Exploring Romans #19

Hitler was a cruel and ungodly man

There was a Pastor by the name of Dietrich Bonhoeffer living in Germany during Hitlers reign.

He stood against the oppression of the Jews and vastly disagreed with Hitlers policies.

Hitler sensing the opposition from the Christian communities and knowing he would never be able to fulfill his visions of dictatorship devised an ingenious plan.

He held a Nazi conclave and had them vote in many leaders into church power all around Germany.

So these men go straight to the pulpit and typewriters to preach .

So as you can see during this political campaign Hitler is using scripture to corrupt rather sane minded people in order to get them to follow his leadership no matter how preposterous it may have seemed.

He started a church named the Confession Church.

So Bonhoeffer started a church named the Confession Church which eventually had to go underground and into hiding from the German government.

As the war begin to unfold, Bonhoeffer began to get involved in the intelligence community and when he discovered what Hitlers plans of genocide were he helped plot his assassination.

I’m sure he must have wrestled with when he decided whether or not he should rebel against his government.

The assassination would be unsuccessful and Bonhoeffer was eventually tried and hanged before the war ended.

Here recently we had one of our own congressmen quote in order to persuade people to obey the government.

Attorney General Jeff Sessions quoted while speaking of illegal immigrants being arrested and deported.

His comments had the secular world in a frenzy, there were people pulling out their bibles on various talk shows and even a late night comedian was found reading the bible to make fun and disprove Sessions remarks.

However if we look only at we can easily see why it is so often misinterpreted.

So here’s the thing about scripture like this, if it doesn’t seem right at face value we must look deeper then the surface. Here’s my take on verses like these.

Anytime we run into an unclear passage of scripture we must interpret it in light of the more clear passages.

Romans 13:1-8

Romans 13:1–7 NKJV

1 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. 2 Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves. 3 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. 4 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. 5 Therefore you must be subject, not only because of wrath but also for conscience’ sake. 6 For because of this you also pay taxes, for they are God’s ministers attending continually to this very thing. 7 Render therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor.

So as you can see during his political campaign Hitler is using scripture to corrupt rather sane minded people in order to get them to follow his leadership no matter how preposterous it may have seemed.

So Bonhoeffer started a church named the Confession Church which eventually had to go underground and into hiding from the German government.

As the war begin to unfold, Bonhoeffer began to get involved in the intelligence community and when he discovered what Hitlers plans of genocide were he helped plot his assassination.

I’m sure he must have wrestled with when he decided whether or not he should rebel against his government.

The assassination would be unsuccessful and Bonhoeffer was eventually tried and hanged before the war ended.

Here recently we had one of our own congressmen quote in order to persuade people to obey the government.

Attorney General Jeff Sessions quoted while speaking of illegal immigrants being arrested and deported.

His comments had the secular world in a frenzy, there were people pulling out their bibles on various talk shows and even a late night comedian was found reading the bible to make fun and disprove Sessions remarks.

However if we look only at we can easily see why it is so often misinterpreted.

So here’s the thing about scripture like this, if it doesn’t seem right at face value we must look deeper then the surface. Here’s my take on verses like these.

Anytime we run into an unclear passage of scripture we must interpret it in light of the more clear passages.

I want to look at 5 things today

History of wrestling with

What It Can’t Mean

That this verse advocates any form of government.

God establishes authority and that they are always right.

that we should never revolt against governmental authority.

1 Corinthians 6:1–6 NKJV

1 Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unrighteous, and not before the saints? 2 Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world will be judged by you, are you unworthy to judge the smallest matters? 3 Do you not know that we shall judge angels? How much more, things that pertain to this life? 4 If then you have judgments concerning things pertaining to this life, do you appoint those who are least esteemed by the church to judge? 5 I say this to your shame. Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you, not even one, who will be able to judge between his brethren? 6 But brother goes to law against brother, and that before unbelievers!

history has proven that governments are often corrupt.

Nebuchadnezzar thru the prophets into the furnace

Herod was manipulated by a stripper

Mary and Joseph had to flee because of Herod’s decree

Moses’ mom hid him from the government agents.

The Magi disobeyed Herod after they visited Jesus

Peter said it is better to obey God rather than man.

Peter also escaped prison.

Paul ran and hid from the law at times.

What It Must Mean

We should obey the government when it aligns with the word of God.

IOW we should obey ALL Just laws.

What it Could Mean

Everyone would have known about corrupt government because the had lived through Herod and were currently living under Nero.

Herod

Nero

Murdered his own father to be the emperor.

Murdered his own mother to keep her from overthrowing his kingdom

What Do We Do With It.

What Do We Do With It.

What Do We Do With It.

Lets go back to

Look at Romans 12:18 and live peaceably with all men