Ugh - Romans 13 again?

So, since Jeff Sessions quoted Romans 13 in his defense of President Trump’s immigration policy, and the White House Press Secretary called enforcing the law “biblical,” now we’re all confused. According to various sources, the Attorney General said, “I would cite you to the Apostle Paul and his clear and wise command in Romans 13, to obey the laws of the government because God has ordained them for the purpose of order.” Trump supporters and critics alike are now all throwing the same parts of the Bible at each other like seventh graders in a food fight.

Indeed, my Christian friends fall on both sides of the fence, with those ardent Trump supporters pointing fingers at Democrats for not enacting DACA reform, while those ardent Trump critics point out the Nazi regime cited Romans 13 during Hitler’s reign. For the record those pointing the fingers are both Republicans and Democrats and party lines don’t seem to matter. Even my atheist friends can’t seem to unify under one side or the other, with staunch critics vilifying the President’s current immigration stance while hard core nationalists call Trump the “new age messiah” tongue in cheek.

CNN’s Religion Editor Daniel Burke wrote yesterday that the Apostle Paul may have had any one of five disparate meanings in mind when writing Romans 13, to include obeying the government, but not necessarily all laws, and using irony to criticize Roman authority without fear of his own persecution.

The New York Times’ Julia Jacobs penned criticism of AG Sessions’ choice of Romans 13 because that same scripture had been used to justify slavery. Jacobs also highlighted the verse as the defense of Nazi rule, apartheid, and various professors of “Divinity” criticisms of government use of the Bible to defend their position, whatever it may be. Jacobs also pointed out that the Rev. Franklin Graham, a vocal supporter of the President, rejected his immigration policy as “disgraceful.”

You, the faithful few who actually read my blog, know where I stand on the use of Romans 13 because I’ve addressed it here before. Romans 13, at least in my mind and in my heart, is clear. God has ordained President Trump and his administration as the leader we need here and now, in our time in history, for better or worse, good or bad, as long as his policies and the laws the Congress enacts during his tenure do not conflict with Christ’s precepts, then we shall all “be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established.” (Rom 13:1, NIV) Because when that governing authority abuses its God-given establishment, it is an angry God who will bring righteous fury. That fury may be rightly at the hands of an angry nation.

But rather than debating Paul’s meaning in writing Romans 13, I’d point you to his cautions in Romans 16.

“I urge you, brothers and sisters, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them. For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of naïve people. Everyone has heard about your obedience, so I rejoice because of you; but I want you to be wise about what is good, and innocent about what is evil.” (Rom 16:17-19, NIV)

Don’t let CNN, The New York Times, or even your closest circle of friends cause divisions in your church. If anything is clear in our current political climate, it’s that Satan is attacking the church from all angles and even church authorities long thought of as apolitical are getting mired in the conflict. Rather, follow another scripture that doesn’t care if you are Republican or Democrat, Nationalist or Globalist, Jew or Gentile – 1 Thessalonians 5:19-22.

“Do not quench the Spirit. Do not treat prophecies with contempt but test them all; hold on to what is good, reject every kind of evil.” (NIV)

If Paul was inspired by God to remind us to challenge every word we hear preached, then it makes sense to challenge every word we hear period. Hold that which is good, that which benefits God’s Kingdom, that which follows Christ’s precepts. And reject that which is evil. We haven’t fallen so far from grace that we can’t see when something is evil anymore in America, right?

(Photo courtesy of Robert Scheer - Indy Star)