All Leaders Are NOTGod-Ordained
By: Beau Krenz
When Daniel was explaining a dream to king Nebuchadnezzar, a very important truth was stated in Daniel 4:17
“This decision is by the decree of the watchers, and the sentence by the word of the holy ones, In order that the living may know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, gives it to whomever He will, and sets over it the lowest of men”.
Later, Daniel was confronting king Beshazzar and he repeated what had happened to his father Nebuchadnezzar. In Daniel 5:21 we read:
“Then he was driven from the sons of men, his heart was made like the beasts, and his dwelling was with the wild donkeys. They fed him with grass like oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, till he knew that the Most High God rules in the kingdom of men, and appoints over it whomever He chooses”.
What we must understand in these verses is that God was speaking about a particular king whom he had chosen to bring to pass the words spoken by His prophets concerning the fall of Judah. These verses do no say that God sets up EVERY leader. They simply say that God DID set up or appoint Nebuchadnezzar even though he was a base man. Furthermore, as a matter of principle, God is able and does on occasion appoint people to positions of leadership in the world.
Having said this, it must be understood that nowhere does it say God appoints EVERY leader, ruler or magistrate who has ever lived. This is plainly apparent in Hosea 8:4 where in speaking about Israel the Bible says:
“They have set up kings, but not by me; they have made princes, and I knew it not; of their silver and gold have they made them idols that they may be cut off.”
What this verse is saying is that the people set up kings, but the kings they set up were not who God wanted and therefore did not receive God’s blessing. The people made and removed princes at their will without consulting God. Obviously there have been occasions when the people chose rulers and leaders which were NOT ordained by God nor was God even consulted.
The blanket statement made by many theologians that every government along with every governmental official, ruler and magistrate is ordained by God is simply not true. People in a Democracy or Republic choose who they want to rule over them. Elections are held with the person getting the most votes winning. In these types of situations, it can hardly be said that every winner of every election was ordained by God.
Those kingdoms, nations and other empires which God knew would have a direct impact on bringing His spoken Word to pass ARE ORDAINED by Him. That is the point of the record in Daniel dealing with Nebuchadnezzar (boy I wish he had a shorter name). Almighty God selected him to carry out His Word by bringing to pass prophecies given by various prophets at different times.
God has the ability and right to set up over the kingdom of man whoever He wills. Although God has this ability and right, He does not always do so. Many times the people simply choose someone to rule over them and God would have nothing to do with the decision.
Daniel’s prophecies concerning the various kingdoms which would rise up and last for a season were examples of kingdoms of man ordained by God because He specifically mentions them in His Word. But, it cannot be said that every kingdom was ordained by God and every ruler was put there by God to carry out some aspect of His Word.
God ordains and establishes the kingdoms and governments which fulfill prophecy and serve His divine purposes. It is not fair to pull one verse out of Romans 13 and build an entire theological belief system upon it, especially if it is not translated correctly. We will look at Romans 13:1-7 and examine where the problem lies in translation. But before we do, it must be established from the Old Testament that when it comes to God’s role in the setting up of man’s kingdoms:
1. God has the ability and right to ordain them and their leaders
2. Man has the ability and right to set up leaders without even consulting God
3. To fulfill His Word, God will indeed appoint or ordain a nation or leader for His purposes
4. Every nation or leader is NOT ordained by God for they are not involved with His purposes
God can and does ordain governments as well as rulers of those governments. It is His privilege as Almighty God to do so. He can ordain whomever He wants for He is a sovereign God. But it cannot be accurately said that EVERY government in the history of this world was ordained by God. It cannot be said that EVERY president, governor, mayor and local policeman is ordained by God just because of a few verses incorrectly translated or understood in Romans 13.
I challenge anyone who holds to the belief that EVERY governmental official is ordained of God to explain the atrocities done by such people. I challenge anyone who believes that every police officer has the authority to beat the daylights out of any believer just for the heck of it because they are ordained of God to justify such behavior. I challenge anyone to honestly explain where the profit lies in teaching people that EVERY official of EVERY government in the history of man was placed there by God.
Of course God ordains governments, but God does not ordain every one of them. Of course God ordains rulers and officials, but He does not ordain every one of them. Teaching Christians to blindly obey every governmental official because they are “ordained” of God and thus represent His will is not only dangerous but totally irrational. With study, it is plainly apparent that as believers we are to obey those in governmental positions as long as they do not require disobedience to God’s Word.
Now, to CORRECTLY translate Romans 13:1-7…
Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same. For he is God’s minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God’s minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil. Therefore you must be subject, not only because of wrath but also for conscience’ sake. For because of this you also pay taxes, for they are God’s ministers attending continually to this very thing. Render therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes are due,customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor.
What was Apostle Paul really saying? The best way to bring understanding on Romans 13 is to ask, “Who was apostle Paul writing to at Rome?” The answer is found at Romans 1:7: Paul was writing to all those in Rome who are “beloved of God, called to be saints.” He was not writing to the general population at Rome. He was specifically addressing the “called out ones,” the Body of Christ.
If apostle Paul was advocating obedience to secular authorities, then Caesar would have no cause against him. Why would Caesar have Paul beheaded if he was promoting obedience to Rome?
The world loves its own. If Paul belonged to Caesar, Caesar would not want to kill his own. If Paul was promoting “be subject to Caesar,” then Paul would be Caesar’s friend. You would not kill your own. You don’t destroy the very instrument that advertises for you.
The truth is that Apostle Paul was beheaded for promoting a rival government known as the Kingdom of God. Already this “new” government was turning the world upside down. Caesar had Paul killed to help stop this threat to Rome’s power.
If Romans 13 does not mean “obey the State,” what does it mean? Romans 13 means, “Remember them which have the rule over you,” as you will also find at Hebrews 13:7. Since Paul was addressing the saints at Rome, it is logical that he would instruct them to submit to those who look after their souls. It is a reminder to be obedient to the authorities God has placed over His people. For they are truly the “ministers of God to you for good.” Unlike worldly rulers, God’s ministers are not a terror to good works but to the evil. Therefore, “do that which is good and thou shalt have praise of the same.”
Powers Not Ordained By God
Romans 13 is probably the most devastating thing to a Christian in the hands of the ungodly. It sounds so convincing to obey those who appear to be in power. For too long, secular governments have used Romans 13 as a club to beat Christians into obedience to them. Just because a group maintains power through their guns and jails, does not mean God put them there.
God said there are powers not ordained by Him at Hosea 8:4…
“They have set up kings, but not by me: they have made princes, and I knew it not.”
God didn’t put them in power over the righteous. That’s Satan’s idea. The righteous don’t need worldly, filthy authorities, which are no authorities at all. Do you think that they can instruct the righteous? They themselves steal. They themselves are perverts. And they presume to instruct the righteous? I don’t think so.
Secular Governments Persecuted Paul
Apostle Paul had many troubles with worldly rulers. He was given 39 stripes five times by the Jews, beaten with rods three times, in perils by his own countrymen and by the heathen, and frequently in prison. (See 2 Corinthians 11:23-26). In Damascus the governor kept the city of the Damascenes with a garrison, desiring to apprehend Paul. “And through a window in a basket was I let down by the wall, and escaped his hands,” wrote Paul at 2 Corinthians 11:32. That is the same Paul that wrote Romans 13. He was forced to flee from the civil authorities, those “powers that be” that people say are ordained of God. Sorry folks, this does not compute. When Paul says, “the powers that be,” he is saying the powers that be powers, are ordained of God. In other words, the only true powers are those that God ordains.
The root of the matter is this, Does Paul in Romans 13:1-7 argue that the civil government of this world has legitimate authority over the people of God? We believe that the obedient, called-out people of God are not bound to obey manmade civil governments. God’s people are answerable to God above all else and are bound by His commands. At the same time, God’s people are not to use their liberty as a cloak to do evil, to foment rebellion or waste time trying to influence the politics of the governments of this world. Furthermore, we believe Paul in Romans 13:1-7 is referring to the spiritual leaders of the Body of Christ, not the civil authorities of this world.
If Paul is saying, “Obey the civil authorities,” then he has a conflict in his life. Is Paul promoting Caesar or separating from Caesar? If Paul is promoting Caesar, there is no way I want Paul in my Bible. He can’t work for Caesar and Jesus Christ. Caesar already has his writings, they are called “revised statutes” or the “law of the land.” You can have them if you want. I would rather have God’s Word. Actually that which is called the “law of the land,” is the law of the devil. The term is used in the U.S. Constitution, where men claim that their laws are the supreme law of the land (See U.S. Constitution, Article VI).
Supreme Law of the Land
“Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets” (Matthew 22:36-40).
Do you know what that represents to a Christian? These two commands are the Supreme Law of the Land. If you believe that something else is the supreme law of the land for a Christian, someone has deceived you. It was a thief who drew you away from the true Supreme Law of the Land (see John 10:8).
If you have the two great commandments, how much allegiance do you have left for the worldly rulers of this dark age? Let me tell you, you have ZERO allegiance to Satan and his agents. All your time is spent “loving God” and “loving neighbor,” and there is no room left over for obeying Satan and his minions.
We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one. (1 John 5:19)
Submitting to the King of Heaven
As true followers of Jesus, we are led by the Spirit and our lives reflect the fact that we belong to another kingdom, the Kingdom of Heaven. Our stay on earth is only transitory. As
citizens of Heaven, we are bound to submit and pledge allegiance to the King of Heaven and His government over us. We are not bound to obey the government of some nation just because we happen to be living within their so-called “borders.”
Remember, “The earth is the Lord’s, and the fullness thereof” (1 Corinthians 10:26). Yet there is a pack of thieves out there who have divided up the earth and perverts are ruling over it. And they are doing it at the egging on of Satan himself.
Romans 13 has been wrongly interpreted by ruling secular governments to mean a Christian must submit to them. This misinterpretation forms a powerful weapon to neutralize and misdirect the power of God’s Kingdom.
As the followers of Jesus Christ, we belong to another Kingdom, the Kingdom of Heaven. The Kingdom has its own government, its own laws, and its own leaders. Apostle Paul was not commanding us in Romans 13 to submit to the civil authorities of the kingdoms of this world. He was commanding us to submit to the authority of God’s leaders who oversee the “called-out ones.”
It is a fallacy that Paul was commanding Christians at Rome to submit to the secular government. It is time that Christ’s followers renounce their allegiance to the ever-changing governments of men. They must set an example that there is a higher and more perfect form of government, the Kingdom of Heaven.
Of course there will be consequences. Jesus was brought to Pilate to be crucified on charges of “perverting the nation, and forbidding to give tribute to Caesar, saying that he himself is Christ a King” (Luke 23:2). We, too, must be willing to sacrifice even our very lives to proclaim God’s sovereign rulership over us.
Loyalty and Obedience to Christ
When we boldly declare that we belong to God’s Kingdom, we are left with no choice but to trust God for His provision in the face of a hostile world. We quickly learn that our safety is in our obedience. To trust in carnal weapons and physical force is vanity. We serve a living God. He is well able to make a way for us regardless of how much the modern day Nebuchadnezzar’s rage and threaten to destroy us.
Christians are in no way bound by the Scriptures to obey and support the manmade governments of this world. We are bound to live peaceably with all men to the greatest degree possible. Yet our loyalty, allegiance, and obedience must always be found at the feet of Christ. Our goal is to see souls brought to Christ. The more fully we separate from the world and consecrate ourselves to God, the more power we will have to infiltrate the hearts and minds of men with a living example of the Gospel. The world must see that God does have a people on this earth, and that His power dwells in their midst. Let us commit ourselves to His kingdom and be His people. Have you prayed for our leaders today? Let’s pray first and foremost, for their souls and secondly, that they are led by the Holy Spirit! God Bless you and God Bless America!
