Romans 13 is often interpreted by hirelings in the Church, men who care not for the people but for their own self interest, as submitting to any and all authority, including civil government, even when it is clearly against the commandments of God. Yet, the historical and exegetical interpretation of Romans 13 does not lend itself to such an ungodly interpretation.
Pastor and author of The Doctrine of the Lesser Magistrates: A Proper Resistance to Tyranny and a Repudiation of Unlimited Obedience to Civil Government Matt Trewhella has put together a brief video that explains the thrust of Romans 13.
He writes:
Have you heard about the Doctrine of the Lesser Magistrates? Probably not. Instead, modern day American Christianity has used Romans 13 and 1 Peter 2 to pacify all manners of men. What seems to be forgotten is the qualifying clauses put forward in the text, as well as the context. Did Paul always obey civil authorities? No. Did Peter always obey authorities? No.
Did Jesus always obey civil authorities? No. All authority is given by God. This means those who are in power, have power delegated from God. So what about when a corrupt magistrate issues decrees AGAINST God’s Word and law? We must obey God rather than the state. Compliance will only allow tyrants to grow in their evil. Historic acts of defiance have shaped Western civilization – and we at Defy Tyrants are hoping to educate the masses and warn them of great evils that come with compliance, and the NEED for resistance.
To equip yourself with this doctrine, visit our website. We will be creating much more high quality content in the days ahead.
You can check out more at his site DefyTyrants.com.
Here is a 14-page written defense of our position:
Romans 13 Defy Tyrants by Tim Brown on Scribd
To listen to a podcast in which Matt Trewhella spoke about this doctrine, check out this.
Also, be sure to check out my interview below with Matt on this important subject.
The Doctrine Of The Doctrine of the Lesser Magistrates: A Proper Resistance to Tyranny
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