Paul Walter Commentary

For the past year I've heard several people, who profess to be Christians, say that we must submit to government authority. They quote the Bible's Romans 13 as proof. Recently, Oregon State Representative Carl Wilson, who I always respected, told me the same thing. Within the same week an acquaintance visited me with his 8 year old daughter. The first thing that came out of his mouth as he drove up, was: "You're not in jail yet?" Stunned, I asked "why"? "Well, you're constantly stirring the pot, making the politicians mad", he smilingly replied. "All I'm doing is exposing corruption and holding them accountable for their actions, or lack of it", I replied.

In front of his daughter I asked him if he would submit to government authority if Services to Children and Families (SCF) came for his daughter? To my dismay, he answered "yes". "And would you turn over Jewish women and children to Hitler's government authority?" Again, he replied "yes". My wife Lorraine, standing next to me, was in shock as she listened to our conversation.

Curious, I asked why his (misguided) conviction was so strong? He replied, "My pastor teaches this in his Sunday sermons". "What Bible do you read" I asked? He whipped out a King James Bible from under his seat and showed it to me. "That's odd. I have a King James Bible and my copy doesn't say that. My translation says 'Submit to authority ordained by God', I replied."

Romans 13:1-71 Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. 2 Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation. 3 For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil.

Acts 5:27-29 27 And when they had brought them, they set them before the council: and the high priest asked them, 28 Saying, Did not we strictly command you that ye should not teach in His name? and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man’s blood upon us. 29 Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men

Paul and John were repeatedly threatened and hauled into court but chose to obey God, rather than man. Can we do less today?

Personally, I don't have a bit of trouble submitting to Godly authority, but I'll be damned if I'm going to submit to wicked authority. I asked him how he could submit to an authority that threw the Ten Commandments out, sanctions killing unborn babies and homosexual marriages; removes crosses from public lands, bans the Bible from public schools, shuts off water supply to farmers that grow food, etc. Did He not teach that we must stand up to evil in order to be counted? Apostle Paul stood up to the evil Roman government. My acquaintance replied, "That's your opinion. My Pastor teaches that obedience to authority must be unconditional". By the way, my acquaintance attends the largest church in Jackson County, Oregon.

As the conversation progressed, I realize that I was talking to a brain dead, brainwashed individual. In fact, the brainwashing was so complete, that no matter what I said or did made any difference. Is this what Jesus meant when He said "Let the dead bury their dead"? Was He talking about those that are alive from the waist down, but spiritually dead from the neck up?

Would Jesus teach us to submit unconditionally to evil? If so, then what was the purpose of His coming? I believe His purpose was to save us from evil, not to submit to it. Why then are pastors (mostly from large feel good churches) teaching this lie, thereby misleading their followers? Are they agents for the State, or are they modern day Scribes and Pharisees, like those who condemned our Lord? Or both?

How can modern day pastors with even half a conscience teach their followers to submit to un-godly government authority? Can we truly respect a pastor or attend his sermons that licks the boots of state? Throughout the Bible it teaches us to rebuke evil.

These are just a few that I can think of. But there are many more. Can this happen in America? You bet! Just wait until they get all your guns, then you'll see. History shows tyrannical government always follows disarmament. Has anyone reading this ever heard of any government that obeys and loves God? If so, please let me know.

Paul Walter was born in socialist Yugoslavia in 1945. He and his family emigrated to America in 1959. He served 3 years in the U.S. Armed Forces and became a U.S. citizen in 1963. Owner of Walter Publishing & Research, he republished a 100 year old book titled The Coming Battle, the true history of our national debt. The book is currently in its 5th printing. E-mail walter@internetcds.com