Dangerous State (41)

When Paul and Silas were in Philippi, they were flogged and beaten by the Roman magistrates.

The crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas, and the magistrates ordered them to be stripped and beaten. After they had been severely flogged, they were thrown into prison (Acts 16:22.23)

Paul would not be speaking of these magistrates, when he wrote,

For he is God's servant to do you good (Rom 13:4).

Paul understood that the state could be very dangerous for Christians. He knew from first hand experience that the state is often very hostile to God's people.

Recently in China, 30 house-church leaders from Langzhong City, Sichuan Province were arrested and forced to pay fines. Eyewitnesses and family members of the victims reported that the arrests happened during a fellowship meeting. Fifteen members of the Public Security Bureau in six police vehicles raided the meeting. During the arrests and interrogations, Christians were abused inhumanely by constant heavy beatings. Though some of those arrested were released 14 house church leaders received criminal detention notices. A number of house churches from Beijing, Shangdong and Guangdong were forced by the local authorities to close (Voice of the Martyrs).

These Chinese Church leaders would not say that they political authorities are God's servants to do them good. They would understand that they are enemies of God.

These two examples show that the traditional view that all political authorities are God's servants is nonsense. This was not Paul's teaching in Romans 13. He was writing about submission to excellent judges.

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