Romans 13: Subjection Does Not Mean Total Obedience —- Part 5

Romans 13: Subjection Does Not Mean Total Obedience — Part 5

In Part 4, we talked about the immediate context of Romans 13 and 1 Peter 2, where both pointed to the civil governing authorities (exousia). 

Therefore, as believers, we are subject to the earthly exousia as long as it is in line with the heavenly exousia, because the main purpose is to establish His Kingdom on earth.

In light of this, how do we make sense of the current one world’s solution on 💉💉💉? Does it even fall under Romans 13?

Firstly, we need to understand where we should be putting our trust in, when it concerns life and health.

Nowhere in the Bible tells us to put our trust in men, including experts/doctors. Nowhere in the Bible tells us that life, healing and health come from doctors.

Christians who trust doctors more than they believe in the Word of God are simply carnal in this area. It doesn’t matter how many theological degrees, researches and papers you have obtained/written, if your trust for healing and health is not in the God of the Word, you are carnally minded in this aspect. This might offend many, but truth often offends and if we can’t take it, it reveals the level of our maturity.

Many believers will say that they trust God more than the doctors, but their actions reveal otherwise. Some think that the doctors are sent by God, putting them indirectly (subconsciously) on the same tier.

If you can find a verse in the Bible that explicitly says that God sends doctors to heal the sick, I am happy to change the theology. Yes, Dr Luke was a Gentile physician in the early church, but that does not imply that he was sent as God’s healer. He was only regarded as Paul’s companion and a historian. We must not interpret what is not in the Word. Otherwise, it is eisegesis instead of exegesis.

𝐆𝐨𝐝’𝐬 𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡 𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐲 𝐇𝐢𝐬 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐩𝐞𝐬 (through the Word and prayer). Yet because we don’t always live by His way (either due to a lack of revelation or due to our growth process in mind renewal), there is provision for doctors. 

The root of medical practice is man-made Ancient Greek religion by the way. This is partly found in the Hippocratic Oath where modern doctors take. The law of first mention of physicians is found in Egypt (Gen 50:2) as a pagan nation. It wasn’t until in the book of Sirach Chapter 38 (Apocrypha) that doctors were written as God-sent. Not in the Bible anyway.

Having said this, if not for doctors, many would be in trouble (but many also got into trouble because of trusting doctors). But we must not think that they are God’s way of healing and health.

Yes, we can thank God for the provision. But we must give credit where credit is due. So don’t give glory to God if your healing didn’t come from Him. Give glory to doctors, if they are the ones who help you get back your health.

In light of this pandemic, you don’t necessarily have to trust what the experts/doctors say about the 💉, unless you are a carnal Christian. 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐦𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐛𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐆𝐨𝐝. 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐂𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭. You have superior wisdom and you can discern if you should follow the experts or not. No expert is greater than Christ, 𝐰𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐬𝐝𝐨𝐦 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮, unless you are a carnal Christian. A carnal Christian with a Greek mindset will pursue knowledge and put his trust in knowledge instead of the Holy Spirit who knows ALL things.

This is why you see theological scholars living in the flesh instead of the Spirit. Just because one studies textbooks more does not make him spiritually-minded. 𝐒𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐦𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐛𝐞 𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐝 (1 Cor 2:14-16). We are to love God with our mind but it is about 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐰𝐞𝐝 𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐝 (Rom 12:2) aka the mind of Christ (1 Cor 2:16), not the natural, carnal mind (Rom 8:6).

Until we have this area of understanding established, we might just jump into Romans 13 and follow blindly, because we think that the experts and the pharmas are absolutely helping the earth to look like heaven in this pandemic. It is still too early to judge because many things are still unfolding and brought to light.

For some, it is not selflessness but self-preservation that led to their decision to 💉💉💉. If it's a personal choice, that's fine. But some are using Romans 13 and the Great Commandment to encourage more (including their flocks) to follow. That is an abuse of the Word and it's called convenient Christianity.

In the next part, we will continue with how we can respond as believers to the 💉💉💉 in light of Romans 13.