Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. (Rom 13:1)
Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every authority instituted among men: whether to the king, as the supreme authority, or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. (1 Pet 2:13,14)God is the supreme ultimate authority. When the governments are run by those who do not fear God, they want the people to do things that are forbidden by God. Therefore, in those instances, we must disobey the government and submit to God instead. In fact, Paul wrote Romans 13:1 to the Christians of Rome at a time when their government ordered everyone to confess Caesar is "Lord". In bold opposition to submitting to that government mandate, Paul wrote three chapters earlier:
That if you confess with your mouth, "JESUS IS LORD," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. (Rom. 10:9)It is also vital to compare scripture with scripture on any subject in order to prevent deception. Below are definite examples showing it has been God's will for the righteous to disobey government:
The king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, whose names were Shiphrah and Puah, "When you help the Hebrew women in childbirth and observe them on the delivery stool, IF IT IS A BOY, KILL HIM; but if it is a girl, let her live." THE MIDWIVES, HOWEVER, FEARED GOD AND DID NOT DO WHAT THE KING OF EGYPT HAD TOLD THEM TO DO; THEY LET THE BOYS LIVE.... So God was kind to the midwives and the people increased and became even more numerous. AND BECAUSE THE MIDWIVES FEARED GOD, HE GAVE THEM FAMILIES OF THEIR OWN. (Exo 1:15-17,20,21)
Then the herald loudly proclaimed, "This is what you are commanded to do, O peoples, nations and men of every language: As soon as you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes and all kinds of music, YOU MUST FALL DOWN AND WORSHIP THE IMAGE OF GOLD THAT KING NEBUCHADNEZZAR HAS SET UP. WHOEVER DOES NOT FALL DOWN AND WORSHIP WILL IMMEDIATELY BE THROWN INTO A BLAZING FURNACE." (Dan 3:4-6)Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego rightly disobeyed the government and God delivered them from even being burnt while in the fiery furnace.
The royal administrators, prefects, satraps, advisers and governors have all agreed that the king should issue an edict and enforce the decree that ANYONE WHO PRAYS TO ANY GOD OR MAN DURING THE NEXT THIRTY DAYS, EXCEPT TO YOU, O KING, SHALL BE THROWN INTO THE LIONS' DEN. (Dan 6:7)Despite the royal mandate, Daniel continued to openly pray to God, leading to his arrest. God sent an angel to protect Daniel in the lion's den and rescued him, even though he (rightly) disobeyed the government.
ALL THE ROYAL OFFICIALS AT THE KING'S GATE KNELT DOWN AND PAID HONOR TO HAMAN, FOR THE KING HAD COMMANDED THIS CONCERNING HIM. BUT MORDECAI WOULD NOT KNEEL DOWN OR PAY HIM HONOR. Then the royal officials at the king's gate asked Mordecai, "Why do you DISOBEY THE KING'S COMMAND?" Day after day they spoke to him but HE REFUSED TO COMPLY. Therefore they told Haman about it to see whether Mordecai's behavior would be tolerated, for he had told them he was a Jew. When Haman saw that Mordecai would not kneel down or pay him honor, he was enraged. (Esther 3:2-5)Mordecai was right to disobey. God delivered Mordecai and the Jews from Haman's evil plan to destroy them all.
"Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my maids will fast as you do. When this is done, I WILL GO TO THE KING, EVEN THOUGH IT IS AGAINST THE LAW. AND IF I PERISH, I PERISH." (Esther 4:16)Queen Ester went against the government's law and God delivered her and the Jews.
But after [King] Uzziah became powerful, his pride led to his downfall. He was unfaithful to the LORD his God, and entered the temple of the LORD to burn incense on the altar of incense. Azariah the priest with eighty other courageous priests of the LORD followed him in. They confronted him and said, "IT IS NOT RIGHT FOR YOU, UZZIAH, TO BURN INCENSE TO THE LORD. THAT IS FOR THE PRIESTS, THE DESCENDANTS OF AARON, WHO HAVE BEEN CONSECRATED TO BURN INCENSE. LEAVE THE SANCTUARY, FOR YOU HAVE BEEN UNFAITHFUL; AND YOU WILL NOT BE HONORED BY THE LORD GOD." Uzziah, who had a censer in his hand ready to burn incense, became angry. While he was raging at the priests in their presence before the incense altar in the Lord's temple, leprosy broke out on his forehead. (2 Chron. 26:16-19)King Uzziah's actions were wrong and God judged him with leprosy on his forehead.
By the word of the LORD a man of God came from Judah to Bethel, as Jeroboam was standing by the altar to make an offering. He cried out against the altar by the word of the LORD: "O altar, altar! This is what the LORD says: 'A son named Josiah will be born to the house of David. On you he will sacrifice the priests of the high places who now make offerings here, and human bones will be burned on you.'" That same day the man of God gave a sign: "This is the sign the LORD has declared: The altar will be split apart and the ashes on it will be poured out." WHEN KING JEROBOAM HEARD WHAT THE MAN OF GOD CRIED OUT AGAINST THE ALTAR AT BETHEL, HE STRETCHED OUT HIS HAND FROM THE ALTAR AND SAID, "SEIZE HIM!" BUT THE HAND HE STRETCHED OUT TOWARD THE MAN SHRIVELED UP, SO THAT HE COULD NOT PULL IT BACK. Also, the altar was split apart and its ashes poured out according to the sign given by the man of God by the word of the LORD. Then the king said to the man of God, "Intercede with the LORD your God and pray for me that my hand may be restored." So the man of God interceded with the LORD, and the king's hand was restored and became as it was before. (1 Ki 13:1-6)The king's hand shriveled up and that same prophet prayed to God for him to heal him and he was healed.
At that time Hanani the seer came to Asa king of Judah and said to him: "Because you relied on the king of Aram and not on the LORD your God, the army of the king of Aram has escaped from your hand. Were not the Cushites and Libyans a mighty army with great numbers of chariots and horsemen? Yet when you relied on the LORD, he delivered them into your hand. For the eyes of the LORD range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him. YOU HAVE DONE A FOOLISH THING, AND FROM NOW ON YOU WILL BE AT WAR." ASA WAS ANGRY WITH THE SEER BECAUSE OF THIS; HE WAS SO ENRAGED THAT HE PUT HIM IN PRISON. AT THE SAME TIME ASA BRUTALLY OPPRESSED SOME OF THE PEOPLE. (2 Chron. 16:7-10)King Asa was in error and, when corrected, responded with unjust and ungodly anger and cruelty.
His speech persuaded them. They [the Sanhedrin Council members] called the apostles in and had them flogged. Then they [same council] ORDERED THEM NOT TO SPEAK IN THE NAME OF JESUS, and let them go. The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name. DAY AFTER DAY, IN THE TEMPLE COURTS AND FROM HOUSE TO HOUSE, THEY NEVER STOPPED TEACHING AND PROCLAIMING THE GOOD NEWS THAT JESUS IS THE CHRIST. (Acts 5:40-42)Because the apostles disobeyed government, "the number of disciples increased" (Acts 6:1).
After arresting him, he [King Herod] put him [Peter] in prison, handing him over to be guarded by four squads of four soldiers each. Herod intended to bring him out for public trial after the Passover. So PETER WAS KEPT IN PRISON, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him. The night before Herod was to bring him to trial, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries stood guard at the entrance. Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him up. "Quick, get up!" he said, and THE CHAINS FELL OFF PETER'S WRISTS. THEN THE ANGEL SAID TO HIM, "PUT ON YOUR CLOTHES AND SANDALS." AND PETER DID SO. "WRAP YOUR CLOAK AROUND YOU AND FOLLOW ME," THE ANGEL TOLD HIM. PETER FOLLOWED HIM OUT OF THE PRISON, but he had no idea that what the angel was doing was really happening; he thought he was seeing a vision. (Acts 12:4-9)The government was shown wrong again by the angel of the Lord breaking Peter out of prison.
THE MARK OF THE BEAST will be offered by the government [maybe the "health authorities"], which is influenced by the antichrist, who is empowered by the devil himself! Do NOT submit to receive that bodily mark and proof of vaccination, but instead, disobey the government. STAND FIRM and remember the holy and faithful, who preceded you. This is our TEST now and PARADISE comes after death.
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