Romans 13 clearly states that "rulers are not a terror to good works. but to evil." It says that in order to be unafraid of authority, we should do what is good and we will be commended by said authority. Paul goes on to say that the ruler is God's messenger, avenging wrath on the evildoer. SO . . . what if the rulers actually ARE a terr…
Romans 13 clearly states that "rulers are not a terror to good works. but to evil." It says that in order to be unafraid of authority, we should do what is good and we will be commended by said authority. Paul goes on to say that the ruler is God's messenger, avenging wrath on the evildoer. SO . . . what if the rulers actually ARE a terror to good works? What if we do good and are PERSECUTED by authorities? What if our authorities are avenging wrath on the doers of GOOD? Seems to me there is room for resistance even in scripture, particularly when the authorities jailed Christians, even put them to death, just for being followers of The Way. Otherwise they wouldn't have lowered Paul down in a basket through an opening in the wall (Acts 9:24) to subvert plans to have him executed--he would have just let himself be arrested. (Use the senses you have that have been honed to discern good from evil.)
Romans 13 clearly states that "rulers are not a terror to good works. but to evil." It says that in order to be unafraid of authority, we should do what is good and we will be commended by said authority. Paul goes on to say that the ruler is God's messenger, avenging wrath on the evildoer. SO . . . what if the rulers actually ARE a terror to good works? What if we do good and are PERSECUTED by authorities? What if our authorities are avenging wrath on the doers of GOOD? Seems to me there is room for resistance even in scripture, particularly when the authorities jailed Christians, even put them to death, just for being followers of The Way. Otherwise they wouldn't have lowered Paul down in a basket through an opening in the wall (Acts 9:24) to subvert plans to have him executed--he would have just let himself be arrested. (Use the senses you have that have been honed to discern good from evil.)