Source of authorities

[byhismercy]

Romans 13:1 tells us: For there is no power but from God: and those that are, are ordained of God.

How are we to understand the source of civil authorities? Are all authority then from God? God certainly permitted them to exist and reign, or else they would not exist and reign. But is it accurate to say that, for example, the US government is from God and ordained of God?

I don’t think Paul meant only the Christian/Jewish powers, since this is addressing to the Christians in Rome, which are probably more related to the pagan Roman Empire.

 

[Gorgias]

How are we to understand the source of civil authorities? Are all authority then from God? God certainly permitted them to exist and reign, or else they would not exist and reign. But is it accurate to say that, for example, the US government is from God and ordained of God?

I think that we would say that ‘authority’ itself is from God, but not that any particular secular government is ordained by God.

 

[White_Tree]

How are we to understand the source of civil authorities? Are all authority then from God? God certainly permitted them to exist and reign, or else they would not exist and reign. But is it accurate to say that, for example, the US government is from God and ordained of God?

It seems pretty clear from the context of the remaining verses in that passage (Romans 13:1-7), that Paul is referring to civil authorities, which would include the U.S. government.

But don’t conflate being ordained by God with being a source of goodness. Remember who God put as ruler over the earth:

In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. – 2 Cor 4:4

Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me. – John 14:30

So we, being wicked, have been made subject to wickedness. The secular authorities placed over us by God are liars, hypocrites, thieves, and adulterers. And the ruler over the earth is Satan himself. This is the consequence of sin.