RE: It's time to get real about Romans 13 on July 4th
Remember, we have no king in The United States (God created People and People created the Constitution, constitution created Government,) the only authority that has a right to rule are the founding documents (that declare our unalienable rights,) any rule legislators or executives make at the state or national level must be in harmony with the Bill Of Rights, and ultimately the courts and jurors (We The People) decide what is what... and if someone is found guilty of a wrong doing that is not protected by the Bill Of Rights, at that point, The Sheriff is dispatched...The Sheriff is jailer and executioner, he is the one the wrong doers fear...
For this reason I prefer this translation:
1Let [a]every [b]soul be subject unto the higher [c]powers: [d]for there is no power but of God: and the powers that be, are [e]ordained of God.
2 Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist, shall receive to themselves condemnation.
3 [f]For Magistrates are not to be feared for good works, but for evil. [g]Wilt thou then be without fear of the power? do well: so shalt thou have praise of the same.
4 For he is the minister of God for thy wealth: [h]but if thou do evil, fear: for he beareth not the sword for nought: for he is the minister of God to [i]take vengeance on him that doeth evil. -Romans 13:3
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+13&version=GNV
Magistrates are judges - and in this country, jurors :
It may not be amiss, here, Gentlemen, to remind you of the good old rule, that on questions of fact, it is the province of the jury, on questions of law, it is the province of the court to decide. But it must be observed that by the same law, which recognizes this reasonable distribution of jurisdiction, you have nevertheless a right to take upon yourselves to judge of both, and to determine the law as well as the fact in controversy. On this, and on every other occasion, however, we have no doubt, you will pay that respect, which is due to the opinion of the court: For, as on the one hand, it is presumed, that juries are the best judges of facts; it is, on the other hand, presumable, that the court are the best judges of law. But still both objects are lawfully, within your power of decision-The State of Georgia v. Brailsford, et al.
February Term, 1794
The Bible is full of historical people seemingly acting in righteous resistance, in defiance of rulers and kings; David fled from Saul, Gideon hid wheat from the Midianites, and though they faithfully served their captor; Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego drew the line at violating the law of their god...resistance is not violence...
Careful reading of the grievances against King George indicate a lack of badly needed local judicial action on his part as well as the heavy burden of quartering the English troops and not being paid for it, and still being taxed on top of it all, all of this sounds like King George was found guilty of injustice; God hates injustice...
1 Woe to those who make unjust laws,
to those who issue oppressive decrees,
2
to deprive the poor of their rights
and withhold justice from the oppressed of my people,
making widows their prey
and robbing the fatherless. -Isaiah 10:1,2
I cannot recall any open violent rebellion against standing rulers being undertaken by God's people...I think God himself does the initiating of it i.e. the Isrealites in Egypt; God himself must declare judgement against a power for it to fall... it seems that repentance and prayer are the only keys to God freeing his people -from their own doing... read: Deuteronomy 28
Nice article. Coincidentally, while you were writing it, I was writing something similar...
When Powers Collide