Is Romans applicable in today's world, when it comes to authorities and governments being granted from God?

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[–] [deleted] • 3 pts

My understanding is not that a government is "blessed" by God to carry out its evil ways, but rather that God is in ultimate authroity over all, and thus a government stands only by the will of God.

The immediate reply is often "then why doesn't God stop the evils of these governments". The answer goes back to Genesis. Man was created in the image (reflection) of God. Our emotions are from God, our natural family structure comes from God, etc. Not only that, but our free will comes from God. For this is why we were created in His image, because we have a will of our own, unlike the angels. God longs for a relationship with us. In order for the relationship to mean anything, we have to voluntarily participate in the relationship, of our own free will. This is why the Tree of the Knowlege of Good and Evil had to exist in the garden. Without it, Man would have had no choice but to obey God, for there was no other path. With the Tree in the garden, it presented an opportunity to disobey, making the obedience meaningful, and thus affirming our free will (and further, affirms our being made in God's image).

Therefore, if God were to simply "snap his fingers" and make the problems of this world go away, it would invalidate our free will. Man has made these choices, for God to simply undo them is to invalidate our free will in making them.

Authority is granted to Man to dominate this earth. If Man uses this gift to enslave his neighbor, it is the consequence of sin (deviation from God's design). God's ultimate plan is to work through His followers to bring those willing into a relationship with Him. He works through the evils of Man for the good of His perfect will. He does not snap his fingers and undo the actions of Man.

Look at the life of Christ. He did not participate in the evil institutions of his time. He was homeless, had no ((( money ))), took no wife. He was Holy (which means "set apart"). The life of Christ exemplifies the power of God, and how little power these institutions of Man hold. Even death cannot take a child from out of the hand of the Eternal.

My understanding is not that a government is "blessed" by God to carry out its evil ways, but rather that God is in ultimate authroity over all, and thus a government stands only by the will of God. The immediate reply is often "then why doesn't God stop the evils of these governments". The answer goes back to Genesis. Man was created in the image (reflection) of God. Our emotions are from God, our natural family structure comes from God, etc. Not only that, but our free will comes from God. For this is why we were created in His image, because we have a will of our own, unlike the angels. God longs for a relationship with us. In order for the relationship to mean anything, we have to voluntarily participate in the relationship, of our own free will. This is why the Tree of the Knowlege of Good and Evil had to exist in the garden. Without it, Man would have had no choice but to obey God, for there was no other path. With the Tree in the garden, it presented an opportunity to disobey, making the obedience meaningful, and thus affirming our free will (and further, affirms our being made in God's image). Therefore, if God were to simply "snap his fingers" and make the problems of this world go away, it would invalidate our free will. Man has made these choices, for God to simply undo them is to invalidate our free will in making them. Authority is granted to Man to dominate this earth. If Man uses this gift to enslave his neighbor, it is the consequence of sin (deviation from God's design). God's ultimate plan is to work *through His followers* to bring those willing into a relationship with Him. He works *through the evils of Man* for the good of His perfect will. He does not snap his fingers and undo the actions of Man. Look at the life of Christ. He did not participate in the evil institutions of his time. He was homeless, had no ((( money ))), took no wife. He was Holy (which means "set apart"). The life of Christ exemplifies the power of God, and how little power these institutions of Man hold. Even death cannot take a child from out of the hand of the Eternal.

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