The Ultimate Authority

Romans 13 (New International Version)
New International Version (NIV)
Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society

Romans 13
Submission to the Authorities

1Everyone must submit himself to the governing

authorities, for there is no authority except

that which G-d has established. The authorities

that exist have been established by G-d.


At the outset, I ought to admit that I've never

been too excited about the way that authority is

excercised. My biggest problem is that I don't

like being lied to and manipulated. It's not

being told what to do as much as it is the way

that I'm told. But then, I got married and now I

see just how messed up things really are. And I

have some insight into why they're messed up as

they are. The bottom line is that slavery is

prefered to freedom. Authority operates under

that assumption.


Over the weekend, I was thinking a little about

the Sunday message and other things showing up in

the news. You know, the regular drumbeat of

promotion and propanda that confronts us at every

turn. The passage above makes clear that there

is christian doctrine to consider, related to the

events that are foisted upon us. To some extent

my own perspective is clouded by prior

experience. Part of that experience shows that

people really don't know what they want, except

that they like to believe that others ought to

pay for it, whatever 'it' is. The way I see it,

there's no point in resisting authority, based on

christian doctrine and prior experience. But

that's not to say that you have to agree with

everything that they do. You just have to do

what they say.


The point is that when I'm given a choice of

candidates to vote for, and I'm not excited about

the choices, the other choice is to sit it out.

It seems that I'm not the only one who chooses to

sit it out, from time to time. The way I see it,

the problem begins with the status quo. I'm not

pleased with status quo. But I see that the

trend is firmly in place. As far as I can tell,

nobody wants positive change. It's alot like

Moses taking the hebrew out of Egypt. He got

them out of Egypt, but he couldn't get Egypt out

of them. My observation is that the slave

mentality is not unique to Moses' hebrew

children. Freedom demands individual

responsibility. That's one reason why real

freedom is far too scary for most people and

modern wage slavery is quite comfortable, so why

rock the boat. Be a good American and just vote

for someone. They call it democracy. Excitement

is optional.


Then there is the academic world. The ideal

model is creative freedom. But the established

hierarchy has a vested interest. They don't want

freedom so much. That's one reason why the

creation vs evolution debate won't ever get too

far. Fear of change inhibits freedom of thought.

Doctrine must be defended at all cost. It's

even better if there is a monopoly in place.

Again, the status quo; excitement is optional.


The doctrine of scripture is clear. Things are

as they are because that's the way G-d intends

them to be. But I can't help thinking that

there's a difference between being in subjection

to authority and being held hostage by status

quo. In my case, I've learned that I want to

avoid at all cost, any involvement with the wrong

side of the law. Forget about justice. Just

satisfy the requirements placed upon you by those

in authority. Make your appeals to heaven.

(Because you can rest assured that nobody around

here gives a flip about your trouble, unless

you're paying them to do so.)


2Consequently, he who rebels against the

authority is rebelling against what G-d has

instituted, and those who do so will bring

judgment on themselves. 3For rulers hold no

terror for those who do right, but for those who

do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the

one in authority? Then do what is right and he

will commend you. 4For he is G-d's servant to do

you good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he

does not bear the sword for nothing. He is G-d's

servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment on

the wrongdoer. 5Therefore, it is necessary to

submit to the authorities, not only because of

possible punishment but also because of

conscience.


There's nothing to gain by rebellion. Again,

there's no mention of justice here, just a

warning that those in authority are willing and

able to use force in the implementation of their

plan. Since it is really G-d's plan, the best

course of action is cooperation.


6This is also why you pay taxes, for the

authorities are G-d's servants, who give their

full time to governing. 7Give everyone what you

owe him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue,

then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor,

then honor.


Here is where he gets to the heart of the issue.

The authorities want their piece of the pie. In

the U.S. we are supposed to have representative

government. But when most people reject freedom,

in favor of government largesse, then that piece

of the pie keeps getting bigger. Whether you

like it or not, that's the trade off. So, pay

up.


In my view, we are so far down the road to perdition,

that it's a lost cause to believe that there is any hope

for positive change. Even though some don't like

to believe that they will ever be affected by the

situation, I'm thinking that they are in for a

surprise. This world has always been an

uncertain place. According to this passage of

scripture, even though there is an uncertainty on

our part, G-d has events well in hand. That's

the thing to always keep in mind. We are in

subjection to authorities, and authorities are in

subjection to G-d.


Luke 3 (King James Version)
King James Version (KJV)
Public Domain

Luke 3
1Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of

Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of

Judaea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and

his brother Philip tetrarch of Ituraea and of the

region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias the tetrarch

of Abilene,

2Annas and Caiaphas being the high priests, the

word of G-d came unto John the son of Zacharias

in the wilderness.

3And he came into all the country about Jordan,

preaching the baptism of repentance for the

remission of sins;

4As it is written in the book of the words of

Esaias the prophet, saying, The voice of one

crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of

the Lord, make his paths straight.

5Every valley shall be filled, and every

mountain and hill shall be brought low; and the

crooked shall be made straight, and the rough

ways shall be made smooth;

6And all flesh shall see the salvation of G-d.

7Then said he to the multitude that came forth

to be baptized of him, O generation of vipers,

who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to

come?

8Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of

repentance, and begin not to say within

yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I

say unto you, That G-d is able of these stones to

raise up children unto Abraham.

9And now also the axe is laid unto the root of

the trees: every tree therefore which bringeth

not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into

the fire.

10And the people asked him, saying, What shall

we do then?

11He answereth and saith unto them, He that hath

two coats, let him impart to him that hath none;

and he that hath meat, let him do likewise.


John, like Jesus, had a few words for the authorities. He

let them know that they were headed for trouble.

There is a day of reckoning. And for the people,

they were to share what little they had with

others in need. It seems that things haven't

changed a whole lot. What he didn't say, is

worth taking note of. To the people, he let them

know that it was not their place to set things

straight. He implied that each person will

answer to G-d, who is the ultimate authority.