Roman government that’s in view here, but instead submission of the non Jewish, Greek and Roman believers to Jewish religious authority.

Judeo-Christianity is a rotting limb from the Talmudic tree that infiltrated Christianity during the 20th century;  and has produced the fruit of todays religio-politics; which has in turn; resulted in the blind wonderment to everything Israel, and the resulting unquestioning adherence to a growing tide of governmental rule funded from this Talmudic tree.

Over the next few weeks we’re going to look in depth into Romans 13 and investigate the Scriptural validity to “total submission to government”, we’re going to investigate the Scriptural validity into the “Patriot Movement” – or “Constitutionalist’s Movement”, we’re going to find out how יהוה has called us to interact and react with our host nations governing powers.

Romans 13:1 Let every person submit himself to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from יהוה, and those that exist are put in place by יהוה
Romans 13:2  So whoever opposes the authority has resisted YHWH’s direction, and those who have resisted will bring judgment on themselves.
Romans 13:3  For leaders cause no fear for good behavior, but for bad. Now if you do not want to fear the authority, do what is good and you will get his approval—
Romans 13:4  for he is YHWH’s servant to you for your good. But if you do evil, be afraid—for he does not carry the sword for no reason; for he is YHWH’s servant, an avenger who inflicts punishment on the evildoer
Romans 13:5  Therefore it is necessary to be in submission—not only because of punishment but also because of conscience.
Romans 13:6  For this reason you also pay taxes, for the authorities are YHWH’ servants, attending diligently to this very thing.
Romans 13:7  Pay to everyone what is due them—tribute to whom tribute is due; tax to whom tax is due; respect to whom respect is due; honor to whom honor is due. Fulfilling the Law Through Love.

Vs. 1-7 the Judeo-Christian interpretation: יהוה has established the governing authorities therefore it’s our duty and honor to submit to them in decree and judgement at any given time.

Now we know from the backdrop of the Tanakh that on the whole the governments of the world have been established by יהוה at least in some function:

Isaiah 45:1 Thus says יהוה to Cyrus, His anointed, whom I have taken by the right hand, to subdue nations before him and to loose the loins of kings, to open doors before him so that gates will not be shut. 

Proverbs 8:15 By me kings reign, and rulers decree justice, By me princes rule, and nobles, all who judge rightly. 

John 19:11 Yeshua said, “ You would have no authority over me, unless it had been given you from above.” 

But none of these verses support blind obedience, in-fact the bible warns us that…..

Hosea 5:11 Ephraim is oppressed and broken in judgment, because he willingly walked after the commandments of man. 

Acts 17:5 And the unbelieving Jews (there’s you’re Talmudic root) ,having been moved with envy, and having taken to them, certain lewd fellows of the baser sort, and having made a crowd, were setting the city in an uproar; having assailed also the house of Jason, they were seeking them to bring them to the populace,

Act 17:6  and not having found them, they drew Jason and certain brethren unto the city rulers, calling aloud—’These, having put the world in commotion, are also here present, 7  whom Jason hath received; and these all do contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying another to be king—Yahusha’ 8  And they troubled the multitude and the city rulers, hearing these things, 9  and having taking security from Jason and the rest, they let them go.

The Talmudic Jews –  V.5;  filled with hate and envy for the followers of Yahusha sought to bring them in front of the cities governing authorities and set them up as adversaries to the state based upon presumptions and assumptions, drawing them into the system and leading them into the loose, from which they could easily hang themselves.

Meekness; is strength under control:  Now the man Moses was very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth…The meek will he guide in judgment: and the meek will he teach his way……But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace…..יהוה  lifteth up the meek: he casteth the wicked down to the ground……But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth…..unto the meek; he hath sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;…..Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.

Yahusha’s disciples obviously preached and lived an unconditional submission to King Yahusha in contrast to a limited submission to worldly governing authorities, always ready to resist and disobey a Nero – or;  anti-Christ authority!

“Rebellion to tyrants is obedience to God.” Thomas Jefferson.

Acts 5:29, 41-42  Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey יהוה rather than men……And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name.

And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Yahusha Ha Moshiach.

Be careful where you stand: Proverbs 17:15 He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the just, even they both are abomination to יהוה .

Romans 13:1 Let every person submit himself to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from יהוה, and those that exist are put in place by יהוה. 

Judeo-Christian interpretation: God has established every ruler so believers should submit to those God has placed over them.” 

A rulers authority has limits – יהוה has given no absolute and unlimited power to man above the law.

British jurist Sir William Blackstone encapsulated v. 1 well in 1765 when he said; “no human laws are of any validity if contrary to this;  the law of God.” 

Paul is informing the Romans community that they’re to obey the laws of the magistrates so far as they govern according to the law of יהוה.

But look; Paul is also commanding the governing authorities themselves to be in subjection to יהוה’s laws; they’re not above the laws themselves,  but bound by them….

and any magistrate that takes upon himself to act contrary to what Paul makes the duty of those in authority; then neither is that power nor that magistrate ordained by יהוה – they just disqualified themselves by their actions (Caiaphus), so consequently, to such a magistrate no subjection is commanded or due.

Such a magistrate or power the Roman believers aren’t forbidden to resist, because by doing so they’re not resisting a magistrate or power;  but a pirate, a tyrant and an enemy.

In the 1770’s Pastor Samuel West said before the signing of the Declaration of Independence; “the same principles which oblige us to submit to government do equally oblige us to resist tyranny; or that tyranny and magistracy are so opposed to each other that where the one begins the other ends.”  

Believers have always had to reject civil authority when it becomes a conflict of interest; a civil authority that isn’t set up and sanctioned by יהוה and is no longer enforcing His laws is not a legitimate authority according to Paul in V.1……”let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power if not of Elohim.”

Romans 13:2  So whoever opposes the authority has resisted YHWH’s direction, and those who have resisted will bring judgment on themselves. 

Judeo-Christian interpretation: “If you resist the governing authorities you’re rebelling against God and you’ll be punished by God”. 

The fact is we live in “MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.”

V.2 Paul is saying believers being in resistance or rebellion against authority is wrong……but only against lawful or Yah-commissioned government authority is his point!

Ephesians 5:11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them.

Paul’s saying, that resisting a just authority, which is inline with יהוה is wrong. You’d be resisting יהוה and therefore you’d be punished by Him.

But this verse isn;’t saying that those who resist unreasonable powers which are contrary to the law of יהוה are resisting יהוה –heaven forbid no! Resisting those who resist YHWH’s will is not the same thing as resisting יהוה.

Daniel committed a crime against the ruling authorities, but he committed no crime against יהוה or against the king when he prayed from his room in violation of the ruling edict.

Daniel 6:21 Then said Daniel unto the king, O king, live for ever. 22  My Elohim hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions’ mouths, that they have not hurt me: forasmuch as before him innocency was found in me; and also before thee, O king, have I committed no crime. 

Romans 13:3  For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil.  Now if you do not want to fear the authority, do what is good and you will get his approval 4  for he is YHWH’s servant to you for your good. 

Judeo-Christian interpretation: be quite, get inline,  be a good citizen and you’ll be left alone. 

V. 3 now begins to unravel the “total submission to government” camps theology.

Paul is speaking of civil rulers, to which believers are to be obedient to because they’re godly rulers who’re exercising their office and power as benefactors to society.

The cilvi rulers are serving both the believing community and society at large.

(Rome had many pro Jewish laws on the books regarding worship and public assembly), because of this service they’re not going to be a ‘terror to good works’, ’but to the evil (in society).’

In this case they’re YHWH’s ministers for good because they protect the believers and society from the evil and execute wrath upon those that do the evil.

V.3 If rulers aren’t ‘a terror for evil’ and if rulers don’t ‘praise the good works’ of the believing community as it serves society then we’re not to acquiesce to their rule.

Were the governing authorities being ‘a terror to evil’ or ‘a terror to good works’ in Acts 4:1  when Peter and John were rounded up before the civil rulers for preaching Yahusha, and doing the ‘good works’ in the healing of the cripple?

Were the civil authorities being ‘a terror to evil’ or ‘a terror to good works’ when they threatened them and commanded them not to speak the name of Yahusha and teach his doctrine as they understood it?  “We ought to obey Yah rather than man!” 

Romans 13:4  For he is the minister of Elohim to thee for good. But if you do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of Elohim, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil.

Judeo-Christian interpretation: more submission. 

Context: the civil government spoken of in verse 4 is ‘the minister’ of the Most High – not ‘the minister’ of ‘Mystery Babylon’. 

Legitimate law; to which ‘the ministers of Elohim’ all govern from has one origin; and it’s not Babylon!

James 4:12 There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who art thou that judgest another?

Isaiah 33.22: For יהוה is our judge, יהוה is our lawgiver, יהוה  is our king; he will save us.

Today our courts judgements are based upon secular humanism, the ever changing morality of man. Their judgements aren’t Elohim’s judgments.

V.4 – ’A Revenger’ – ‘ekdikos’ – one who carries justice out! 

Isaiah 45:24 Only in יהוה are righteousness and strength.

1 John 2:29 If you know that יהוה is righteous, you know that everyone that doeth righteousness is born of him. 

1 John 3:10 In this the children of Elohim are manifest, and the children of S.A.Tan, whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of Elohim.

If the court and chambers are full of judges and magistrates that don’t judge according to righteousness then…..’if you have a matter against another, don’t go to law before the unjust….go instead and stand before the saints…..let brother go to law with brother and not before the heathen…’(1Corinthians 6:1).