Re: Priests as freedom fighters

On Mar 5, 2025, Steve Hayes wrote
(Message-ID:<[email protected]>):

> On Wed, 5 Mar 2025 11:31:12 +0300, "Oleg Smirnov"<[email protected]>
> wrote:
>
> > Steve Hayes,<news:[email protected]>
> > > On Tue, 4 Mar 2025 20:51:00 +0300, "Oleg Smirnov" <[email protected]>
> >
> > > > > Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is
> > > > > no authority except that which God has established. The authorities
> > > > > that exist have been established by God. (Romans 13)
> > > >
> > > > Those "priests as freedom fighters" are heretics.
> > > >
> > > > Any authority is a good from God, it's established by God.
> > >
> > > Indeed, but when it is corrupt, its corruption is not from God.
> >
> > It's sinful to think one can know God's will/plan in full.
> >
> > Holy Scripture says clearly any authority is established by
> > God, whereas a Christian's duty is to submit to authorities
> > rather than "fight" against what he or she may dislike.
>
> St Peter and St John seem to disagree with you:
>
> Act 4:19-29 - But Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether
> it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto
> God, judge ye. For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen
> and heard.

They were speaking to the leader of Judaism, not the Roman government. Those 
leaders were ones who taught and held to the traditions of men, not just the 
scriptures.
>
> Act 5:28-29 - Saying, Did not we straitly command you that ye should
> not teach in this name? and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with
> your doctrine, and intend to bring this man's blood upon us. Then
> Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God
> rather than men.

Yes, and this is the continuance of the actions of the chapter just before. 
The disciples were now members of the Kingdom of God, under the New Covenant, 
having been set free from the old. Their new high priest is Jesus/Yeshua, in 
Heaven.

They were also not fighting or warring against the old ways.
>
> And also, though St Paul said this:
>
> Rom 13:1-2 - 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.
> Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of
> God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation.

Yes, he did, and because of that he followed the laws setup for Roman 
citizens. Went to prison, unjustly, and trusted in the Lord through it all 
maintaining his witness before men, and was able to speak to them privately 
because of it, regarding the things of the Lord.
He was in prison because of the false witness of the same people he used to 
follow and adhere to until he saw Jesus on the road to Damascus, who 
delivered him from being part of those that attacked Peter and John that you 
spoke of before.

>
> he also said this:
>
> Eph 6:11-12 - Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to
> stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh
> and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the
> rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in
> high places.

Yes, he did, and to that end I quoted scripture given to him in my previous 
reply to you in regards to who we ware against, an that through the 
confidence received because of Faith in Christ we can stand against the wiles 
of the enemy. The results of the dramatic shift in the government is a result 
of the prayers of the people against the unjust, ungodly actions of the 
previous rulers. Those who tried to shut down the churches, bible study 
groups and the freedom of religion in America, amongst many other previous 
acts of corruption which opposed the very constitution long established as 
the rule of law.
>
>
> The word "powers" (Greek=exousias) is perhaps better rendered into
> English as "authorities".

Yet that does not designate religious rulers as among our authorities as only 
Jesus is the head of the Body of Christ, the ekklesia.