Part 2 of “For God So Loved the United States….”

“Why are Americans so many people so willingly to hand their souls to one who has none?” It is a serious questions and not just asked in jest. It is a question you will be asked either here or during your life review after passing from this life to the next.

Look at these pictures and tell me if you are OK with this. Praying or "Preying" for Jesus. I imagine Jesus would turn over in His grave if He was still in it. What else is empty, appears to be the hearts of those praying to their God and the "Bestest President" in the "Universe and throughout time-past, present and the future.

I am more disappointed with men like Pence than Trump. He knows better or he did until his heart hardened. Pence and others like the Huckabee family (and so many in the Trump Club) seem to be “OK” with family breakups as long as it isn’t theirs.

While praying for Trump in the picture above, the picture below shows how these prayers are being answered. Did anyone see this coming?

I never thought I would see in my life time such hate being displayed so publicly for the world to see. Here, many of Trump's Christian Warrior are standing for Nazism; those Trump refers to as "very fine people." And the Punch Line, is that “Jesus made me do it” (Romans 13).

How can this be happening? And, it is being done with the blessing of many well-known religious leaders such as Mike Huckabee, Jerry Falwell Jr, and Franklin Graham. When you ask people like Pence and Huckabee how they can so blindly obey a man whose only god is himself, they cite the book of Romans Chapter 13, as their reasoning. They believe not following Trump, would be the same as not following Jesus.

Am I exaggerating…Paula White Trump's Spiritual Advisor said and I quote:

"opposition to Trump with opposition to God"

Romans 13

It is important to understand the influence Romans 13 is having on our nation. When Trump orders his "Christian" followers to do things, even evil ones, Pence and the likes of him point to Romans 13. So, let's examine this all important chapter of the Bible because it is shaping America and Damning Christianity at the same time.

From the Apostle Paul

"All of you must obey the government rulers. Everyone who rules was given the power to rule by God. And all those who rule now were given that power by God. So anyone who is against the government is really against something God has commanded. Those who are against the government bring punishment on themselves. People who do right don’t have to fear the rulers. But those who do wrong must fear them. Do you want to be free from fearing them? Then do only what is right, and they will praise you.

Rulers are God’s servants to help you. But if you do wrong, you have reason to be afraid. They have the power to punish, and they will use it. They are God’s servants to punish those who do wrong. So you must obey the government, not just because you might be punished, but because you know it is the right thing to do.

A this is why you pay taxes too. Those rulers are working for God, and they give all their time to the work of ruling. 7 Give everyone what you owe them. If you owe them any kind of tax, then pay it. Show respect to those you should respect. And show honor to those you should honor."

That’s it ladies and gentlemen. This Biblical reference is what enables and empowers many Evangelical Christians and political leaders to justify disobeying the most important Bible’s commandment to “To Love God and To Love Your neighbor as Yourself.”

Adhering to Romans 13, to commit crimes against humanity is beyond reason and I give examples of such examples below. But for now, let’s look back at three men who defied the Government of Babylon, by refusing to obey the law to bow down to King Nebuchadnezzar’s image of himself. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego would not go along with any order which was in conflict with God’s.

As a punishment they were sentenced to death and thrown into a fire to died. So were these 3 men disobeying God when disobeying Nebuchadnezzar?

The proof (and the answer) is in the pudding so to speak. Instead of being dead from the flames, they were not harmed by it at all. And, to make it clear that disobeying the government was absolutely the right thing to do, a fourth man joined them in the fire; one who was described as the Son of God.

Do we need to go back in the Bible and chastise Moses for disobeying the Pharaoh, which would have resulted in keeping the Israelites in slavery, and as a result, they would never have reached the promised land?

Do we need to go back to the 1700s and condemn George Washington and all those men who disobeyed King George in England?

Trump and friends are so intent of flaming the fire of discrimination at the border, they have decided to “deter” those seeking asylum at the Southern border by breaking up families of those seeking refuge. This deterrence was proudly led by Steven Miller. The Week Publication describes Miller’s role as follows:

“Trump's senior adviser Stephen Miller is known as the architect of that plan, but reportedly had the support of other top officials, two officials tell NBC News.”

To interpret Romans 13 as a commandment to blindly obey an evil government and ruler by turning away the poor, the orphan, the widow, and the Alien, is beyond just disobeying God, it is downright evil.

Breaking up is Hard to Do or is it?

"I directed it not to say that religion requires these laws on immigration. I just simply said to my Christian friends, 'You know, the United States has laws and I believe that Paul was clear in Romans that we should try to follow the laws of government of which we are a part.'"

I’m proud to tell you that I am not one of his friends.

Breaking up families at the Border resulted in sending to jail anyone 18 and older and to send many parents’ kids younger than 18 to large and barren facilities with cages to keep the kids in their place. Much more is said of this subject and is dealt with in greater detail later.

Back to Romans 13

When you ask them why are they doing these terrible things to people and reminding them what the Bible says about helping the down and out—and not walking over them, they say “Romans 13 and that’s it.” Being a student of religion most of my life and one who is very familiar with the Bible, I am very cognizant how Romans 13 has been used to justify torture and murder of certain ethnic groups since Chapter 13 was written.

It was the same logic which was used by Nazi war criminals who carried out their orders from the top. Researching the topic, I discovered the main defense of those Nazis, who tortured and murder children and adults, resembled the following: “I was only following Orders” just like any good Christian adhering to God's word as laid out in the Bible or Roman 13.”

Perspective and Context

In Romans 13, the apostle Paul was speaking to Jewish Christians living in Rome. At that time, Christians were being intimidated and persecuted by the likes of People such as Nero.

Paul is telling his friends to be smart and to “keep a low profile” so not to give the Romans and excuse to harm them. He was NOT telling them to obey a nation’s Government when it violates God’s Government, but this is exactly what Pence, Huckabee and countless other turncoats are doing.

Self-Interpretation

Paul explains Romans 13 by his life examples which should clarify its meaning once and for all, or you would think. Paul demonstrated numerous times what Romans 13 DID NOT imply. When ordered by the Government to stop preaching the Gospel or be imprisoned, Paul, flat out defied them publicly for all to see.

It turns out that Paul routinely disobeyed the government and was damn proud of it too. Listen to Paul as he speaks to his punishment for breaking the law.

“Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea.”

And he wasn’t the only apostle accused of civil disobedience disregarding the laws of the government.

As described in the book of Acts chapter 5, there were a number of Apostles, including Peter, who refused to abide by the rulers who forbid them from preaching the gospel. Below is what is the men of God was knowingly and willing to undergo by disobeying the government so as to obey God.

“They (the government rulers) called the apostles in and had them flogged. Then they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and released them.” Did they stop?

Below is another such example of others defying the government when they felt (knew) they had someone much higher up the management chain of command to obey as opposed to a corrupt government.

The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing that they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name. Every day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they did not stop teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Christ.

These religious rebels and law breakers were proud “Bad Boys” fearing God rather than men.

The Apostles understood the context and message of what was written in Romans 13. They had no doubt who to follow and it was not the government when they were at odds with God.

Peter Got the Memo when when proclaiming “We must obey God rather than men” (Acts 5:29) and Jesus himself warns that “no one can serve two masters” (Matt. 6:24).

If the apostles complied with the government and stopped preaching the gospel, then you (us) would never have known of the “good news.”

Romans 13 – All of It

Romans 13:1-7 speaks of adherence to the government laws specifically in matters such as paying taxes, etc. In fact, the only specific action you can point to in these verses is paying taxes. The others are general such as “be a good boy” so to speak.

In contrast, beginning with verse 8, Paul is speaking of adherence to God’s Law when Paul says to the brethren to love one another, for he that loves his neighbor has FULFILLED THE LAW. What Law? God’s Law and if there is any doubt, used the compass found in the only oldie but goody…

“…And if there is any other commandment left to doubt, it is summed up by Paul:

“You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law”

There are so many Old and New testaments accounts of the "Righteous" breaking laws when in conflict with God’s law, that it would take another book to account for them all. But we don’t need another book. We already have one and it makes it clear that we are to honor God by following Him rather than following the "Father of Lies" as described in John. Chapter 8:44 below.

Using Romans 13 to justify evil is a Big Fat Lie. And, we all know how Jesus feels about liars.

"You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies."

Romans 13 has been hijacked to excuse inhuman treatment of others because of a Governmental Law.

You better make sure you are following the right father.