Bible Discussion Thread

I have a Question:Is Romans Chpt13 vas.1-7 talking about our leaders of our country or what is meant by the higher powers?

Joe, yes, Rom 13:1-7 does refer to the governments & legal system that have rule & authority by God to administer the necessary laws for the protection & welfare of society. And the apostle Paul states that we are to be subject to them because they are divinely appointed or even permitted by God to perform those functions.

But your question & this passage raises other issues which may be perplexing to those who may be subject to the directives & laws of their governments that are actually "a terror to good works or don't appear to be God's minister executing wrath upon the evil". Of course, in our musings, we are reminded that Paul wrote all this whilst under the authority of the Roman government, which was renowned for its ruthless wickedness. So we have no excuse to debate this issue when our own governments appear to fall far short of God's Standards or of Paul's own instructions to us to obey such systems.

So, in light of Scripture, I believe we still need to obey, or sometimes suffer, under our governments, as they are appointed by God, however knowing that most governments are godless by nature, we have to decide whether there is conflict by what they require and what God requires. So, I believe that in spite of this Romans passage which can be troubling to some who are under repressive & godless governments, believers are still in a position to obey them & come under their rule, yet oppose governmental directives & laws where they clearly oppose God's Directives to us. I personally find this Romans passage one of those difficult portions of Scripture to fully reconcile.