For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. For he is God’s minister to you for good, (Romans 13:3-4 NKJV).
After all, they are God’s servants, and it is their duty to help you (verse 4 Contemporary English Version).
One of President Ronald Reagan’s well-known quotes is, “the most terrifying words in the English language are: I’m from the government and I’m here to help.”
The problem is, God’s idea of help and man’s idea of help are two different things. It is the nature of Fallen Man to want to dominate other people.
The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? (Jeremiah 17:9).
The more intrusive the government becomes in matters beyond its God-given responsibility, the more of a threat it becomes to good people. Where God is not acknowledged, honoured and respected, men appoint themselves as God and usurp authority, elevating themselves above God.
Most governments have lost sight of their God-given role in society—to serve people—not to control people.
It is obvious that these verses in Romans 13 assume those in authority are God-fearing leaders whose duty is to place the interests of their own citizens first and foremost before anyone else. Never being a threat. Implementing policies that uphold their God-given rights of freedom of speech, freedom of religion and access to due process under the law.
These verses of scripture should bring up the question, “can all in authority be classified as God’s servants, if they don’t fear God, nor believe His Word, nor regard His laws?
When they weaponize agencies within the government and law enforcement to turn on their own citizens as an act of revenge, can these authorities be regarded as a minister of God for good?
When they impede the efforts of secular and Christian organizations from rescuing their own citizens and fellow Christians out of hostile countries, can such leaders be regarded as ministers of God for good?
When they direct law enforcement agencies to forcibly arrest and handcuff its own citizens for not wearing a paper mask outdoors, are these leaders for good or for evil?
When they require Wuhan virus vaccination mandates for all public and private school children—yet their own children are not vaccinated—do they qualify as ministers of God for good?
When they threaten, bully and intimidate God-fearing, law abiding citizens with illegal, authoritarian mandates, including healthcare workers and those in the military, regardless of their religious exemptions and rights of conscience, while millions of unvetted, illegal aliens invade through open borders without the same mandated requirements, are these ministers of God for good according to Biblical definition?
When they negotiate with and contribute millions in financial aid to terrorist organizations, giving them a path to nuclear weapons that are a threat to Israel and the rest of the free world, can such leaders be regarded as ministers of God for good?
When they aid nations and organizations that murder their own citizens, restrict the practice of Christianity, freedom of speech, and have less respect for women than their own animals, do they meet the criteria for being a minister of God for good.
When elected leaders and unelected government officials feel threatened by the teachings of the Bible and attempt to suppress its influence in government, churches, business, education, entertainment, media, family—the culture-shaping influences in society, can they really be defined as ministers of God for good?
When they lie under oath and commit crimes without any consequences, while a member of the public would be prosecuted to the highest extent of the law, do they fit the Biblical definition of ministers of God for good?
If you believe that, I don’t know what Bible you are reading.
The Word of God has something to say about double standards—they are an abomination to God.
Proverbs 20:10—Divers weights, and divers measures, both of them are alike abomination to the Lord.
God’s Word Translation—A double standard of weights and measures—both are disgusting to the Lord.
Proverbs 20:23—Divers weights are an abomination unto the LORD; and a false balance is not good.
Passion Translation—The Lord hates double standards—that’s hypocrisy at its worst!
I am not describing the tyrants of Nazi Germany, China or Russia. I am describing leaders and authorities in the western world in so-called “Christian” countries. Can such leaders be classified as ministers of God for good according to the whole counsel of God? Such leaders and their policies are actually a threat to good works , when they should only be a threat to evil. They do not meet the criteria required by God to hold any public office or position of authority.
It should be obvious to every Christian that all governments and all authorities are not approved by God. God certainly did not approve of every government leader in the Bible. In fact, He often sent a preacher to tell them, “get your house in order or else.” Why? Because nations under leaders who don’t fear God nor believe His Word have always degenerated and been brought to desolation and ruin.
History continues to repeat itself with no lessons learned from the past. If the leaders of Israel at the time of the destruction of Jerusalem in 70A.D. spent one day in the halls of most governments, they would scream warnings to present day elected officials to take a lesson from the past. So would the Roman senators whose policies promoted taxation, uncontrolled immigration, immorality and political corruption, which paved the way for the collapse of the Roman Empire.
There should be no confusion among Christians as to what is good and what is evil, what promotes life and godliness and what promotes immorality and lawlessness, which have destroyed the foundation of every fallen civilization.
This brings up another question. Are Godless authorities to be blindly obeyed? In order to rightly divide the Word we must interpret scripture with other scripture in the Bible (II Timothy 2:15).
These verses in Romans 13 must be interpreted in light of other scripture as found in Acts 5:29. But Peter and the other apostles answered and said: We ought to obey God rather than men. This verse says that human laws and policies that are not law, must be in accordance with the laws of God in order to be obeyed. Where they differ, God is to be obeyed rather than man.
According to Romans 13, what criteria must be met by those in authority in order to be classified as ministers of God for good and qualified to hold public office?
- They must be a threat to evil and lawless people and not a threat to their own citizens who oppose evil.
- Their laws are to be conformable to the laws of God. Someone might say, “but Barb it’s the government’s responsibility to keep us healthy.” No, not at the expense of your personal freedom, civil liberties and rights-of-conscience.It is the government’s responsibility to keep you free, secure your God-given rights and according to Romans 13, to execute judgment on the wrongdoer, not on good people. The only people who should be afraid of the government are people who do wrong.
Governments and those in authority must be God-fearing, conforming their own behaviour and public policies to a standard that pleases God and brings His blessing on the nation.
What is God’s standard?
It is an abomination [to God and men] for kings to commit wickedness, for a throne is established and made secure by righteousness (moral and spiritual rectitude in every area and relation), (Proverbs 16:12 Amplified Classic).
It is incumbent upon the Body of Christ at this time to hold forth God’s standard and demand it from those in authority. Selah.