In Romans 13:1-4 KJV we read: "Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation. For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same: For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil."
These words have been widely interpreted to simply mean all believers should obey the government because government has been ordained of God. This particular view is a gross distortion of the truth. In this context, I've found that when a superficial reading of a certain text somehow doesn't seem logical, it's useful to look at the actions of the writer to see if his life and actions are consistent with your interpretation of his teaching. In short, when Paul writes that "they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation," but the book of Acts shows Paul repeatedly doing just that, there must be something wrong with our understanding of the text. And that's precisely what we see throughout the New Testament.
It is noteworthy that modern copyrighted “versions” of The Holy Bible have changed the phrase “higher powers” to merely “governing authorities,” thereby obscuring the necessary distinction between Godly authority and ungodly authority, between God’s kingdom and Satan’s kingdom.
When Paul writes in the opening statement of Romans chapter 13, "Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers," the obvious question is who or what are the higher powers? This phrase would have to apply to any higher powers, be they spiritual or earthly. Obviously, in the spiritual realm, there are good and bad powers. On one side we have the Lord and his great angelic host. In the other group, we find Lucifer and "the angels which kept not their first estate" (Jude 1:6). This fallen host most certainly qualifies as a "higher power," for Satan is referred to as the "prince of the power of the air" (Ephesians 2:2). Later in that same book, Paul tells us "We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places" (Ephesians 6:12).
Common sense tells you that Paul is not telling us to be "subject to" the Satanic higher powers in the spiritual realm, so why do we assume he is telling us to be subject to evil earthly powers? How could it be scriptural for us to cooperate with the earthly agency of that spiritual wickedness? The next verse says "Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation." If we resist the evil in the spiritual realm, it's clear we don't receive damnation as a result! How then, could this verse mean if we resist evil in the earthly realm we receive damnation? In other words, in cases where the evil is vested in government, the idea that we are no longer to resist this evil is ludicrous.
Paul is telling us we must not resist the righteous power of God - whether it is manifested in the heavenlies or in various earthly sectors - including righteous government.
When Pilate and Herod give Jesus an order to speak, Christ resists their orders and remains silent (Matthew 27:13, Luke 23:7). When Paul has been beaten illegally by evil men within the Roman government, he refuses their command to come out of the jail and defiantly says "...let them come themselves and fetch us out." (Acts 16:37). That's not resisting?
When Peter is assisted in a jail-break by an angel, how is that obeying the government? (Acts 12:7). Did the Apostle "receive damnation" because he didn't ask the evil rulers 'Can I go now?' The writer of Hebrews tells his readers "ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin" (Hebrews 12:4). That firmly implies the Christians were appropriately resisting the evil, but every instance of that resistance ending in bloodshed occurs at the hands of the authorities. Whom were they resisting? The Evil Authority.
When Stephen was murdered, it was the religious leadership of the Jews that "set up false witnesses" to justify their unlawful crime. They even brought him before the high priest who was in agreement with the heinous killing of the young Christian (Acts 6:13, 7:1, 15). When criminal elements have a position of control and authority within the government, believers have an obligation to resist them--not to twist the scriptures into justification for compliance with an ungodly government. In Damascus, the Jews that had authority under the governmental edict establishing their position (John 11:48) sought to murder Saul (Acts 9:23). Saul escaped over the wall as he left Damascus. That sounds like resistance to me.
Satan is a merchandiser (Ezekiel 28:16), a trafficker (Ezekiel 28:18). Satan offered all the kingdoms of the world to Jesus in the wilderness:
“Again, the devil taketh [Jesus] up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me” (Matthew 4:8, 9).
The merchants, the kings of the earth, sell souls of men (Revelation 18:11-13). They also sell the persons of men (Ezekiel 27:8); person = Latin persona = status; reputation; an actor’s mask These rich men are deceitful; they buy the poor and needy and they use false balances, balances of deceit (Amos 8:4-6; Micah 6:10-12; Hosea 12:7). They love to oppress (Amos 2:6). Merchants and sellers violate the sabbath (Nehemiah 13:15-20). The deeds of the rich are wicked (Micah 2:1-9).
Anyone who engages in commerce (profiteering; pursuit of mammon) comes under Caesar's jurisdiction (“Caesar” = ungodly government). The merchants, the rich men of the earth, the great men of the earth, are identified with the ungodly authority:
“The kings set themselves, and the rulers take counsel against the Lord and his anointed, saying, Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us” (Psalm 2:2, 3).
“Why did the heathen rage, and the people imagine vain things? The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord, and against his Christ.... Lord, behold their threatenings...” (Acts 4:25, 26, 29).
“Israel hath cast off the thing that is good: the enemy shall pursue him. They have set up kings, but not by me: they have made princes, and I knew it not: of their silver and their gold have they made them idols, that they may be cut off” (Hosea 8:3, 4).
This is where many stumble with the reality that there is a counterfeit “authority” seeking our obeisance! Satan said, “I will be like the most High” (Isaiah 14:14).
It is Satan’s “higher power” which is behind the merchants, the rich men of the earth, the present temporal “governing authorities.”
Satan is “the god of this world” (II Corinthians 4:4), “this present evil world” (Galatians 1:4); there is no Godly ordination there.
We have a choice as to which purported authority we submit to and therefore “serve.” God’s authority is above all the “government institutions” of men.
Why does God “allow” ungodly “governments?” What is the purpose of man's law? It is God's rod of correction. God uses man's law to chasten His people. God uses heathens to chasten His people.
We are to place ourselves under God’s jurisdiction, living in God’s kingdom. And we're not going to be perfect, we may fall and do wrong, but we are to check everything that we're doing. And if we do something that's against God's Word, we repent immediately to renew our mind. That's how we renew our mind, by repenting to the King and saying, "I'm sorry. I did not want to do that. It's a habit, it's the way that I learned in the world. Help break me of that." And He does help us if our heart is truly after Him. And if you don't repent, he has the natural man right there as a rod of correction for you, and that's what man's codes, rules and regulations are all about.
If we be without chastisement, we would not be his sons. But he loves us, so God uses a rod of correction to wake the sleeping disciple and get him back on course.
Proverbs 22:15, "Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him."
Proverbs 23:13, "Withhold not correction from the child: for if thou beatest him with the rod, he shall not die."
We've been talking about the idolatry of man's law, but now we'll talk about the purpose of it. As we know, everything the Lord allows to exist is for His purposes. Why does man's law exist? Why do people look to it for truth? It's simply because they've turned their backs on the Lord and His Law.
In the plan of God, the humanist has always been God's rod to wake the sleeping disciple and get him back on course. If man is the center of 'the world,' and he created all these legal personalities, then the police power is God's rod of correction to get you out of the world, to make things a hotbed of coals to where it is uncomfortable for you to stay there. So, if you're going to come out of the world, then you shed, what is called, all those legal personalities that the world has placed upon you, and you do not answer to them anymore, because your mind has been renewed in the mind of Christ (Ephesians 4:23, Colossians 3:10).
An officer does need a warrant in law to do what he is doing. However, if you're in the wrong place, doing the wrong thing, and partaking of the unclean things, then that man (who you say is ungodly, doing ungodly things against you) is actually God's rod of correction to drive you back to where you should be. If you're not chastened by our Father, then you're a *******, meaning you're a son of the world, and you will not share the privileges of God's children.
Hebrews 12:8, "But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons."
Job 5:17, "Behold, happy is the man whom God correcteth: therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty:"
Again, what is the purpose of man's law? It is God's rod of correction. God uses man's law to chasten His people. God uses heathens to chasten His people.
Psalms 125:3, "For the rod of the wicked shall not rest upon the lot of the righteous; lest the righteous put forth their hands unto iniquity."
Psalms 106:39-48, "Thus were they defiled with their own works, and went a ******* with their own inventions. Therefore was the wrath of the LORD kindled against his people, insomuch that he abhorred his own inheritance. And he gave them into the hand of the heathen; and they that hated them ruled over them. Their enemies also oppressed them, and they were brought into subjection under their hand. Many times did he deliver them; but they provoked him with their counsel, and were brought low for their iniquity. Nevertheless he regarded their affliction, when he heard their cry: And he remembered for them his covenant, and repented according to the multitude of his mercies. He made them also to be pitied of all those that carried them captives. Save us, O LORD our God, and gather us from among the heathen, to give thanks unto thy holy name, and to triumph in thy praise. Blessed be the LORD God of Israel from everlasting to everlasting: and let all the people say, Amen. Praise ye the LORD."
Ezekiel 31:11, "I have therefore delivered him into the hand of the mighty one of the heathen; he shall surely deal with him: I have driven him out for his wickedness."
Ezekiel 39:27-28, "When I have brought them again from the people, and gathered them out of their enemies' lands, and am sanctified in them in the sight of many nations; Then shall they know that I am the LORD their God, which caused them to be led into captivity among the heathen..."
So, even though you may be righteous and you're following His ways, as soon as you put your hands into iniquity, "the rod of the wicked" (that's His rod) will be there to drive you back to Him.
2 Samuel 7:14, "I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son. And when he happens to transgress, then will I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the sons of men:"
Even though we're His son, if we walk away from His Law, He will use "the rod of men" to chasten us and drive us back to Him. Gentile and Pagan armies may be God's armies. For example, the Chaldeans who destroyed Zion are called "His army" (Joel 2:11); the Assyrians are called "the rod of mine anger" (Isaiah 10:5); and the Medes under Cyrus are termed God's "sanctified ones" and "mighty ones" for His anger (Isaiah 13:3, 17). Likewise, Jacob (i.e. the nation of Israel) is the Lord's "battle ax" and "weapons of war" that He uses to chastise other nations (Jeremiah 51:20).
Proverbs 22:15, "Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him."
It is foolish to partake of the ways of the world, and "the rod of correction" will drive that from us. What's interesting is that scripture shows us how God will use the ungodly as a rod of correction, but the natural man doesn't realize that they're there for His purpose. Isaiah 10:5-15 shows that even though God will use the king of Assyria to drive His people back to Him, the king doesn't know it. He boasts about how powerful he is and attributes everything to himself, but he's actually God's rod of correction, just like all governments are.
What is the purpose of God's rod of correction?
Jeremiah 5:3, "O LORD, are not thine eyes upon the truth? thou hast stricken them, but they have not grieved; thou hast consumed them, but they have refused to receive correction: they have made their faces harder than a rock; they have refused to return."
So, we see His rod of correction is to return us to Him. And we also see from this passage that there are many who will not be driven back to Him by it. But don't despise His chastening.
Proverbs 3:11-12, "My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of his correction: For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth."
It is important to understand that the purpose of God allowing "Caesar" (i.e. ungodly government) to be in power is to test and prove His children, to see if they will keep the Laws of God or the laws of the heathen (Judges 2:21; 3:4).
