"Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same. For he is God's minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God's minister, an avenger to [execute] wrath on him who practices evil." (Romans 13:1-4)I will attempt to address the following questions:
1)Is every government that exists appointed by God, even the bad ones?
2)Should we obey a government even if it's tyrannical?
3)Is it okay to criticize governing authorities that are appointed by God?
4)Were our Founding Fathers sinning when they rebelled against England?
1)Is every government that exists appointed by God, even the bad ones?
"And He changes the times and the seasons; He removes kings and raises up kings; He gives wisdom to the wise And knowledge to those who have understanding."(Dan 2:21)
"For exaltation comes neither from the east Nor from the west nor from the south. But God is the Judge: He puts down one, And exalts another." (Psalms 75:6-7)
"Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God." (Romans 13:1)
From the above scriptures we can conclude that God can and does appoint leaders. Mosses and David are two examples of God raising men up and giving them authority over others. However if we examine other scriptures we see Satan is also in the business of appointing leaders.
Satan is described as the god of this world (2 Cr 4:4). Likewise John says the whole world is under the control of the evil one (1Jo 5:19). Satan tempted Jesus by showing Him all the kingdoms of the world and said all the authority (of these kingdoms) would be given to Him if He would worship Satan. This claim of ownership was never contested by Jesus and Satan could not tempt Jesus with something he did not have (Luke 4:5-7). Matthew 12:26 acknowledges that Satan has a kingdom. The Book of Daniel (Dan 10:20) describes two spiritual principalities, the prince of Persia (Persia was the dominate power of that day) and the prince of Greece (Alexander the Great became the next power), indicating Satan does have influence over the kingdoms over the earth. In Ezekiel 28 Satan is described as the King of Tyre who was the real power behind the power of Tyre. Satan's man The Anti-Christ will have authority over every tribe, nation, tongue (Rev 13:7). Revelation 13:2 makes it clear this authority comes from Satan not from God, "The dragon (Satan) gave him his power, his throne, and great authority."
So are all authorities appointed by God? I think the key is in Romans 13:3-4. "Rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil"... For he is "God's minister" to you "for good". That would exclude Hitler, Stalin, the Anti-Christ or any other tyrannical leader that does not intend to do you good. In no way can evil leaders be considered God's ministers. If rulers are evil then God did not appoint them.
2)Should we obey a government even if it's tyrannical?
I certainly believe we should be law abiding citizens and submit to governing authorities. Romans 13 makes it clear we should obey the laws and pay our taxes, especially if we want things to go well with us. Jesus also said to "Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s. (Mark12:17)"
However does that mean we should submit to tyrannical governments? I don't believe so, for what will be God’s if all things are Caesar’s? The last part of Mark 13:17 clarifies there are some things which belong only to God. If laws contradict the Word of God we are not obligated to obey them. Peter said "we ought to obey God than man. (Acts 5:29)" There are many biblical examples of men and women not submitting to authority when it contradicted with the Word of God:
Mosses mother defied the Pharaoh's command to kill all Hebrew babies (Exodus 1:15-21)
Mosses defied Pharaoh to free his people.
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refused to worship the golden image. (Daniel 3:18)
Daniel did not obey the decree not to petition any god or man for thirty days, except the king.
Mary and Joseph did not obey Herod's command to kill the baby boys. (Mat 2:16)
An angel did not obey the governing authorities when he broke Peter out of jail (Acts 12:6-11) or when God broke Paul and Silas out of jail (Acts 16:25-34)
Mordecai refused to bow down to the Persian magistrate Haman. (Esther 3:5
Seven thousand in Israel refused to bow down and worship Baal. (I Kings 19:18)
Christians were routinely persecuted for preaching the gospel because the authorities had forbidden it.
An angel warns the people not to take the Mark of the Beast even though the Anti-Christ is given authority to cause all to receive his mark. (Rev 13:16, Rev 14:9)
3)Is it okay to criticize authorities that are appointed by God?
It is certainly acceptable to rebuke authorities if they are in error. Paul rebuked Peter after he segregated himself from the gentiles and would not eat with them (Galatians 2:11-21). This was the same Peter who was given great authority by Jesus to carry on his work after his departure (Mat 16:17-19). The early Christians had no reservations in criticizing evil rulers:
"Never shall I pray for the emperor’s well-being or for his great and brave regiments but that they may be faithful soldiers and in the water of Christ be born again for the Father and receive from heaven the Comforter himself, that they may cast off the darkness of idolatry and see the light of eternal hope which does not flow into the humours of the eyes gleaming through the windows of the body, but shines in pure hearts within. …I assure you I shall never obey one who commands a sin.” -St. Romanus, right before he was martyred in the early fourth century
"Torture, imprisonment, the claws, the hissing red-hot plate, even the final suffering of death, are all mere sport to Christians. How vain and futile are you rulers! How senseless Caesar’s decree!" -St. Vincent of Saragossa
"Here am I, a foe to the worship of evil spirits; I trample idols under foot, and with heart and lips I confess God. Isis, Apollo, Venus–they are naught; Maximian himself too is naught; they because they are works of men’s hands, both worthless, both naught. Though Maximian, lord of power and yet himself vassalage to figures of stone, prostitute himself to his gods and make himself over to them, why does he persecute noble hearts?" -St. EulaliaThe big difference between now and then is those people couldn't vote, they had an Emperor. We on the other hand have elected officials that are supposed to be accountable to us. We don't serve them, they are supposed to serve us.
4)Were our Founding Fathers sinning when they when they rebelled against England?
Romans 13:1 says the authorities that exist are appointed by God and that every soul should be subject to those governing authorities. However Romans 13:3-4 defines these governing authorities ordained by God as "not a terror to good works, but to evil" who are God's ministers, in other words Romans 13 is talking about just governments. There is no mention of obeying unjust governments. Was British monarch a just government? You can decide for yourself. The Declaration of Independence lists the many grievances against the King of Great Britain.
As noted above Satan can also ordain leaders, and we must also take into account our own freewill when we elect leaders. If God ordains every government then why does Hosea 8:4 say "They set up kings, but not by Me; They made princes, but I did not acknowledge [them]." If the Found Fathers were guilty of sin when they rebelled against England then Mosses would also be guilty when he rebelled against Pharaoh.
I believe Christians who think it was wrong to rebel against King George largely do so because of there views on Romans 13:1 and God's sovereignty in all things. However Christians living during that era would disagree. They believed it was obedience to God to rebel against tyrants and would often cite Galatians 5:1 "Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage." Pastors were activity involved in rebellion against the King and preached it from the pulpits two decades leading up to the American Revolution. Clergymen named the Black Robe Regiment fought in the war of Independence. King George reportedly denounced the American Revolution as "a Presbyterian Rebellion". The Reverend Nathaniel Whitaker, citing Joshua 11, wrote:
"[W]hile all the peace in his kingdom, for aught we find, God commands Israel to raise an army, and invade the tyrant’s dominions. The moral reason for this is obvious. For usurpation or oppression, is offensive war, already levied. Any state which usurps power over another state, or rulers, who by a wanton use of their power, oppress their subjects, do thereby break the peace and commence an offensive war. In such a case opposition is mere self-defense, and is no more criminal, yea, as really our duty to defend ourselves against murderer, or highway robber. Self-preservation is an instinct God implanted in our nature. Therefore we sin against God and nature, when we tamely resign our rights to tyrants, or quietly submit to public oppressors, if it be in our power to defend ourselves"
http://www.davekopel.com/Religion/Religious-Roots-of-the-American-Revolution.pdf
